Fantastic Four: Mannok Sweep the Board at NBG Awards 2020

Mannok have swept the board at this year’s National Buying Group (NBG) Awards picking up four awards at the 2020 virtual ceremony, recognising their products and their service to the merchant industry.

The four awards are:

• Product of the Year: Mannok Master Grade Cement
• General Building Supplier of the Year
• Heavyside Brand of the Year
• Lockdown Hero of the Year

The NBG Supplier Awards are an annual event, usually held alongside their annual conference, which celebrate the achievements of the buying group’s suppliers. Partners voted for the Supplier of the Year in each of NBG’s eight Category Management Teams (CMTs), as well as Product of the Year and Brand of the Year in both the heavyside and lightside sectors. However, this year a brand-new category was added, and Partners were asked to vote for their NBG Lockdown Hero.

In addition to the four award wins, Mannok were named in second place in the Brick and Block Supplier of the Year category and 3rd place in the Roofing and Insulation Supplier of the Year category.

Speaking of the company’s success at the awards, GB Sales Director, Lee Gillman, said,

“We are absolutely delighted to be recognised by NBG in this way, particularly in such a challenging year for the industry.

Each one of these awards means a great deal to us, and reassures us that we are doing right by our customers, both in terms of the products we’re producing and the service we’re providing.

Given the unprecedented challenges 2020 has presented, to receive the newest award at this year’s event, Lockdown Hero, is a very special achievement for us. Like every other business, we’ve had to adapt in any way we could to service our customers safely, and the whole team have worked incredibly hard to ensure we support our customers throughout.

To have this hard work and commitment acknowledged by our customers in this way is a fantastic achievement, and the entire Mannok team deserve to be congratulated for their commitment, agility and “can do” attitude which they’ve demonstrated in spades this year. We’re incredibly proud.”

Mannok’s success at the 2020 NBG Awards comes just weeks after the announcement of an extended exclusivity deal for Mannok’s Master Grade Cement which will give NBG customers exclusive access in the GB market to the award winning product until the end of 2024, extending the current partnership by three years.

NBG’s Kerry Kincade congratulated Mannok on their achievements and spoke of the strong partnership the buying group have with the company, saying,

“NBG and Mannok have a strong partnership, built on trust, honesty and great service and supply. Both parties are dedicated to growing the relationship, we are continually looking for ways to develop and secure new business together.

In this new world we have done exactly that, we have adapted and maintained the relationship. We look forward to the future with Mannok!”

As an NBG partner, a Mannok customer, and a company impacted by Covid like many others, Merritt and Fryers Ltd. are among many merchants offering their congratulations to the Mannok team, with Director Rachel Fryers saying,

“We wish to pass on our sincere congratulations to the team at Mannok on their recent successes at the NBG supplier awards: Truly well deserved, brilliant products, excellent organisation and exceptional support.

As an NBG partner, you’ve really helped us out this year, there are times we would have been pretty stuck without your support above and beyond any expectations, thank you.

Great job, we look forward to working with you in 2021…”

Winning Streak

It may be just over a week since the Mannok name replaced the Quinn brand, but this already brings the awards total to five since the official name change. The company were also celebrated at Ireland’s HR Leadership and Management Awards 2020 in another virtual event which took place on November 18^th. Mannok won the Most Innovative Use of Technology Award in recognition of their new Digital Skills Development Programme. This was a hotly contested category featuring giants such as LinkedIn and Vodafone Ireland among the contenders.

The Programme has transformed the way Mannok deliver their training through the use of technology and has resulted in significant benefits for both the company and its employees. The Programme was first developed for Mannok’s packaging facility and is now being rolled out across the business.

This is the latest in a number of awards the company have received in recent years which celebrate their innovative spirit and focus on responsibility to their people, having previously received awards for their innovative Safety Hub and Creating Futures Programme.