A mix of established city firms and up-and-coming businesses are among those shortlisted for this year’s Birmingham Post Business Awards.

After a record number of applications – more than 100 in total – 37 companies and individuals have been shortlisted across nine categories.

The Birmingham Post Company of the Year will be selected from the winners of those categories, and all will be unveiled at the gala event on November 26.

The NEC, The West Brom, Mac Birmingham and CBRE are among the established names to have been shortlisted this year, alongside growing firms like CrowdControl HQ, ORB Creative and Court Collaboration.

A painstaking judging process has been taking place this week, with representatives of each of the shortlisted companies being grilled on their credentials at the Post’s Fort Dunlop headquarters.

The theme of this year’s awards is “Birmingham Bounces Back” as the Post seeks to reflect a strong year for the city which has seen rising confidence, employment and exports.

Post editor Stacey Barnfield said it was the strongest line-up of nominations he had encountered.

He said: “It has been the most diverse and fascinating selection of companies that we have seen so far.

“There are some wonderful success stories in there from some companies familiar to us at the Post and some who are on their way to becoming household names.

“It feeds into our desire to shine a light on the city’s changing fortunes with this year’s theme of Birmingham bounces back.”

The format of this year’s business awards judging has changed, with all shortlisted companies being grilled face-to-face by the Post’s panel of judges.

Less than a third of more than 100 companies which applied for the awards reached the shortlist in the nine categories – small business, manufacturing, environmental, legal, finance, communications, outstanding professional, property and technology and digital.

A total of 11 awards will be handed out on the night, including company of the year and the lifetime achievement accolade.

This year’s awards will be the biggest ever, with up to 800 people expected to attend the event at the ICC.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls will be the keynote speaker while stand-up comedian Lee Hurst will host the ceremony.

The likes of Jaguar Land Rover, JLL, Wesleyan and Turkish Airlines are already lined up as sponsors for the event, which is always the highlight of the city’s business calendar.

The event aims to give companies a showcase to exhibit their achievements from the past year.

A special awards supplement will be printed in the Birmingham Post.

THE SHORTLIST

Business Start-Up

Eyespace

Greengineering

Mr McQueen

Environmental

O’Brien Contractors

Power Minerals

The NEC

Manufacturing

Hollywood Monster

Instarmac Group

Suncream Dairies

Wrights Plastics

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Aero’s

Dapa Inc

EBC Group

UK Power Reserve

Finance

Harrison Beale and Owen (HB&O)

Kennet Equipment Leasing

The West Brom

Outstanding Professional

Louise Teboul from Common Purpose

Adam Ramshaw from Lambert Smith Hampton

Helga Henry from Creative Shift

Communications

Liquid Public Relations

Mac Birmingham

ORB

Export

David Manners Group

Titania

Ultraseal International

Legal and Business Advisory

Catalyst Corporate Finance

Hill Hofstetter

Jerroms

SGH Martineau

Property

CBRE

Court Collaboration

CPBigwood

Seven Capital

Technology and Digital

Bareface Media

CrowdControl HQ

Rimilia