A Northampton-based company that is proving to be a driving force in the country’s automotive industry has scooped two awards at the Northamptonshire Business Excellence Awards (NBEAs).
Mannol UK, the exclusive distributor of the global MANNOL and SCT automotive aftermarket brands in the UK and Ireland, won Business of the Year – one of the evening’s most prestigious awards. The company’s CEO Jevgenij Lyzko also took home Businessman of the Year. Jev said:
“We work hard to be the very best and now we have the awards to prove it! Winning is both humbling and motivating and we can’t stop smiling. We are proud of our Northampton base and are committed to expanding here, recruiting and investing locally, supporting our local community and helping to educate and motivate the younger generation, who are our workforce of the future.”
The NBEA judges were impressed by Mannol UK’s performance, ambition and commitment to supporting the local community. Extracts from Mannol UK’s winning award submission included:
- Moving to Northampton: We moved our UK operations from Milton Keynes to Northampton in the summer of 2021. Increased space means we can now hold up to £20m worth of stock, plus there is access to an excellent workforce.
- Expanding our fleet: In 2022 we invested £447,000+, expanded our fleet and purchasedthree Mercedes Benz trucks and five trailers – allowing us to collect and drop containers at ports and transport stock to our own warehouse.
- Investing in marketing: We are now working with key social media influencers, who rate our products, our brand and our approach and have massive reach via their social channels. We are not your regular oil supplier so it’s important our marketing is completely different. We want a brand people love, not a brand that is simply accepted. It is working and in 2022 we recorded close to a £30m turnover.
- Recruiting new talent: Over the last year we have been working with Northampton recruitment company Hireful to reach talented individuals seeking a new challenge. Their accessibility expertise means we can cast our net wide and attract a diverse workforce. We are looking for people who are the right ‘fit’. It’s not all about skills and experience. We are seeking people with a fire in their bellies.
- Choosing Northamptonshire as our home: We have a greater pool of potential employees and excellent higher and further education institutions. We recruit and people stay.
- Courage and ambition: We take risks but they are calculated and we work very hard. We invest in our staff, in the local economy (when we outsource, we do it locally if possible) and we have ambitious targets – which we make sure we meet.
The NBEA judges were equally impressed by Jev’s determination, ambition, generosity and commitment to supporting local and named him Businessman of the Year for 2023. Jev moved to the UK in 2018 to take over as head of Mannol UK. At that time, the business was a loss-maker, so his first challenge was to ensure the company repaid all its debts – something he proudly achieved by mid-2022.
In 2021, mid pandemic, Jev moved Mannol UK’s headquarters from Milton Keynes to Northampton, with the company purchasing a 64,000 square foot building, a site three times larger than the company’s former home. Jev has ambitious growth targets and is on track to achieve them all. He said:
“This success is down to investing, recruiting at the right time, never being afraid to take a risk and supporting local. Also key to our success is having the right team. I recruit people from an array of different backgrounds, each bringing new experiences, talent and skills to the team.”
Jev is committed to supporting young talent. Along with a small group of other business leaders, he is running an ‘Inspiring Future Careers’ project in 2023/4, visiting and supporting students at local schools – talking about entrepreneurship and careers in logistics, supply chain and business.
Jev was born and raised in Lithuania, leaving for the UK at the age of 20. His first job was as a barista at Heathrow Airport. He then worked at an online pet supermarket but, although he was promoted several times, he craved a career in sales and marketing. Nothing arose, so he resigned in 2012 aged 23 and shortly afterwards secured an interview with Mannol. He got the job and a few weeks later was in the company’s headquarters in Hamburg.
His first job was as a sales assistant but within 12 months Jev was head of sales for Europe and GCC Countries. Then the UK job opportunity arose and, keen to keep challenging himself, Jev went for it, got the job and moved to England in 2018. Jev said:
“Swapping my super comfortable position in Germany for the UK was hard, but I needed a challenge. In the UK I had
to rebuild the company from scratch and turn debt into profit. I started by jumping in my car, driving round the country, learning the market, the culture and visiting customers. I felt like I was soaking it all up.”
As he admits himself, Jev rarely stops. He has idea after idea and is always looking for opportunities for growth and expansion. Jev said:
“It’s true that I rarely sit still,”
“Even today, when I have spare time, I go out and visit customers. People buy from people. You can’t just be a guy who answers emails.”
Supporting local
The Mannol UK team are united in their commitment to giving back and supporting people and communities in need in Northamptonshire. One charity the company supports is The Lewis Foundation.
Speaking to guests at the charity’s recent fundraising ball, Jev explained his motivation for giving:
“On behalf of Mannol UK, it’s an honour to be pledging our ongoing support for this exceptional, life-affirming charity.
“The Lewis Foundation is very special to me. I first discovered this charity when one of my good friends, someone very close to me, received a support pack in hospital during his tough battle with cancer. This small act of kindness brought a smile to his face and made a tough time that little bit easier. To know that someone is thinking of you, wants to support you and look out for you when you are going through treatment is profoundly special.
“As a growing business with a strong brand we feel we – like our fellow Northamptonshire businesses – have a crucial role to play in the local community. The Lewis Foundation makes a powerful and positive difference to the lives of thousands of cancer patients and in turn to their friends and family.”
Thanks in part to Mannol UK’s support, The Lewis Foundation raised more than £11,600 at its gala ball. Lorraine Lewis, CEO of The Lewis Foundation, said:
“I can’t thank Jev and the Mannol UK team enough for sponsoring the gala ball. To host an event on this scale is very often out of reach for charities like ours. However, with the backing of Mannol UK we were able to create a night to remember, dedicated to celebration and fundraising.
“The team went above and beyond not only sponsoring the event to enable it to happen but also publicising, promoting and raising awareness of our cause. We were able to bring our community together to raise a significant amount of money to make a difference to the lives of those diagnosed with cancer. It really will help to make a difference to the lives of people we support.”
Find out more about Mannol UK at www.mannol.de
