With sustained strong growth that hasn't been at the expense of profitability, Webmart boasted impressive financials with sales in 2008 of £28m and forecast to top £32m in 2009.

This small print management firm of 33 staff was praised by the judges for the clarity of its strategy, goals and differentiators. Founded in 1996 by managing director Simon Biltcliffe, the company's next goal is to achieve sales of £100m with 50 staff. The firm also drew praise for its policy of sharing the spoils - to staff and the wider community. This is achieved through a profit-share scheme - half of the profits are returned to the staff, with the average bonus exceeding 80% of salary. The firm's charitable trust spent £98,000 in 2008 and it also runs a business school in Ethiopia, which is training 29 full-time students, two-thirds of whom are women.

The firm also believes in developing its own talent, supporting staff education up to MBA level and collaborating with Warwick Business School and Oxford Brookes University. Its performance is underpinned by a very efficient business model based on technology and customer service.

Finalists
Webmart
Knowledgepoint

For the full run-down of the Excellence Awards 2009 winners, click here.