IT is a true family affair at Assembly Solutions Ltd so it should have come as no surprise to the Balshaw's that they were named Family Business of the Year.

Assembly Solutions Ltd, an electric and hybrid wiring specialist company, was set up in 1995 by current managing director Graham Balshaw who wanted to create a multi-million pound manufacturing company.

They started off with just two staff and now employs 50 people including a huge number of Balshaw's including Graham's children Gareth, Oliver and Sophie.

Last year; the company which is based in Nile Street, finished the financial year on £2.5million turnover and with a record £353k gross profit which has enabled further investments in plant and machinery to help accommodate ambitious sales growth over the coming years.

This has been the first year that they have all being part of the prestigious team with Oliver joining last year as senior buyer so to scoop the accolade was a huge honour.

Graham said: "We are absolutely delighted, it has come as a real surprise. My dad would have been overcome with emotion if he had been here.

"It's a real family business and we all work hard so it's well deserved for the team.

"We have been before and we haven't won and we have always thought what have we got to do win and this year we finally won. It's fantastic."

The company is currently in the process of setting up a new department that specialises in commercial wiring.

Its success comes from its understanding of its customer product and of building on technology knowledge to provide wiring harnesses, battery cables and control panels for many blue-chip vehicle manufacturers.

Assembly Solutions beat Taziker Industrial and Gresham Officer Furniture to take home the award and Graham said the evening was a fantastic celebration of local business.

He added: "It has been a great evening, everything about it has been fantastic and there are a lot of great companies here.

"My late father would have been so proud."