Marr Procurement wins national award for PPE sourcing work
Marr Procurement, a Clerkenwell-based procurement consultancy, has been named a Small Business of The Year by Lloyds Bank. The advisory firm won the prize for its non-profit work, sourcing millions of pieces of PPE for the Health and Social Care sector and donating all proceeds to charities.
Founded by Christoph Marr in 2015, Marr Procurement specialises in all things procurement and helping organisations in sectors. When the coronavirus outbreak reached Britain, its clients faced challenges sourcing the medical equipment they needed to work safely, so the firm stepped in to help.
Speaking on the award, Founder Marr said, “When the pandemic hit, many of our clients were operating under incredible stress. Our first thoughts were to protect our colleagues and to support the organisations that helped us get where we are today, however we could.”
Most immediately, Marr worked to secure supplies of PPE, so clients could continue their vital work safely. In the end, Marr supplied more than 65 million items of PPE – and after the work was completed pro bono, a total of 14 charities benefitted. Further, Marr Procurement also donated 37,000 face masks to multiple care and charity organisations, including St Helena’s Hospice, near Colchester, a place that’s close to Christoph’s heart, having previously supported his family through some tough times.
Paul Gordon, Managing Director of SME and Mid Corporates at Lloyds Bank, said of Marr’s efforts, “So many inspiring stories have emerged from the shadow of the pandemic, especially of people using their skills and experience to support organisations that are on the front line, helping vulnerable people… Marr Procurement is a great example of a business with a strong entrepreneurial spirit which also works for the greater good. It is truly deserving of this award.”
Despite the challenges being faced by the business’ core sector clients, and Marr’s efforts to supply PPE across the UK, the firm also managed to secure its own future amid lockdown. A move to diversify its customer base saw it win significant new clients in sectors including manufacturing, financial services, maritime and logistics that have all been delivered successfully. That helped secure the jobs of Marr Procurement’s 20 staff, and positions the business for significant growth growing forward. Looking ahead, the firm now has a plan to more than double in size within the next two years.
Hosted annually, the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards celebrate the resilience, innovation and creativity of the UK’s business community. It attracts an enormous variety of organisations and business people, from disruptive start-ups and inventive entrepreneurs to ready-to-scale businesses, established SMEs and FTSE 100 powerhouses, making it the largest and most comprehensive business awards programme in the UK.
