JUDGES of the Oxfordshire Business Awards said they have produced the strongest list of finalists in the competition’s history.

After weeks of deliberation, the awards comittee has produced a shortlist of 39 companies across 13 categories, with the winners being named at a ceremony next month.

And one firm will go on to be named Business of the Year 2011, the 16th year the awards have been going.

Paul Lowe, chairman of the awards committee, said: “The 2011 awards have been another great success.

“The judging process was the most competitive and challenging in my time on the committee and I believe that we have the strongest list of finalists ever.

“The list comprises some of the more well-known Oxfordshire business names along with a large number of less well-known.

“The dinner promises to be another fantastic evening, with a likely waiting list for tickets.”

The list of finalists includes Oxford United chairman Kelvin Thomas in the Young Business Person of the Year category, while former winner James Woollard and his Witney-based packaging business Polythene UK have been shortlisted in three categories.

Other well-known names include the Williams F1 team in Grove, shortlisted in the Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure category, while Oxford-based Jack FM has made the cut for the new Social Media award.

Other nominees include the Bushcraft Company in Cornbury, which arranges survival expeditions for youngsters, in the New Business category; hi-tech Oxford University spin-out Mirada Medical in the Innovation shortlist, and Frilford-based catering firm Elegant Cuisine among the finalists in the Sustainability award.

The winners will be revealed at the ceremony at the Four Pillars Hotel, Sandford-on-Thames, on June 17.

About 500 people are expected to attend the sell-out event which is the highlight of the county’s business calendar.

The nominees are: The Locus/Oxfordshire County Council Sustainability Award: Maylarch, Eynsham; Beckstone, Burford; Elegant Cuisine, Frilford The Oxford Brookes University and Business School Innovation Award: Mirada Medical, Oxford; Stewart Milne Timer Systems, Witney; Real Time Health, Oxford The Oxford Times Charity and Community Award: Henley Festival Trust; Restore, Cowley; Special Effect, Charlbury The Bottle PR Social Media Award: SEO Optimise, Oxford; Jack FM, Oxford; Open Doorz, Oxford The Four Pillars Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Award: West Oxfordshire District Council; Aston Pottery; Williams F1, Grove The Blue by Darbys New Business Award: Quadsys, Kidlington; Bushcraft Company, Cornbury; Polythene UK, Witney The Heart Small Business Award: Polythene UK, Witney; Clark Howes Group, Bicester; Sporn Construction, Stratton Audley The NatWest Large Business Award: The Marketing Practice, East Hendred; Roof Light Company, Shipton-under-Wychwood; Allmakes, Milton Park The Ice Energy Renewable Business Award: Energymyway, Forest Hill; Lime Technology, Milton Park; Solar Solutions, Eynsham The Champion Recruitment Training and Staff Care Award: Integration Technology, Upper Heyford; Clark Howes Group, Bicester; CPM UK, Thame The B-Line Customer Care Award: STL Communications, Witney; Chris Lewis Security, Cowley; RM Education, Milton Park The Shaw Gibbs Business Person of the Year Award: Brendon Cross, STL Communications, Witney; Richard Howe, Allmakes, Milton Park; Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Henley The Shaw Gibbs Young Business Person of the Year Award: James Woollard, Polythene UK, Witney; Kelvin Thomas, Oxford United, Oxford; Robin Ashby, Ashby Precision Engineering, Abingdon.