The company picks up its second workplace award of 2026
William Smith Group 1832 has won Best Place to Work at the 2026 North East Business Awards, collecting the title at the Grand Final on Thursday 1 October at Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield, County Durham. The win follows the Barnard Castle film supplier’s listing as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 earlier this year.
That earlier recognition carries particular weight because it is based entirely on feedback from William Smith’s own employees. This latest award, chosen by the North East Business Awards judging panel, shows that the wider business community shares the view of the company’s own staff.
Investing in the team
William Smith has traded since 1832, and a family ethos still runs through everything it does. Its three values came directly from its people, shaped through conversations across the whole company about what working there means. They are Treat Everyone Like Family, Encourage Innovation and Make It Happen.
Those conversations have not stopped. The company’s Culture Club, a dedicated team, meets once a month to work through feedback and ideas raised by staff, with the aim of continually listening to employees and acting on the ideas that improve their experience at work.
“This award belongs to our people. Everyone here has helped shape the culture we have today, through the feedback they give us and the way they look after our customers and each other. To be recognised alongside the best businesses in the North East is something the whole team can be proud of,” says Lindsay Hutchinson, head of marketing at William Smith Group 1832.
For sign makers, vehicle wrappers and interior installers, the benefit is practical. They rely on William Smith for advice on choosing and applying films for shop fronts, vehicle livery, floor graphics, window films and wall coverings, and that advice is only as good as the people giving it. That is why William Smith runs regular training programmes to build its staff’s product knowledge, so customers get informed advice they can act on.
Lindsay adds, “Our customers notice the difference when they speak to someone who knows the products inside out and knows their business too. Looking after our team is how we look after our customers. When people feel valued they stay, they learn, and they pass that knowledge on to the next generation coming into the industry.”
Recognition from across the region
The North East Business Awards are run by Reach plc, publisher of ChronicleLive and BusinessLive, with headline partners including Sage and Tees Valley Combined Authority. Other winners on the night included Transmission Dynamics, named Business of the Year, and Ford Aerospace, which took the Made in the North East award.
“This business has been going since 1832 and we intend to be here for a long time yet. Two awards in one year tell us we are on the right track. We will keep listening to our team, keep investing in them, and keep making William Smith a place where people want to build a career and where customers know they will get the right answer first time,” Lindsay concludes.
For more information on William Smith Group 1832, visit www.williamsmith.co.uk.