The finalists in the Black Country Business Heroes Awards have been announced, with five Sandwell companies in the running for an award.

The shortlisted nominees were told in a colourful digital event that also marked the close of the third Black Country Business Festival. The Awards are open to all businesses in the Black Country and partnered by the University of Wolverhampton, which has contributed and judged three of the twelve categories.

Chemical manufacturers Robinson Brothers, based on Phoenix Street in West Bromwich, has been shortlisted for two awards – Large Business Hero of the Year and Family Business Hero of the Year – and managing director Adrian Hanrahan is in the running for Business Hero of the Year.

SIPS Education, which is based on Cronehills Way in West Bromwich and offers specialist support services to schools, is another finalist in the Large Business Hero of the Year category. It has also been shortlisted for the Adaptability & Innovation award.

Oldbury-based building services firm Lord Combustion Services is up for three awards – Small Business Hero of the Year, Family Business Hero of the Year and Exceptional Employee or Team. It’ll be competing in the latter category against the fuel cleaning team at West Bromwich power company IPU Group.

Another West Bromwich business, truck manufacturer and supplier Keltruck, has made the shortlist for International Trade Hero of the Year.

Jude Thompson, president of the Black Country Chamber, said, “I would like to thank everyone that has entered the Black Country Chamber Business Heroes Awards. We have genuinely been overwhelmed by the ingenuity, determination and resilience of the local business community in meeting the challenges of 2020. We received an exceptional number of extremely high-quality entries in every category and the judges found the shortlisting process extremely difficult. I would like to offer very many congratulations to all the finalists.”

The shortlisted businesses will now go forward to the final – an exciting, high-energy digital event that will be live-streamed to the world. It takes place from 3.45pm to 5pm on Friday 13 November and you can register for a free viewing ticket on the Chamber website. Alternatively, you can buy a £30 ticket, which includes a gift package of drinks and nibbles delivered to your home or office, and a donation to the Black Country Chamber President’s Charities, Teenage Cancer Trust and Parkinson’s UK.

Think Sandwell wishes all the borough’s finalists the best of luck and will be following the awards with baited breath.