2010 Winners   The Hire Awards of Excellence 2010 winners:

Excellence in Training, sponsored by HireTrain

Winner: SHC Hire Centres

Highly Commended : Speedy

Short Listed: HSS Hire; Lavendon Access Services; SHC Hire Centres; Speedy Hire

Excellence in Customer Care

Winner: HSS Hire

Highly Commended : SHC Hire Centres

Short Listed: Allens Catering Hire Services; HSS Hire; SHC Hire Centres

Effective Health and Safety Management, sponsored by PASMA

Winner: Lavendon Access Services

Short Listed: Lavendon Access Services; Speedy

Environmental Initiative

Winner: Speedy

Short Listed: HSS Hire; Speedy Hire

Best Product of the Year, sponsored by HSS Hire

Winner: Pike Signals: XLeclipse Traffic Lights

Short Listed: DeWalt: D25325K Combi Hammer; NiftyLift: Height Rider 21 Hybrid AWD; Pike Signals: Hybrid Tandem Traffic Lights; Pike Signals: XLeclipse Traffic Lights

Hire Industry Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Speedy

Winner: Higher Concept Software

Highly Commended : The Hire Supply Company

Short Listed: Higher Concept Software; Hilti; M G Judd; Obart Pumps; Seddons (Plant and Engineers); Terratruck; The Hire Supply Company

Hire Industry Catalogue of the Year, sponsored by FT Print Solutions

Winner: GAP Group

Highly Commended : Hirebase

Short Listed: Blythewood Plant Hire; Ev-ent Hire; GAP Group; Gordon Audio Visual; Hirebase; HSS Hire

Hire Industry Website of the Year

Winner: www.hss.com/livehire from HSS Hire

Short Listed: www.allenshire.co.uk from Allens Catering Hire Services; www.marquee-tent-hire.co.uk from Cascade Furniture Hire; www.hss.com/llivehire from HSS Hire; www.ev-ent.co.uk from Ev-ent Hire

Event Hire Company of the Year (single outlet)

Winner: Allens Catering Hire Services

Short Listed: Allens Catering Hire Services; Cascade Events; GT Trax

Event Hire Company of the Year (multiple outlets), sponsored by erento

Winner: Ev-ent Hire

Highly Commended : Saville Audio Visual

Short Listed: Ev-ent Hire; Gordon Audio Visual; Quadrant Visual Solutions; Saville Audio Visual

Tool, Equipment and Plant Hire Company of the Year (over five outlets), sponsored by HAE Insurance Services

Winner: Lavendon Access Services

Highly Commended : Hirebase

Short Listed: GAP Group; HSS Hire; Hirebase; Lavendon Access Services; Speedy

Tool, Equipment and Plant Hire Company of the Year (up to five outlets), sponsored by Yell

Winner: Total Hire & Sales

Short Listed: Blythewood Plant Hire; SHC Hire Centres; Total Hire & Sales

Once the main award presentations had finished, HAE and EHA Chairman Kevin McGuinness took to the stage to address the guests and make his own special presentation. The Chairman's Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Association and the Hire Industry was awarded to Graham Arundell, HAE and EHA Managing Director.

"At HSS, we believe in better – better people, better service, better availability and better value - and we always strive to be even better too. We like to think that we help to set the standard for what a great hire company looks like so we are really proud to support the HAE awards and to help recognise *better* within our industry."

Anna Exley, PR & Communications Manager, HSS Hire Service Group - 2012