Caribbean Blinds UK, a family-run business based in Sudbury that specialises in window and outdoor shading solutions, has been named winner of the Scale-Up Business of the Year award, sponsored by Ashtons Legal, at the Suffolk Business Awards 2021.

With its passion for enhancing lifestyles, Caribbean Blinds UK is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of external shading systems.

From its HQ in Sudbury, the 24-strong team, design, manufacture and install innovative patio awnings, external blinds and louvered roofs for discerning homeowners and businesses across the country.

Transforming the use, functionality and enjoyment from all types of spaces, Caribbean Blinds’ products are engineered and built to last, exceeding stringent quality and safety standards and backed with an industry-leading five-year guarantee.

The judges said the Caribbean Blinds UK team has “netted a staggering set of numbers and a forecast growth that cannot fail to impress”.

This has been achieved through clear focus on purpose, reviewing and simplifying product range, and delivering a first-class service to the end user.

They were also impressed with the team’s dedication to quality product, quality outcomes for customers and quality training and work environments for colleagues.

Bradley Dantzic, company director, and Stuart Dantzic, managing director of Caribbean Blinds, said: “This will be a big boost for all of our team, who have put their blood sweat and tears into the business. Following problems with supply chain, they have all had to work extra hours to deliver for our customers.

“It is a great team effort, this award is not just for us, it’s for everyone in our team. It’s great to be recognised by our peers and see what we have achieved with so many amazing businesses around us.”


About the sponsor

Ashtons Legal is delighted to sponsor the Suffolk Business Awards for the fourth consecutive year. 

At Ashtons, the aim is to be a firm its clients are proud to call “their solicitors” and are happy to recommend to others. Whether a commercial or an individual client, whatever the legal needs, Ashtons’ focus is on always delivering first class legal advice with exceptional service.  

With 370 staff across five offices, Ashtons has many clients in East Anglia but also helps people in other parts of the country and internationally.


The finalists

Primal Raw
Ipswich-based Primal Raw is a specialist pet shop doing business in a sustainable, customer-focused manner. The judges said there are few better examples of a business that has “grown and been shaped by the desire to provide a brilliant product, with an ambition to serve the end-user with a best-in-class offering”.

Cosy Aromas
Cosy Aromas is a manufacturer and retailer of scented home fragrance products that employs 16 people across its Ipswich headquarters and two retail stores. The judges said owners Paul and Tamar Mayne have built strong audience relationships and are in a strong place to expand overseas thanks to their focus on “community, innovation, smart creations and the extension of their product range”.

SewProCrafts
Bramford-based SewProCrafts is an online retailer of craft and haberdashery essentials, established in 2016 by mother and son, Tracey and Joshua Knights. The judges said the way the business has grown its numbers significantly over the past three years is “no mean feat for a company that started in a bedroom and grew rapidly into a thriving online shop”.