Highest business accolade given to Tony Barnett, head of Fareham-based manufacturer Barnbrook Systems, for his years of dedication and hard work

Although he remains at the helm of his Fareham-based manufacturing firm and has no intention of stepping down, he has been given the highest recognition for his achievements and contribution to the community and local economy as he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement honour at The News Business Excellence Awards.

The awards returned to the Guildhall on Thursday evening for their 19th year and 15 honours were handed out across different categories – with Tony picking up the most prestigious.

Tony thought he was at the awards to see if his firm Barnbrook Systems was successful in another category, however the biggest surprise came when he was handed the top honour after he had been secretly nominated by his staff.

Tony gave an emotional acceptance speech, thanking his hard-working staff, and giving some of his tips for success.

He said: ‘We have never missed a target. All our suppliers are paid within 30 days without fail. That has always been such an important element in our trust with our suppliers.

‘We have helped suppliers when they have been in financial dire straits. I also have a really good finance director. Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity but cash is reality.

‘I am really truly grateful, thank you so much.’

Tony set up his firm more than four decades ago, amid a recession, and today the business employs 45 people and has more than 200 customers worldwide in such sectors as aviation, aerospace, defence, security and rail.

It has a £5m supply chain giving business to other local firms – mainly SMEs – but also plays a vital role in the supply chain by itself supplying global giants, including Boeing, Leonardo, Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce.

Barnbrook’s work has boosted the national economy through international trade and exports including longstanding contracts, and it has also played a key role in supporting the UK defence industry and national security.

Tony’s company’s relays and sockets are used on the Astute class nuclear-powered submarines, and on the Vanguard and Dreadnought classes which provide the country’s nuclear deterrent.

He has also contributed to national safety and economic growth by pioneering innovation in products for the railways, including brake controllers.

His company’s fire suppression system actuators have helped to make homes and workplaces safer in the UK and abroad.

Not only that, he has also led the way on a voluntary basis and through his business to support young people.

This has included a scheme by the Royal Air Force Association’s Aviation Focus Group and the Air League charity to help underprivileged young people gain valuable work experience and opportunities in engineering and the aerospace industry.

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Tony’s creation of a ‘family’ workplace is one of his greatest achievements. His company has provided secure, well-paid and skilled employment for generations of people in the Fareham and Hampshire area.

He is a stalwart of the Farnborough International Air Show, holds a voluntary role as a director of the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium and is also a longstanding member of the aerospace and defence trade body ADS.

During the coronavirus pandemic, he rose to the challenge and kept his business running, producing essential components for customers in the UK safety sector.

Staff remained working and suppliers retained, furthermore, he committed his business to a consortium of local businesses making PPE for care and health workers nationwide on a not-for-profit basis.

Tony said: ‘It’s a privilege and amazing to win. It’s very humbling.

‘I’ve had a lot of dedicated staff over the 45 years and had my wife’s support for 58 years. I couldn’t have won it without her. She was there at the start driving vans and doing packing.

‘The key to business is to look after people. You must show empathy.

‘I started with nothing and now the business is in trust, has no debt and has money in the bank.’

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