Businesses in Caerphilly borough have until October 3 to enter this year’s Caerphilly Business Forum Awards.

Firms of all sizes and sectors based in Caerphilly are eligible to enter the 2014 awards, which are run by Caerphilly Business Forum in association with Coleg Gwent.

Previous winner Cross Keys-based specialist chemical firm ISCA, who won the Premier Award last year, said its victory had sparked interest and admiration from customers and others, both in the UK and across the world.

The firm won the award, along with the title Business of the Year – Under 25 Employees, for its pioneering work in developing and manufacturing specialist chemicals and polymers for customers in industries as diverse as textiles, mining, aerospace and personal care products.

ISCA’s technical director Anthony Hudson, said: “Winning two awards on the night was a great surprise and a really great morale boost for the team. We all had a spring in our step afterwards, knowing the work we do was getting recognised. Many of the clients we export to globally asked us about the awards afterwards. It definitely sparked a great response.”

Another previous winner is Caerphilly-based credit management company Waters & Gate, 2013 winners of the Best New Business category.

Allan Poole, operations director at Waters & Gate, said: “Winning the award was completely unexpected, but, as a new business it gave us the validation from our peers that said we were on the right track. We received many messages of congratulations afterwards, and it felt great to be able to show our clients that our work had been recognised.”

Judging of the awards by a panel of senior business people will take place during October and the winners will be announced at the Caerphilly Business Forum Awards dinner, on November 21 at Bryn Meadows Hotel in Maesycwmmer.

This year’s award categories are Business of the Year – Over 25 Employees, Business of the Year – Under 25 employees, Manufacturing in Action, Innovation and Contribution to the Rural Economy. In addition businesses can nominate individuals for the Women in Business, Apprentice of the Year and Employee of the Year awards.

For details on each of the categories visit www.cbforum.co.uk/awards-categories-2014.