THE county’s business community packed the main hall of the BIC last night to hear the winners announced in the 2015 Dorset Business Awards.

More than 700 guests were at the Hollywood glamour-themed event in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, hosted by broadcaster Jonty Bloom.

In pictures: meet the winners of the Dorset Business Awards 2015

There were 11 award categories, including the new addition of VoIP Unlimited Business Engagement with the Education Award.

Ian Girling, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “This year’s event was the largest in the history of the awards. Not only did we receive a remarkable amount of entries across the highest number of categories, we were also honoured with a record number of guests who attended to pay tribute to the outstanding businesses we have thriving within Dorset.”

He added: “On behalf of all the award sponsors, I would like to offer our congratulations to all of the winners and finalists of the 2015 Dorset Business Awards, who help make this county great.”

The winners are as follows.

Business Engagement with the Community Award, sponsored by J.P.Morgan. Winner: Hamworthy Heating, Poole. Finalists: 4Com PLC, Bournemouth; Thirty Seven Coffee Shop Limited, Ferndown.

Business Growth Award, sponsored by Advanced Exchequer. Winner: TestLink Services Ltd, Poole. Finalists: Copyrite Business Solutions, Wimborne; Koh Thai Tapas, Bournemouth.

Dorset Export Award, sponsored by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK. Winner: Actisense, Poole. Finalists; Ford Farm, Dorchester. TestLink Services Ltd, Poole.

Entrepreneur of the Year Award, sponsored by Bournemouth University. Winner: Phil Whitehurst, Actisense, Poole. Finalists: Adam Greenwood, Greenwood Campbell, Bournemouth; Calvin Samways of Sea-NC Engineering Ltd.

Excellence in Innovation Award, sponsored by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Liz Lean PR. Winner: KaarbonTech Asset Management, Christchurch. Finalists: Motorwise Online Services Ltd, Parkstone; Wessex Internet, Blandford.

Hays Team of the Year Award. Winner: Health-on-Line, Bournemouth. Finalists: Beales Gourmet & The Italian Villa, Poole; Health-On-Line, Bournemouth; Investec Wealth and Investment, Bournemouth.

Lester Aldridge and Santander Company of the Year Award. Winner: TeamJobs, Poole. Finalists: C4L, Poole; Greendale Construction Ltd, Poole.

Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award. Winner: Ceuta Healthcare Ltd, Bournemouth. Finalists: Intergage, Poole; Strategic Solutions Chartered Financial Planners, Poole.

Princecroft Willis Family Business Award. Winner: Hunt’s Foodservice Limited, Sherborne. Finalists: Harts of Stur, Sturminster Newton; Norman Motors, Bournemouth.

Retail Experience Award, sponsored by the Dolphin Shopping Centre. Winner: Fab Frocks, Westbourne. Finalists: Forum Jewellers Ltd, Broadstone; Jordans Jewellers, Dorchester.

VoIP Unlimited Business Engagement with Education Award. Winner: LoveLove Films, Bournemouth. Finalists: Teachers Building Society, Wimborne. Hixons, Bournemouth

For more coverage, including pictures and judges’ comments, see our business section The Briefing on Tuesday, December 1, and our Annual Business Review on Friday, December 4.