8point3 LED is a North Kent based market leader in the supply of innovative bespoke LED lighting solutions to industrial and commercial clients across a broad range of sectors.

A finalist in last year’s Dartford and Gravesham Business Awards, the company based at SusCon at The Bridge, Dartford, is hoping to scoop the title this year.

LED lighting brings a host of benefits including energy savings of up to 70 per cent. This means clients make substantial savings on their fuel bills and reduce their carbon footprint. With an expected lifetime of well over 50,000 hours with no requirement for bulb replacement, LED lighting ensures there are considerable savings to be made on maintenance costs.

The products are manufactured at the company’s own plant, CD Sheet Metal in Belvedere, and their bespoke nature means the company can often retrofit client premises by using their existing light fittings causing minimal disruption to the work environment.

Run by a staff of 10 – with an additional 30 at CD Sheet Metal – 8point3 LED, which has only been operating two and a half years, has high profile clients across a range of sectors. It also firmly believes in supporting UK wealth generation by using components manufactured in Britain and has a number of strategic UK supply partners.

New staff appointments in the past year include a technical specification manager, a customer account manager, a number of business development managers and the first of what are expected to be a number of apprentices.

Customer account manager Mandy Darbon said: “We are passionate believers in the value of apprenticeships.

“All of our new employees live in Kent, in keeping with our desire to offer jobs to local people.

“Managing director Ashley Bateup was an apprentice himself with the MoD and believes the manufacturing sector has a key role to play in the promotion of apprenticeship schemes."

If you want to enter your firm for the Dartford and Gravesham Business Awards 2013, the closing date for entries is July 31.

Log onto www.dgbawards.co.uk for an entry form.

The awards are supported by the Messenger, and each entrant gets a profile in our papers and online.