Here at Morecambe Metals, we’re thrilled to announce that we have been selected by the Lancashire Business View as one of their Family Business Heroes! From a wide range of candidates nominated by the Lancashire Business Review readers, Morecambe Metals was then chosen by a specially invited panel to sit alongside other fantastic Lancashire-based family-run businesses.
What are Family Business Heroes?
The Lancashire Business View created the Family Business Heroes as a way to show appreciation to stand-out individuals within family-run businesses across Lancashire. After what has been a particularly tough and gruelling year for companies across many industries, Family Business Heroes aims to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions made by businesses to their local economies and communities.
The selection panel was comprised of individuals with decades of business experience under their belts – champions of local, family-run businesses large and small.
Why is Family Business so Important?
As The Lancashire Business View states in their article, ‘family businesses sit at the heart of Lancashire’s economy and are famed for their resilience and grit.’ So many family businesses have faced the challenges of the past year head-on, adapting operations, what they offered, and putting the safety and wellbeing of staff and customers at the forefront of their day-to-day business.
Family businesses provide long-standing, valuable job opportunities for local people. As these businesses are passed down through the generations, the connection and significance of the company within the local community grows stronger. No one understands the local landscape and economy quite like a family business.
Family firms account for more than 80% of the UK’s businesses and 31% of the UK’s GDP. Over five million family-owned businesses in the UK employ over 14 million people across the nation. We’re sure you’ll agree; those are some pretty big numbers! At Morecambe Metals, we are incredibly humbled and proud to have been chosen to represent the spirit, determination and values required to successfully navigate a family business through such a turbulent year.
Morecambe Metals – Keeping It in The Family
Morecambe Metals has been working with scrap metal recycling for three generations. The site was purchased by James Varley (Snr) in 1980, has remained in the family since, and is currently operated by James Varley Snr’s grandson, Managing Director James Varley also. Having been in operation for nearly 40 years, the core family values on which the company was founded still resonate at the heart of everything Morecambe Metals does today. We value and support every team member at Morecambe Metals – now 35 people strong at our main site, and who all uphold our core values through their fantastic customer service.
Congratulations, James!
Our Managing Director James Varley has been at the forefront of guiding Morecambe Metals through the dramatic fallout of the last year. He’s had to make some tough decisions; reassessing processing techniques, overheads, margins, exploring new markets and reshaping the approach and ethos that Morecambe Metals is built on to adapt the business to a new way of working. James’s list of accomplishments is endless and has resulted in a 162% uptick in net profit despite a lower sales volume and turnover.
With all of that taken into consideration, we think James has more than earned his place as a champion of family business – where he sits alongside some terrific company.
Thank you to the Lancashire Business View and everyone who had a hand in nominating Morecambe Metal’s James Varley for this year’s Family Business Heroes list. You can find the full report of all of this year’s winners in the July/August issue of the magazine.
At Morecambe Metals, we work hard every day to ensure we’re upholding the same values and level of service that James Varley Snr built the business on back in 1980. With our current Managing Director at the helm, we’re confident we can continue to be local leaders of scrap metal recycling for many years to come.