The global firm which is a proud backer of the Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards

Marelli, which is one of the world’s leading global independent suppliers to the automotive sector, is a proud backer of the Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.

A spokesman said: “With a strong and established track record in innovation and manufacturing excellence, our mission is to transform the future of mobility through working with customers and partners to create a safer, greener, and better-connected world.”

Marelli’s presence in the North East is across three factories in Sunderland and Washington, and it involves predominantly manufacturing cockpit modules for Nissan.

The spokesman added: “As a good corporate citizen, Marelli is strongly committed to Sustainability, which is a core value to the company, with a particular focus on Diversity and Inclusion. We’re proud to partner the Sunderland Business Excellence awards through sponsorship of the Sustainability category, an

area we’re committed to and passionate about as a business.”

Marelli has around 54,000 employees worldwide. Its footprint includes 170 facilities and research and development centres across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

Its strengths lie in ‘vehicle performance and vehicle personality, enabling rapid product development to help customers differentiate their vehicles of the future’. The company covers a broad spectrum of technology areas, including automotive lighting and sensing technologies, electronic systems, interiors, e-powertrain and thermal solutions for electric vehicles.

It is also a specialist in solutions for internal combustion engines, chassis systems, exhaust systems, as well as the aftermarket business and motor sport.

This year’s awards backers include Sunderland City Council who are our partners in the competition as well as being the headline sponsors.

Also on board are the North East BIC, Chilli Mangoes, Marelli, Wilf Husband, Harrison and Brown, Thompson Waste, Gentoo, Sunderland University, The Stack, BGL, Audi, North East Ambition and Sunderland College.

A selection of judges met to sift through the 108 entries and agreed that the process had been really difficult but only because the standard of entries was so high.

Categories include Apprentice/Trainee; Best Independent Business; Best Large Business of the Year; Business in the Community; and Employer of the Year.

They also include Entrepreneur of the Year; Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Business of the Year; SME Business of the Year; Social Enterprise of the Year Award; and Sustainable Initiative of the Year Award.

The winners of other awards will be revealed at our grand finals night at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland next month.

The judging panel was hugely impressed with the sheer range of industry which was represented in the entries and with the quality of the nominations.

Each of the finalists must wait until November 17 to find out if they have won.

But they have all done wonderfully to be chosen for the shortlists which were brimming with business excellence.

We will also have a media team at the awards night itself to make sure you keep up to date with the winners in each category.

And to cap the whole competition off, there will be post awards coverage which will feature interviews and photos with all of the winners.