Pictured above: Marcus Aniol, Managing Director of J S Wright, receives the H&V News HVAC Contractor of the Year Award from Peter Frost (right), Managing Director of sponsor Viessmann in the presence of awards host Alexander Armstrong  

Birmingham-based building services provider J S Wright has proved that it's the best in the business by clinching the industry's most coveted award.

The 121-year-old company based in Portland Street, Aston beat off competition from across the UK to be named the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Contractor of the Year at this year's annual H&V News Awards.

The company has been boosted further by being short-listed for the Business of the Year Award in the ICAEW West Midlands Chartered Accountant of the Year Awards being held at the city's Botanical Gardens on May 9, after being nominated by its auditors Bloomer Heaven.

The national Contractor of the Year title was conferred at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London in an Oscar's-style ceremony hosted by comedian Alexander Armstrong in front of hundreds of mechanical and electrical services contractors.

It was the third time in as many years that J S Wright had been a finalist in what is regarded as the independent stamp of approval for excellence in the industry, and follows the opening of the company's first London office in Trafalgar Square.

The 20 judges praised the company's impressive entry, highlighting its well-established focus on customer care and training, along with its competence in its hotel, leisure, commercial, student accommodation and residential operations.

Last year one of J S Wright's technical apprentices was awarded the West Midlands Incorporated Engineer of the Year Award by BEST (Building Engineering Services Training), while the company itself was presented with a special Commitment to Training Award for its efforts in developing tomorrow's engineers. 

It has also developed a training academy offering apprenticeships to local young people wishing to pursue a career in building service design and installation, and last year it received a prestigious Carnegie Excellence Award in Leadership Development.

J S Wright also celebrated its 120th anniversary last year by completing a £10-million contract, the biggest in its history, to fit out the prestigious new 584-bed Mint Hotel in London with a wide range of carbon and energy saving services. With the help of a dynamic new management team, the company has increased its turnover from £12 million to £18 million over the past five years despite the economic downturn.

Managing Director Marcus Aniol said: "This is a tremendous honour that confirms our well-established reputation as the UK's leading M&E contractor. It is a tribute to the exceptional design, installation and maintenance skills of our highly committed and well-trained workforce and it provides is with even greater motivation to grow our design and build business throughout London and the South East."  

Dennis Flower, Editor of H&V News, commented: "We have been overwhelmed by the number of entries submitted this year, which speaks volumes for the health of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry."