The Trinity Mirror Cheshire Business Awards, sponsored by SAS Daniels and Click Consult

Entires are now closed and the shortlists will be announced in September.

The categories are listed below:

ScottishPower Business of the Year (up to 10 employees):

Whatever your trade, if you employ between one and 10 employees and can demonstrate achievements in your marketplace with evidence of an excellent business strategy, good financial performance and your potential for the future, enter the small business of the year.

ScottishPower is proud to be associated with the Cheshire Business Awards for the seventh year running and to continue its sponsorship of the Business of the Year category (up to 10 employees) at the 2013 Awards.

ScottishPower is committed to supporting businesses in the Cheshire region who play a major role in the ongoing growth and development of the local economy.

As part of the Iberdrola group, a world leader in renewable energy and one of the largest energy companies in the world, ScottishPower supplies more than five million customers in the UK and more than 160,000 small businesses with gas and electricity. As one of the main energy suppliers in the UK, the company is committed to bringing all of its customers the best deals, competitively priced energy and great service.

ScottishPower offers a range of competitive products tailored to meet the specific requirements of individual businesses. In addition, the company understands the need for flexibility for businesses and offers a convenient online energy service to enable business owners to manage their account when it suits them.

To find out more about how ScottishPower could save your business time and money, call 0845 030 4077 or visitwww.scottishpower.co.uk/smallbusiness.

The 2012 winner of this award was Ten Motives Ltd, based in Sandbach, which was started by director Art Devlin when he came across a product called ‘the electronic cigarette’.

This aroused his curiosity as a lifelong smoker he despaired in his attempts to quit tobacco.

Sample products were imported for trail from various suppliers and without being consciously award Art realised that he hadn't bought a pack of cigarettes for more than two weeks.

He realised if they worked for him then they could work for all smokers.

Ten Motives is now the market leader in the distribution of electronic cigarettes in the UK and Ireland with a huge turnover increase in just under two years and are on target to at least double their figures this year.

SAS Daniels Business of the Year (11 to 50 employees):

Do you have a great medium sized business? If you employ between 11 and 50 employees and can demonstrate business excellence this is the award for you. The judges will be looking at your achievements, business strategy, financial performance and your potential for the future.

A spokesman for SAS Daniels said: “Owner-managed small and medium sized businesses have long been hailed as the backbone of the British economy – something which stands true, particularly in Cheshire.

“What is great to see is that, in a recent survey which SAS Daniels sponsored, where these businesses have a geographical preference to purchase services – their first port of call is within Cheshire.

“The Insider Cheshire Survey (April 2013) also found that after Manchester, 33% of respondents would chose Cheshire as their preferred location to get together to do business.

“The enthusiasm for doing business in Cheshire is exciting to see and as firm focused on growth in the region, SAS Daniels is well placed to work alongside these ambitious and hard working businesses and individuals.

“Jeremy Orrell, head of our corporate team and a lawyer who regularly supports the commercial needs of businesses in this category, said “We’re very proud to sponsor this year’s Medium Business of the Year Award to recognise those hardworking companies whose ambition is spearheading growth in the Cheshire economy.”

Kaye Whitby, head of SAS Daniels commercial team and Chester business woman of the year, will be presenting the award in 2013.

See www.sasdaniels.co.uk for full range of legal services from SAS Daniels.

The 2012 winner of this award was thefurnituremarket.co.uk, an online furniture retail company set up in 2004 which has rapidly grown using the ‘clicks over bricks’ retail model.

In Q1&2 of this year web traffic is already 75% of the while of 2011, with sales continuing to rise.

Moving forward the business aims to expand the direct supply of high quality products to customers and a low price.

Metronet (UK) Business of the Year (over 50 employees):

If you are the best business in Cheshire employing a workforce of more than 50 this is the category for you.

The winning business will be able to demonstrate all round business excellence, financial performance, business strategy and sound future plans.

A spokesman said: “Metronet (UK) is proud to be sponsoring the Business of the Year (over 50 employees) award at this year’s Cheshire Business Awards.

“Metronet (UK) is the UK’s most advanced hybrid wired and wireless Internet Service Provider and is able to offer connectivity solutions with the best SLA and support in the industry.

“A major player in the North West’s telecommunications sector, Metronet (UK) has recently expanded our footprint into Chester, supplying high-speed internet connectivity to businesses such as Chester Racecourse.

“There are many great large businesses in Cheshire and Metronet (UK) are glad to be able to support them.”

The 2012 winner was GHA Livigunn Ltd, a multi-disciplinary engineering design consultants with a head office in Frodsham.

They provide design in the field of process, mechanical, electrical, civil, structural and hydraulic engineering and are considered one of the leading independent engineering consultancy practises in the UK.

The business has thrived over the past three years with a strong financial performance achieving a record turnover and pre-tax profit.