Mechanical engineering company Hekotek named Business of the Year 2016
Mechanical engineering firm Hekotek AS was named both Business of the Year and Exporter of the Year at the Best Estonian Enterprises 2016 awards gala held at the Tallinn Creative Hub on Thursday night.
"Enterprise Estonia is glad to see that the pool of candidates has been expanded with businesses from different fields," said Hanno Tomberg, chairman of the board at Enterprise Estonia. "This year's Business of the Year is machine industry flagship Hekotek, whose equipment is used by the Baltics' biggest wood pellet factories and sawmills. In addition, this business has invested multiple millions of euros annually into expanding production."
The award for Innovator of the Year went to Estonian Cell, one of Estonia's largest foreign investors of the last two decades, while the Foreign Investor of the Year title went to Rapla County plywood and veneer producer Kohila Vineer OÜ.
Ida-Viru chemical company Eastman Specialties OÜ was crowned Regional Company of the Year while IT firm Proekspert AS won the award for Design Implementer of the Year.
In addition, SPS Grupp OÜ was declared Most Competitive Microbusiness, while AdCash OÜ won the titles for the small and medium-sized business categories and Tallink Grupp AS was declared the Most Competitive Large Business.
Likewise titled the Most Competitive Businesses of 2016 were Stora Enso Eesti AS, A. Le Coq AS, Swedbank AS, Baltic Agro AS, Telia Eesti AS, Tallink Grupp AS, Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS, E.L.L. Kinnisvara AS, Sillamäe Sadam ASB, Merko Ehitus AS and Olympic Entertainment Group AS.
The 2016 Business of the Year was chosen by a jury consisting of Minister of Entrepreneurship Liisa Oviir, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Kristen Michal, Chairman of the Board of 2015 Business of the Year Kodumaja Grupp Lembit Lump, President of the Bank of Estonia Ardo Hansson, Tallinn University of Technology Rector Jaak Aaviksoo, businessman Oliver Väärtnõu (chairman of the board, Cybernetica AS) and businesswoman Ruth Oltjer (director, Chemi-Pharm AS, 2012 Businessman of the Year).
Best Estonian Enterprises awards gala is organized by the Estonian Employers' Confederation, Enterprise Estonia and the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla