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Interior design firm Dapa was the big winner at the 2014 Birmingham Post Business Awards, crowned company of the year.

The Oldbury-based business won the small and medium enterprise award and was picked from nine other category winners by the judging panel as the overall company of the year (winners' gallery below).

Daniel Mumford, Brad Carman and Rob Burton founded the business in the latter's kitchen in 2009 since when it has gone from purchasing products on personal credit cards and using hire vans to employing 20 staff and competing against large London firms.

It has since launched two more companies - Dapa Atelier, which operates in the luxury end of the market, and Tuft Contracts, which provides designer flooring products and services to housebuilders.

Pictures: Buy photos from the event via our photosales website

Birmingham Post editor Stacey Barnfield said: "Choosing an overall company of the year from the great category winners was never going to be straightforward task for the judging panel, but we felt that Dapa's growth, from humble beginnings and in such a short space of time, really made it stand out.

"Daniel, Brad, Rob and their team have really shown what can be achieved by a fledgling business if it identifies its key market and works hard and should serve as an inspiration to all others launching new companies."

The 2014 Birmingham Post Business Awards, which welcomed Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls as guest speaker and were hosted by comedian Lee Hurst , were the biggest ever held and saw more than 750 people attend the ceremony at the ICC.

The other winners were:

Business Start-Up and Entrepreneur

Eyespace

Environmental

NEC Group

Manufacturing

Wrights Plastics

Finance including Banking

Kennet Equipment Leasing

Outstanding Professional

Louise Teboul, Common Purpose

Communications including Creative

Orb

Export

Titania

Legal including Business Advisory

Catalyst Corporate Finance

Property including Regeneration and Estate Management

Court Collaboration

Technology and Digital

Bareface Media

** A special award was given to Ken Smith, chairman of builders' merchants EH Smith and son of the founder Howard, who has worked at the Shirley-based company for almost 80 years.

The 96-year-old classic car enthusiast told the Post last year that "retirement is death " and he could remember when his father travelled to work by horse and cart.