HMG Paints Ltd, a Manchester-based family business, accepted the “Essence of Family Business” Award as well as the inaugural “Next Generation Ambassador Award” for fourth-generation family member Rebecca Falder at the annual Family Business United (FBU), Family Business of the Year Awards evening.

The live virtual awards ceremony welcomed 96 family business finalists to view from the comfort of their own homes. HMG not only accepted two awards during the ceremony but also came runners up in the Manufacturing and North and Northern Ireland categories, which HMG previously won in 2017 where they came home with a hat trick of awards including the Supreme Champion Family Business of the Year Award.

“In spite of the challenging and turbulent year, it was a joy to see how so many families and their businesses had risen to the challenge, and in many cases turned disaster into opportunity,” Amit Sharma, partner at Goodman Jones, and sponsors of this award, said. “There were so many examples of how they had cared for their community during the pandemic as well as looking after staff and that mindset of looking to the future and caring for the next generation were qualities that we felt were key for this award. HMG Paints are truly worthy recipients of the Essence of Family Business award for 2021.”

“I am accepting this award on behalf of all my colleagues at HMG who have done an incredible job throughout this past year,” John Falder, chairman of HMG Paints, added. “The past year and a half takes the biscuit as being the most challenging that I have ever expe-rienced throughout my time at HMG, which is over 40 years, and it is an honor to receive this award after such a difficult year.

“You find out about your colleagues in the tough times and what I found is exactly what I would have expected, that I am working with the most brilliant team within the coatings industry, who at a time when the country was in need of something, the HMG team rose to the challenge and adapted tremendously quickly,” he noted. “They formulated a hand sanitizer solution, converted alcohol stocks and manufactured for those in need. We are proud to have donated HMG’s sanitizer to key workers, NHS organizations, care homes, emergency services and many more companies across the country. This award is dedicated to our people, the people of HMG, without whom, we wouldn’t be picking up this prestigious award.”

“HMG Paints are truly great ambassadors of the family business sectors and in the eyes of the judges totally represent the essence of family business,” Paul Andrews, founder of FBU and organizer of the awards, concluded. “They are worthy winners of this national award.”

The second award for HMG on the evening and for the first time in the history of the Family Business of the Year Awards recognition was given to an inspirational next generation member. Rebecca Falder of HMG Paints Ltd, was announced as the inaugural recipi-ent at the awards ceremony where she was awarded the Next Generation Ambassador award.

“I am so honored to be the first recipient of the National Next Generation Award and to be one of the next generation of family members working in our family firm. I’ve worked for HMG Paints for six years now and am constantly seizing opportunities and taking on new challenges within the business,” Rebecca Falder said.

“I have been sharing my journey with other peer networks and future leader platforms in order to help others considering a role in their own family business. I look forward to developing more responsibilities and taking on more challenges within HMG Paints and to continue to support the development of other next generation members within family businesses too.”

“A key challenge for all family businesses at some point in their journey is the transition to the next generation,” Andrews said. “This award seeks to recognize an individual that is not only an active member of the next generation of their own family firm but also an inspiration to others. Rebecca embodies the essence of this award through the work that she does both inside and outside of HMG Paints and deserves all the recognition and plaudits that winning this award brings.”