Arco Crowned Supreme Champions

Arco scooped two awards at the Family Business of the Year Awards (‘FBOTY’) organised by Family Business United (‘FBU’), including the ultimate accolade, Supreme Family Business of the Year 2021.

FBU celebrates family owned businesses across the UK, recognising the contribution they make in terms of employment, income generation and wealth creation. In the live ‘virtual’ awards ceremony, Arco took the Yorkshire Family Business of the Year title which was promptly followed by the ultimate triumph as they were crowned Supreme Champions for 2021.

For Arco, the UK’s leading supplier of safety products and services, the evening was a celebration of all that it has achieved over its 5 generations as a family owned business, as well as recognition of their core purpose: to keep people safe at work.

As Doug Ryan, Wealth Management Director at Mattioli Woods, sponsors of the Supreme Champion Award explains: “Arco is a multi-generational family firm that has real purpose underpinning everything they do. Family values are firmly embodied in the business and have helped guide them successfully for over 135 years to become a world class business.”

“Arco stood out as worthy overall winners this year. As we all know, people are at the heart of any business and they are the lifeblood of Arco. Their family values define their reason for being and are truly embodied within the heart of the organisation, the people in the Arco workforce. These values have been upheld during the pandemic, the business has stepped up to help communities the length and breadth of the country and over the past few years there has been continued investment to help future-proof the business for generations to come. Arco are worthy winners of this award and all the accolades it sends their way,” concludes Doug.

Ben Fowler, Managing Director of Western Pension Solutions, sponsors of the Yorkshire award and judge adds: “Arco is a business that is driven by the why and not the how and if. They have made significant investment in the governance of both the family and the business and always strive to do their best with growth coming from their desire to make a positive impact on society, something they have been doing since 1884. This is an incredible family business and a great ambassador for the sector, not just in Yorkshire, but across the whole of the UK and beyond.”

As Thomas Martin, Chairman of Arco adds: “At the end of the most remarkable and humbling year that I have ever had in my 35 years in business, this award just caps it off! Our fifth generation family business is driven by a single purpose, to keep people safe at work. During the last 12 months, our crew have done amazing things to help the heroes and heroines on the front line, battling to build back better and help fight against this horrendous pandemic. They have been incredible and this award recognises their efforts.”

“We just strive to be the best that we can and to be a force for good wherever possible. These awards are an important reminder to those in government and in business of the importance of the family business sector and the contribution it makes. Family businesses are at the forefront of making the UK the best possible place it can be, to do business, to start a business and to thrive and these awards recognise this across the whole of the country,” adds Thomas.

“As for us, I am accepting these awards on behalf of over 1600 members of the Arco crew and, of course, the family. It is a great honour and we are thrilled with the recognition. Thank you very much indeed,” he concludes.

As Paul Andrews, founder of FBU and organisers of the awards concludes, “Family businesses are the engine room of the UK economy and these awards celebrate their contribution. There can only be one winner and Arco are a fantastic business, great ambassadors for the sector and deserving winners of the 2021 Supreme Champions Family Business of the Year title.”