A FAMILY-RUN Kidderminster carpet firm has upstaged a clutch of Britain's top multi-national companies to scoop a manufacturing "Oscar".

Brintons, which was established more than 200 years ago and has become the world's largest Axminster manufacturer, was overall winner of the prestigious 2001 Manufacturing Excellence Awards at a glittering ceremony at London's Dorchester Hotel. Brintons group manufacturing

director John Pilling shows off the firm's award for excellence.

The firm, which has a world-wide customer base including Las Vegas and Paris casinos, Hong Kong International Airport and luxury cruise ships Aurora and Oriana, has been rewarded by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers for success in a range of areas.

It triumphed against 14 other finalists - including the likes of Marconi, BAe Systems, and Jaguar - after being singled out for sound financial performance, good use of IT and being "a benchmark in waste efficiency".

Group manufacturing director John Pilling said: "Benchmarking ourselves against the cream of British industry and then winning means we are fast heading towards our goal of being world class."

The award comes as a boost to Brintons, which manufactures and exports on a global scale, as the state of the world economy has made it a difficult last six months for carpet firms which depend on a buoyant economy.

That was the view of Brintons chairman Michael Brinton, who said the award was a tribute to teamwork as it involved "everybody on the shop floor through the company".

"When we saw the other people involved it looked like some stiff competition for a little company from Kidderminster," he added.

Parliamentary Under Secretary for Small Business Nigel Griffiths presented the trophy to Mr Pilling, who described it as a "tremendous honour".

He added: "It is a tribute to all our people who have worked so hard over the past few years and embraced our core values of team work, empowerment and continuous improvement."

Mr Pilling put the firm's success down to changes in the manufacturing "hierarchy" of managers and supervisors so that day-to-day activities are controlled by teams of people on the shop floor with their own leaders.

Brintons was selected as a finalist after qualifying from 247 entries following a visit to the factory by assessors. A questionnaire also had to be completed.

The assessors were shown around the Kidderminster factory by shop floor workers and were impressed by their enthusiasm.

Loom technician Dave Green, one of the guides, said: "We are proud of our achievements, but it was a team effort that got us here."

Mr Pilling, production director John Tuck and training facilitator Lorraine Davies also had to make presentations to the judging panel.

Brintons was awarded a Queen's Award for export achievement in 1998, while 2000 was another good year as the £200 million luxury superliner Aurora set sail showcasing 49 different Brintons designs.

The firm also smashed through the £10 million profit barrier for the first time as sales soared by 10 per cent to £112 million.

The company was also runner-up in the process innovation category of the latest awards, described by director general of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers Sir Michael Moore as "the industry Oscars".

"Brintons are worthy winners," he said.