The Outstanding Achievement Award - Overall Winner of Winners Award for Skills & Workforce Development: Industrial Automation & Control Ltd Managing director, Peter Lewis, and directors, Paul Ryan and Phil Kitson, are the driving forces behind Industrial Automation & Control Ltd. The Newport-based business designs and makes turnkey electrical solutions for a multitude of process industries. IAC provides electric components for an international client base. The management team are big believers in training apprentices. Almost all of their staff have come from an apprenticeship background, and having been trained by IAC, many have progressed to gain degrees. The company has taken on two graduates in the past two years, boosting the skills-base of the workforce.

Paul Ryan said: "Training and investment in staff are at the forefront of our thinking for the future. Engineering is the most popular subject for kids coming out of school today, so we're proud to be making it accessible to our apprentices. And it pays us dividends because we have a highly trained workforce with excellent qualifications and they stay with us."

Having won the Award for Skills & Workforce Development, IAC went on to scoop the overall Outstanding Achievement Award' after impressing judges with its dedication to training.

Mr Lewis was keen to attribute his success to his youthful workforce, which he described as eight of the best young lads you could wish for'.

Most Promising New Business: GD Environmental Ltd Starting as a drainage business in 2003, GD Environmental has expanded into a complete waste management company offering skip hire, asbestos management, hazardous waste treatment and has begun operating in specialist niche markets across Europe.

Director James Norvill's reinvestment strategy has been critical to maintain the company's phenomenal growth, currently on target to reach a £2.5m turnover this financial year.

To maintain a green image and reduce the amount of waste disposed via landfill sites, GD Environmental has development a £1m waste transfer and recycling station with the capacity to hit its ambitious 80 per cent recycling target and assure that GD Skips are the greenest in Wales.

A thrilled James Norvill said: "Since starting GD Environmental it has been my sole ambition to provide the best customer service within our industry and make GD the household name for any waste requirements. Winning this award has given us a platform to start making this dream a reality."

Award for Business of the Year/Award for Innovation Through Technology: Ontracks.co.uk Boys toys specialists, Ontracks.co.uk, retailers of model and hobby products, were winners of both the Business of the Year, and Innovation through Technology Awards, much to the surprise of director, Fiona Mulhall. Established in 1999, Ontracks has grown into one of the UK's largest internet retailers of hobby products, employing 20 employees at peak season, and operating out of two units.

With the business about to enter its busiest period, Fiona is confident that the new technology implement over the past 12 months will enable Ontracks to sail through Christmas.

"Building a bespoke website has allowed us to add in all of the functions that we have always wanted. So for instance, with the click of a button the site can switch to a different language, which supports our overseas customers - currently 28 per cent of our market." With enthusiasm for modelling on the increase, Ontracks is looking to move into wholesale and manufacture as its next project.

Having swooped the an award last year, and going through to win a British Chamber of Commerce National Award, Fiona was both honoured and surprised to be recognised again by ngb2b.

She said: "We have worked really hard to develop the website and to grow the business further in the last 12 months, so we're thrilled to win two awards this year."

Award for Exporter of the Year: Silver Telecom Silver Telecom has designed and exported electronic circuits for the telecoms industry since 1998, with an international client base in over 50 countries. Sales have rocketed in 2006, seeing a growth of the company's Far East market, including major contracts in Korea and Japan.

Managing director Steve Edwards has built the business around high-volume export, with 98 per cent of goods produced going to overseas markets. Dealing through international agents, Silver Telecoms currently ships 200,000 plus units per month.

Reflecting on his award of Exporter of the Year, Steve admitted: "We are proud of our activities in the worldwide telecoms market, and we feel that this award is well deserved. Many wouldn't expect to see a Welsh company selling telephone interface circuits to the Far East, when this part of the world is famed for its technological innovation. We have the edge on this technical capability, and it's great to recognised for this with an award".

Award for Entrepreneur of the Year: Bio Tech Oils UK Ltd Bio Tech Oils Ltd is working to reduce the carbon footprint in Wales with an innovative oil recycling process. Catering and food establishments around the region give their used vegetable oil, which is processed and turned into a usable diesel road fuel.

Managing director Steve Berrow has fully embraced the entrepreneurial spirit with his attitude to Bio Tech Oils, and has another subsidiary business about to launch. Bio Therm takes the side product of bio fuel processing and turns it into a heating fuel for industry and commerce.

Steve said: "Bio Tech Oils is growing exponentially. We have recently secured a contract to produce more than one million litres of bio diesel per month.". A self-confessed serial entrepreneur, Steve was delighted to win this fitting award.

He said: "I've had businesses and lost businesses but I don't give up. It's important to get an accolade, and I feel completely validated by winning the award."

Award for Business Commitment to the Environment & Community: Coed Derwen Joinery Llp Coed Derwen Joinery was established in December 2005 by managing director, Ian Widdrington. Working with Welsh hard wood, the business makes windows using small pieces of timber normally discarded by joiners. Small pieces of wood, taken from well-managed and sustainable forests, are glued together to make larger sections.

Innovative production techniques create less waste than traditional joinery. The small amounts of wasted wood are used to heat the factory, while woodchips are offered to local farmers for animal bedding.

Coed Derwen Joinery is on the road to receiving the Green Dragon Level 5 Award, amongst other recent achievements. Moving into a new 10,000 sq ft unit in Blaenavon will prove a further boost to Ian and his company, who are delighted with their Award.

"This is a feather in the cap for the business. It's a great boost for the workforce as we are now seen as a real player."

Visit the GD Environmental website