CHX Products, a leading UK manufacturer of recycled and biodegradable promotional merchandise, has achieved outstanding success at the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) Product Awards 2025. The company’s innovative WalletMate Collection secured three prestigious awards at the ceremony held at The Brewery in London on 11th December.

The WalletMate Collection was recognised across three categories:

• PLATINUM – Health, Travel & Leisure Product of the Year

• PLATINUM – Sustainable Product of the Year 

• SILVER – Innovative Product of the Year

The triple recognition came during the BPMA’s 60th anniversary celebrations, honouring the collection’s exceptional versatility across sustainability, innovation, and practical functionality. The WalletMate range consists of eight credit card-sized products that ingeniously transform into everyday utilities, from phone stands to golf kits, each designed to deliver sustained brand visibility whilst providing genuine value to recipients.

“Winning the Sustainable Product of the Year award holds particular significance for us,” explains Jake Field, Senior Sales Manager at CHX Products. “As a manufacturer that exclusively produces recycled and recycled biodegradable branded merchandise, sustainability isn’t just a product feature – it’s fundamental to who we are and everything we do.”

The WalletMate Collection exemplifies CHX Products’ commitment to creating high-quality promotional products that don’t compromise on environmental responsibility. Each product in the range is UK-manufactured from the company’s standard recycled plastic, with options available in R+ biodegradable recycled material for environmentally conscious campaigns.

The awards success validates CHX Products’ position within the promotional merchandise industry, where it serves a growing network of distributor customers seeking genuinely sustainable alternatives. The company manufactures to order for distributors who then supply branded merchandise to end customers.

“Our customers can confidently promote the WalletMate Collection to their customers, knowing it’s been recognised by industry experts as a leader in both innovation and sustainability,” adds Jake. “This recognition reinforces our dedication to pushing boundaries in sustainable branded merchandise manufacturing.”

CHX Products operates from its solar-powered facility in Bodmin, Cornwall, where it maintains full control over the manufacturing process from recycled material processing through to final product delivery. The company’s UK-based production enables rapid turnaround times and quality assurance that differentiates it within the promotional merchandise sector.

The WalletMate Collection’s success follows a strong year for CHX Products, with five products shortlisted across three categories in the BPMA Product Awards 2025, including the Ocean Positive Flying Disc manufactured from marine recovered plastic.

Find out more about the CMG Academy here: https://the-cmg.co.uk/academy/

In addition to CMG’s award success, the evening also celebrated the achievements of its members. Nathan Powell of bott UK was named the Make UK ‘Engineering Apprentice: Rising Star’ 2025 (South) – a fantastic recognition of his talent and progression.

The National Make UK Awards will take place in January at Madame Tussauds, London.

Keynote speaker Stephen Phipson CBE, Chief Executive Officer of Make UK – the champions of engineering & manufacturing in the UK – praised Cornwall’s contribution to the UK economy: “Manufacturing adds over £220 billion to the UK economy and employs nearly three million people. Cornwall’s manufacturers prove that regional innovation and investment in people deliver world-class impact.”

Winners Announced

From advanced engineering and digital transformation to sustainable manufacturing, the 2025 CMG Awards showcased the breadth of talent and achievement across the county. This year’s winners are:

• Medium/Large Manufacturer of the Year: Watson Marlow Ltd
• Small Manufacturer of the Year: Composite Integration
• Innovation/Improvement Project of the Year: Watson Marlow Ltd
• Digital Transformation Project of the Year: Sellectronics
• Exporter of the Year: Bott
• Environmental Project of the Year: Composite Integration
• Rising Star Award: James Allen (Eliquo Hydrok)
• Apprentice of the Year: Ross Duffy (Composite Integration)
• CMG Academy Student of the Year: Arien Matthews

Watson Marlow received dual recognition for both Innovation and Medium/Large Manufacturer of the Year, securing over £15 million in new business for Cornwall, creating 30 high-skilled jobs, and achieving world-class audit status for quality and compliance.

Composite Integration also emerged as a standout winner, receiving multiple awards for its environmental leadership and commitment to sustainable manufacturing.

Championing the next generation

The awards also placed a strong emphasis on emerging talent, with three dedicated categories for apprentices, rising stars, and students.

“Manufacturing in Cornwall is world-class,” said Harry Young-Jamieson, CEO of CMG and Managing Director of St Eval. “These awards shine a light on the ingenuity and passion that make this sector so vital to our region.”

Eric Nicholls, CMG Chairman and Managing Director of Spiral UK, concluded: “There are approximately 1360 manufacturing companies in Cornwall, who employ over 16,000 people, contributing £988m per year to the local economy – which accounts for 9% of Cornwall’s GVA of £10.9bn.

Tonight’s awards cement the industry’s value to the wider economy and celebrate everyone – from established manufacturers to the next generation of engineers who will shape Cornwall’s future.”

The St Austell based team handled every aspect of design and fabrication in-house – from initial concept development to final installation – marking their first end-to-end exhibition project design for the Maritime Museum.  

The result is a compelling example of Cornish manufacturing in action, showcasing what’s possible when design, craftsmanship and regional pride combine. 

Parc’s Technical Designer said: “This was a huge opportunity to show what our team is capable of. We had to solve some complex challenges, like how to securely display 100+ surfboards of all shapes and sizes. What we created wasn’t just functional, but beautiful too. This was a pivotal part of the whole exhibition, it was so important for us to get this right.” 

Working closely with curator Dr. Sam Bleakley and the NMMC team, Parc Signs designed the exhibition layout across five themed zones: Cultural, Craft, Activism, Participation and Arts. Key highlights include a bespoke modular mounting system to safely display over 100 surfboards, including a dramatic 37ft board suspended in the main gallery, along with detailed recreations of local surfing landmarks and a fully restored VW camper van at the heart of the exhibition. 

With more than 60 years of experience designing and manufacturing signage, displays and public installations, Parc Signs is known for its technical problem-solving and craft-led approach. 

 As a member of Cornwall Manufacturing Group, the team continues to champion local talent and capability demonstrating the region’s strength in delivering high-quality, complex projects with national reach. 

SURF! is now open at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and runs until January 2027

*Image courtesy of National Maritime Museum Cornwall and Ian Cross Photography

At the prestigious MakeUK national manufacturing awards hosted on the river Thames, Sellectronics were awarded the best SME manufacturing business. The awards covers the whole of the UK and was entered by hundreds of manufacturing businesses from all sectors. The judges commented that they had unanimously voted for Sellectronics and that the company had stood out from the rest. In particular the judges had admired the businesses clear strategy, investment plan and structure aimed at growth in high reliability markets, they also commented on the companies drive to create an enjoyable working environment and commitment to a positive culture.

Jon Hurrell, Managing Director of Sellectronics, said, “ We are extremely proud of this award, it is such a privilege to represent Cornwall and the South West of England at such a prestigious event. To come away with the award shows how manufacturing is developing outside of the natural stomping ground of the North and Midlands. The team at Sellectronics have all had a part to play in the success of the business and their ability to adapt to the changes in our industry have been superb.

Leaving behind their centres of excellence, that drive much of the world’s economy with innovations, designs and products all manufactured here in Cornwall, representatives headed towards the glittering biomes of Eden to honour the industry and soak up the success of award applicants.

With guest speaker Lord Hutton, Chair of Make UK and formerly Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, as well as Secretary of State for Defence, everyone from the boardroom to the factory floor, was enraptured by his passion and words that delivered recognition for the manufacturing industry.

Jon Hurrell, CEO of the CMG says: “Our awards night is always a significant milestone for our members and for the industry. Manufacturers are very good at innovating, they are powerhouses of brilliance who produce products that are part of everyone’s, everyday life.

However, they are not so good at accepting recognition for the impact they have on worldwide industries and as such, it is always a pleasure to reward the success of our counties extraordinary manufacturing talent with our biennial awards event.”

Eric Nicholls, Chairman of the CMG concluded: “Manufacturing is the unsung hero that makes the world go round. Our awards night shines a spotlight on this invaluable sector, showcasing the industry and celebrating its contribution to Cornwall’s and the UK’s economy.”

The winners will now go forward to the South West Make UK awards, in advance of the National awards later this year.

THE WINNERS

APPRENTICE/TRAINEE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Truro College

Cameron Van Balken, St Eval Candle company

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by SWMAS

Keltek Brewery

SMALL/MEDIUM MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Growth Hub

Sellectronics

LARGE MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by MakeUK

Bott

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD, sponsored by Bishop Fleming & Nalders

Joanne Shaulders, St Eval Candle company

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by  TorFX

ICE Trikes

INNOVATION/IMPROVEMENT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Cornwall College

Sellectronics

Manufacturing is a key part of the UK’s economic growth, driving investment, innovation and productivity, playing a vital role in upskilling and future-proofing the UK’s workforce.
249,000 people are employed in manufacturing across the South West and with higher than average regional and national salary averages, the sector is a highly attractive career option.

Cornwall’s 1100 manufacturers account for £7.4bn GVA and employ over 16,000 people with an entry salary 30% higher than the average wage in the county. With a diverse manufacturing scene covering everything from aerospace to power generation to food and drink and textiles, pharmaceutical to construction to the automotive industry, there is not a sector of industry across the world that Cornwall’s manufacturers don’t play a part in.

Skills shortage is a key concern for the industry and Cornwall’s Manufacturing Group (CMG) is tackling it head on with the award-winning CMG Academy. The UK’s first manufacturing academy, co-funded by the LEP and CMG, launched last year in collaboration with the Cornwall College Group and is now entering its second year of supporting youth into manufacturing and engineering.

Dedicated to addressing the current skill shortages in manufacturing, it helps pupils from local schools to develop their skills in manufacturing and engineering, resulting in a Level 2 Diploma in Manufacturing & Engineering. It also gives pupils access to Cornwall’s manufacturing companies in the form of tours and work experience, ensuring that all students leave equipped with the correct skillset to either continue their studies or gain an apprenticeship.

Jon Hurrell, CEO of the CMG says: “Parents are starting to see manufacturing as a skilled, high-tech and well-paid sector. Five years ago just 14% of parents would encourage their daughters into manufacturing careers, compared to 24% with sons. Today, now 36% would encourage their daughters and 44% would encourage their sons and we feel that the CMG Academy and Cornwall College are playing a key role in changing these perspectives.”

The CMG has also been responsible for the Developing Skills for Business programme, funded through the European Social Fund, it works with employers to design, develop and improve the relevance of skills training for manufacturing SME’s across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

From factory floor to the classroom to the boardroom, CMG has been working with manufacturing companies across the county to enhance skills training for the industry.
Eric Nicholls, chair of the CMG says: “We see it as our role to develop manufacturing skills enhancement opportunities for every generation of manufacturer – across those who have been part of the scene for years and for those new to the sector.”

With 56% of people nationally thinking their local area would be worse off without manufacturing jobs, it highlights the growing understanding of the value and impact of the sector across public perception.
Nicholls adds: “Manufacturing has gone through a public face lift in recent years. People are starting to fully understand what it contributes to not only the economy today but also to tomorrow’s skilled workforce and we’re proud to play our part. The South West has a manufacturing output of £15.8bn. This sums is huge – putting this into context, the region has beaten the countries of Scotland and Wales.”

The recent campaign issued by the Cornwall Trade and Investment team, highlighting Cornwall’s rich heritage, location and geology as unique assets in the pursuit of net zero, also highlights the role of key manufacturers in the county. It is these manufacturers that are showcasing Cornwall as a green energy powerhouse, helping to play a role in the UK’s green energy transition. The CMG is also working with Cornwall Council towards net zero.

These campaigns, the investment and focus on what UK manufacturing can deliver across multiple industries have all played a part in the UK climbing the global ladder of manufacturing output from 9th to 8th in the last year, overtaking France.

However, public research has also shown that people think Britain is the 43rd manufacturing nation, so there is still a lot of work to do for audiences to understand the true depth of manufacturing influence on a global scale.

Eric Nicholls says: “We are truly proud to bang the drum for manufacturing, to sing it’s praises and rightly so. Locally, regionally and nationally we are achieving incredible things and that’s why we at Spiral, and many other local firms, recently celebrated National Manufacturing Day – despite the industry’s economic hurdles.”

Manufacturers are now liable for relatively more business rates payment than any other sector. The sector experienced a business rateable value change nearly four times greater (27.1%) than the national average and 44% of manufacturers say the current tax and regulatory regime is unfavourable for business.

Nicholls continues: “We need to introduce a business rate regime that enables productivity, the current system does not promote growth and with 30% of manufacturers saying they haven’t yet seen any tangible benefits from the Government’s levelling up agenda, there is clearly a lot of work that still needs to be done to support our sector.”

Frequent changes to policies on investment, R&D and development have significantly hindered businesses’ investment plans with many in the industry saying the government needs to invest in physical and digital infrastructure to enable local and national growth.

Nicholls concludes: “Manufacturing is critically important to everyone. Those in the industry have known this forever and colleagues across the spectrum of manufacturing influence at ground level and government level are doing all they can to secure ongoing growth for the industry.

It’s heartening to see public perception changing. Manufacturing plays a crucial role in the world’s infrastructure and it is our industry’s innovative minds in Cornwall, regionally and nationally, that will secure solutions for future generations to come.”

Hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and Make UK, the manufacturers organisation, the Industrial Strategy featured at the heart of the event with several other interesting and important topics discussed, including developing young engineers and the impact of Brexit on manufacturers.

Jon Hurrell, CEO of the CMG says: “We joined a good representation from SME as well as LE manufacturers, all giving the same message that manufacturing is so very important to the economy of this country. The industry in Cornwall represents over 1100 companies, employing 16000+ and with a GVA contribution of £7.4bn, its value cannot be under-represented.”

Eric Nicholls, concludes: “It was great to meet with like-minded ambassadors and to share Cornwall’s key concerns and our Developing Skills for Business (DS4B) programme. We also met with Stephen Phipson, MAKE UK’s CEO, who will be our keynote speaker at the CMG awards dinner later this year.”
The CMG awards are open to all manufacturers in Cornwall. Entry forms are available at www.cmgroup.org