4 award-winning Sussex businesses to watch out for

The south east is the powerhouse of the UK economy and is packed with innovative and fast-growing businesses. The county of Sussex is at the heart of the dynamic entrepreneurial region and benefits from the cluster export-led industries based around Gatwick Airport and the ‘Silicon Beach’ digital hub in Brighton.

With coastal tourism, rural trades and a plethora of ambitious start-ups, the county is blessed with a diverse and forward-thinking business community. There are a number of exciting business innovation centres throughout the region. It’s no wonder Sussex is home to some of the most exciting and innovative companies in the UK.

Sussex businesses benefit from their close proximity to Brighton. Home to some of the most innovative and creative businesses in the UK, Brighton is also a major tourist destination. According to Brighton for Business, Brighton is one of the UK’s entrepreneurial capitals with more business start-ups per capita than anywhere else in the UK outside of London. Payment sense also include Brighton in their 15 best cities to start a business in in 2018.

We’re putting the spotlight on some of the businesses Sussex can be proud of. All award-winning in their field, here are our top four to watch out for.

Compass Pools

Compass Pools in Horsham are the UK’s largest one-piece pool installer and winner of prestigious awards. In 2017 they cleaned up at the UK Pool & Spa Awards winning two of the most important categories, ‘residential indoor pool of the year’ along with ‘residential outdoor pool of the year’.

Compass Ceramic Pools UK are the exclusive UK importer and distributor of one-piece pools made with the world’s first patented ceramic composite pool technology. Compass Ceramic Pools have been at the forefront of swimming pool design for 30 years and have installed over 30,000 pools worldwide.

This is a business at the top of its game utilising the latest materials and technologies to produce pools of superior quality with an installation service to match.

QED Sustainable Urban Developments

Winners of the 2017 Award for Innovation at the Sussex Business Awards, QED Sustainable Development are a development company focusing on the sustainable development of brown field sites. Committed to creating places where businesses and communities can thrive, QED offer innovative solutions for transforming under-used land into valuable, viable and vibrant communities. QED’s vision is one of a moveable, diverse and sustainable built environment.

QED’s developments aren’t confined to Sussex. The business operates across the UK. However, they have completed many projects in the county. Recent projects include Cobbler’s Thumb pop-up buildings in Brighton. This temporary development offering a range of business units and workspaces has 5-year planning consent and is fully moveable. Their work also includes the moveable discovery centre at Combe Valley Countryside Park in Hastings.

QED also has £0.75 million invested in renewable energy projects. Sustainability is at the heart of this innovative development company.

Boom Boom The Label

Picking up local business awards since 2014, Boom Boom The Label are an expanding, innovative online clothing company based in Brighton. Boom Boom The Label make clothing using specialist techniques and with signature double-layered fabric. Their USP is in the shape of their clothing which cinches in at the waist and creates a flattering and supportive fit.

Boom Boom ship to eighty countries around the world. The label is hot in the United States with exports stocked in DASH in both their online range and in Los Angeles and Miami stores. This clothing company in Brighton, Sussex is making a figure-hugging fashion statement worldwide.

Rinkit.com

Rinkit.com, based in West Sussex, are an online supplier of homewares and garden essentials. Started in 2008 in a bedroom in Horsham by three friends from Collyer’s College, Rinkit is now a multimillion pound business. Founding member of Rinkit.com, Richard Goss, won Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2018 Sussex Business Awards, and it’s not hard to see why.

The cottage-industry business has gone from strength to strength and now has two warehouses, one in Littlehampton, West Sussex, and one in Fareham in Hampshire. They now employ over 30 full-time staff.

Rinkit sources high quality products from around the globe, from beautiful glassware and handmade homewares to garden furniture and essentials like cookware and cutlery. The business started by selling products on eBay and Amazon. They have progressed to supplying a diverse range of products to a diverse range of customers.

Rinkit.com stock both some unusual and well-known brands, which include outdoor furniture by Resol and elegant glassware from Bormioli Rocco.

These four diverse businesses in Sussex are just the tip of the iceberg. Brighton and Hove and the whole of Sussex is a melting pot of innovation and success. As a county, we have exciting times ahead.