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Star recognised as Manufacturer of the Year

Star Refrigeration’s Dave Pearson with the Manufacturer of the Year Award. He is flanked by
Paul Sheerin, chief executive of Scottish Engineering and compere and stand up comedian Susie McCabe

UK: Star Refrigeration has been named Manufacturer of the Year (£25m+) for its “consistent excellence across multiple categories” at the Made in Scotland Awards 2025.

Last week’s awards ceremony in Glasgow celebrated the best of Scottish manufacturing, recognising Star’s driving innovation, growth, and sustainability.

Star beat a shortlist of well-known companies including BAE Systems and Babcock International Group.

The judges praised the company’s sustained innovation, investment in people and sustainability. While other finalists are said to have impressed in specific areas, Star’s breadth and depth of achievement made it the standout candidate, “showcasing Scottish manufacturing at its most resilient and globally competitive”.

“Winning this award is a tribute to the people of Star Refrigeration. Our engineers, technicians, and innovators are driving the sustainable transformation of industries that rely on cooling and heating,” commented Dave Pearson, Star Refrigeration’s group sustainable development director.

The evening also saw John Clark, director of Star Data Analytics, receive a highly commended recognition in the Outstanding Contribution to Manufacturing category. 

Clark has led the development of Ethos, an AI-driven energy management system that now supports over 100 sites across 20+ clients, processing more than 40 billion data points annually. Ethos identifies inefficiencies in industrial refrigeration and heating systems, delivering substantial carbon savings to sectors such as the cold chain, petrochemicals, data centres, and district heating.

As regional winners, Star Refrigeration will now go forward to compete at the national Made in the UK Awards.

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