Published April 2006

A Wigan technology firm has been short-listed for a national prize.

Valueworks, at Wigan Investment Centre, was credited by Deloitte's as one of the 50 fastest growing firms in its field in the country.

Now it is a finalist in the AXA Small to medium Sized Business of the Year Award - dubbed by Chancellor Gordon Brown as the Business Oscars.

The company is described as "providers of sourcing, procurement and strategic cost management services to a wide range of private and public sector organisations".

Set up five years ago with a staff of just three it now employs 25.

Group Chief Executive, Jeff Dandridge said: "This is great recognition for what we are doing. We just hope we can now put together a presentation that will impress the judges in the final.".

The winner of the North West AXA Small to Medium Business of the Year Award category will be announced in July and will get the chance to go forward to the National Business Awards final in London on November 7.