Steve Earl of Panel Graphic was named Director of the Year at the Norfolk Business Awards.

Panel Graphic manufactures and supplies enhancement plastics which aid the readability of information across a wide variety of products and industries, and works with the likes of Porsche and McLaren.

Mr Earl founded the business in 1998 and now employs 42 people out of a purpose-built unit in Loddon.

He said his style of management was to lead his team by example.

'Most people will tell you that I spend most of my time vacuuming around the office. It means that when I ask someone else to do it, then I never have a problem - they just do it. So I do lead by example,' he said.

'But I think to be a good director you need to employ good people. You need to direct the people and let them do a good job, and I've got a superb team.

'I really wanted to bring everybody [on stage] but there wasn't room. It's not me, it's the team that has won this. I'm really, really, really proud.'

The judges said: 'In a category that was brim full of inspiring people making a huge difference to the region's business success, Steve Earl is a fabulously worthy winner.

'His leadership, vision and drive has enabled a family company to make a big impact in a competitive sector where product quality of the highest order, skills and innovation are absolutely crucial.

'Driving Panel Graphic's expanding and close-knit team to ever bigger achievements, Steve is a director Norfolk can be proud of.'

The three other finalists in the Director of the Year category, which was sponsored by Dipples, were Jan Hÿtch of Arnolds Keys, John Dye of JD Cooling Group, and Rosie Kefford – Rosie's Hair, Beauty and Make-Up Studios.

Read more about the other winners from the Norfolk Business Awards 2018