Express & Star Business Awards 2025: Meet the finalists - Small Business of the Year

This award is open to businesses employing between 10 and 200 people. Judges will be looking for businesses who have a clear strategy and vision, aligned with financial and/or team growth, who have overcome challenges and turned difficult situations around and provided excellence in their field.

BCRS Business Loans

BCRS in Wolverhampton is a non-profit distributing co-operative lender to support the growth of SMEs with a dedicated business loan fund, providing loans from £10,000 to £250,000.

As a non-profit community lender, BCRS lends to businesses in some of the most deprived areas on behalf of major lenders including British Business Bank and Lloyds Bank, benefitting the economy.

Lloyds Bank became the first mainstream lender to finance loans for delivery through socially motivated Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), and BCRS was one of only three nationwide CDFIs to receive this funding.

Since its establishment in 2002, BCRS has built an impressive track record, lending close to £99 million to businesses, creating over 5800 and safeguarding 11,600 jobs.

So far, this financial year BCRS has lent £9m to 115 businesses, compared to last financial year (2023-2024) when they lent £5.8m to 72 businesses, safeguarding 675 and creating 186 jobs, adding £29.9m in value to the regional economy.

BCRS is a trusted delivery partner for some of the biggest funds in UK responsible lending to be launched in the last 18 months.

BCRS is on track to increase the number of SMEs it has supported this year by over 70%. Over the next 3 years, their strategy is to increase the number of SMEs supported annually by over 100%.

Bowers and Jones

Bowers & Jones is a world-renowned leader in the design, manufacturing and refurbishment of rolling mill components based in Bilston in the heart of the Black Country.

For 70 years B&J has been making high precision roll tooling and equipment for the steel and copper rolling industries, but now has customers in oil and gas, medical and fibre composites industries worldwide.

Jane Sommerville (MD) and Nicola Owen (FD) acquired the failing B&J in 2020, only to be hit by the challenges of Covid and moving premises to Bilston during lockdown.

Contributing to manufacturing excellence in the region, B&J employ 17 highly skilled, long serving team members and is set to grow further on the back of new contract wins.

Since the business was taken over by the female-owned management team the turnover has more than doubled with significant increases in profitability.

Prior to the management buyout the business was significantly loss making with losses close to £900k in 2015, and £500k the following year.

Jane and Nicola have significantly grown sales abroad since acquiring the business. Today 80% of their £4.8 million turnover comes from export markets, supplying 300 customers worldwide including the USA, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Columbia and Venezuela. 

For such a small business it holds its own with some of the biggest steel companies globally including Arcelor Mittal, Tata Steel, Nucor Corp., Gerdau, Evraz North America, Tenaris Group, Voest Alpine & SSAB.

Twin Design

Established in 2007 by brothers Declan and Tully Gallagher, Twin Design Limited has evolved into a distinguished provider of bespoke joinery solutions, growing from £300k to over £2m in annual sales and employing 20 people. 

Originally based in Birmingham, the company specialises in crafting high-quality, custom-made furniture and interior environments for diverse sectors, including domestic, commercial, retail, and leisure. Their commitment to excellence and innovation has positioned them as leaders in the contemporary furniture design industry.

Twin Design's strategic vision centres on delivering exceptional bespoke joinery services while fostering sustainable growth. 

In December 2024, the company relocated to a larger facility in Aldridge to accommodate an expanding workforce of highly skilled joiners. This move not only enhanced production capabilities but also underscored their commitment to quality craftsmanship. 

Continuous investment in advanced machinery and personnel development reflects their dedication to maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

Employing some of the finest skilled joiners in the Midlands, they create functional spaces from high-quality materials, ensuring each project meets the unique needs of their clients. 

Their dedication to customer satisfaction is reflected in their collaborative approach, working closely with clients from concept to completion to deliver tailored solutions that exceed expectations.