A PRESTIGIOUS new awards scheme has been launched to recognise

Lanarkshire's top performing companies.

The Lanarkshire Business Awards, supported by The Herald, will have

Lanarkshire Development Agency, the Lanarkshire Super County Campaign,

and Lanarkshire Quality Forum as its main sponsors.

There will be four company awards aimed at recognising achievers in

the fields of quality, export, sub-contract manufacturing, and small

business. There will also be a Business Personality of the Year award.

The awards will be presented at a gala dinner in Motherwell Civic

Centre on November 4, which will be attended by more than 250 local

business people.

Dave McKay, chairman of the Quality Forum, says: ''This will be the

business night of the year as far as Lanarkshire companies are

concerned. We fully expect to identify a number of world-class

Lanarkshire companies.''

Mr McKay, who heads the JVC operation in East Kilbride, says he

expects the dinner to become an annual event and that they are close to

signing a big-name guest speaker.

Terry Currie, head of the Super County campaign and LDA's Director of

Business Development, says: ''We are delighted to be sponsoring the

Lanarkshire Business Awards.

''There are a number of companies in Lanarkshire who are producing

world-class products and services and achieving remarkable rates of

growth.

''This awards scheme is designed to recognise these achievers and

bring them to the notice of the wider marketplace.

''I am delighted that The Herald is backing the awards. This will help

ensure our winners receive national coverage and not just local

recognition.''

Lanarkshire Quality Forum is an organisation with more than 100 member

companies dedicated to achieving total quality management in their

day-to-day operations.