Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards 2026: All the Winners

Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards 2026 winners announced at Leeds Beckett University, with King’s Award holders AW Hainsworth and Ionix among the companies recognised for developing Yorkshire’s manufacturing talent

The Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards celebrated the brightest talent in West Yorkshire’s manufacturing and engineering sector at Leeds Beckett University this week, with Apprentice of the Year Ben King of Kirkstall Precision Engineering taking the headline prize. Judges described King’s journey from chip shop worker to award-winning CNC machinist and WorldSkills gold recipient as remarkable. Pudsey-based AW Hainsworth, a King’s Award winner, won Large Employer of the Year, while Nava Yousef of Ionix Advanced Technologies, another King’s Award-winning Leeds company, was named Graduate of the Year. The ceremony recognised apprentices, graduates, rising stars, mentors, employers, and manufacturing leaders from across the region.

Why This Matters For Leeds

Two King’s Award winners — AW Hainsworth and Ionix — winning at the same ceremony shows Leeds manufacturers are being recognised nationally and regionally in the same year. Ben King’s journey from a chip shop to WorldSkills gold is the kind of career story that can change how people see manufacturing. AW Hainsworth’s 63 employees on personalised development plans and leadership pathways to director level show what investing in people looks like in practice. For Leeds’ manufacturing community, this was a night to showcase that the sector’s talent pipeline is delivering.

Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards Winners

Ben King’s Apprentice of the Year award, sponsored by Enginuity, recognised his significant contributions to innovation and productivity at Kirkstall Precision Engineering. AW Hainsworth won Large Employer of the Year, sponsored by E3 Recruitment, with judges praising the firm’s 63 employees on personalised development plans, boardroom-backed mental health strategy, multi-skilling programmes, and leadership pathways to director level. Callum Good of E3 Recruitment said AW Hainsworth had raised the bar in every sense. Solupak, the environmentally sustainable soluble cleaning products manufacturer, won SME Employer of the Year sponsored by Leeds City College. Judges said the company goes beyond simply employing people, investing in its workforce, championing inclusion, and putting people at the heart of long-term success.

The Leeds Business Briefing

Every deal, development, and decision that shaped Leeds this week — in one email.

“For a long time manufacturing has faced a challenge in attracting the skilled people it needs but what we’re seeing more and more is talented young people recognising the exciting opportunities the sector offers. These awards showcase exactly the kind of talent helping to shape the industry’s future.”

— Ben Wilson, Managing Director, MPM Group and Leeds Manufacturing Festival spokesperson

The Full Winners List

The Manufacturing Ambassador award was presented jointly to Dawn Helsby, early careers development officer at Schneider Electric, and Kshamya Mittal, a data analyst apprentice at the company. Judges described Kshamya as a remarkable young woman with a great career ahead of her, while Dawn was praised for consistently going above and beyond in creating meaningful pathways into industry. Mentor of the Year went to Elisa Henderson of RSE Control Systems for her exceptional leadership in supporting development and growth. James Jones of Leeds Welding Company won Rising Star, and Caroline Burrows of Sound Leisure was named Manufacturing Leader of the Year. The Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards are organised by Leeds Manufacturing Alliance and the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, with headline sponsors including Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City Council, Made Smarter Yorkshire and Humber, and Leeds City College.