Sean Matthews, a Caerphilly carpenter and joiner, has been officially announced as the winner of Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2020.
Sean was presented with the award during the virtual Screwfix Live event in October.
The 50-year-old, who has spent more than half of his life in the industry, walks away with the title and ultimate trade bundle consisting of £10,000 worth of tools, £5000 worth of technology and £5000 towards future training.
Over 2500 people entered the competition with 10 finalists facing a panel of esteemed industry experts, including representatives from Screwfix, The NICEIC, CIPHE, FMB and 2019 winner, Darren McGhee.
Sean was a stand-out winner thanks to his exceptional craftmanship, his attention to detail and fantastic approach to customer service.
Sean said: “This is life-changing. My small Welsh family business is going to be elevated to the next level! Lots of my customers have been wishing me good luck so I can’t wait to share the good news.
“At the start of this year, I thought ‘this would be the year for us’ and then Covid-19 struck. I had to pick myself up and keep on going. Winning this means that my hard work, and the team’s hard work has been recognised and rewarded. I’m dedicated to my customers and to doing the best job that I can, now I’m ready to take the next step thanks to this win.
“I plan to use the prize to continue to provide excellent attention to detail, grow my business and take on an apprentice –this award has set me on my way. I’m willing to prove you can teach an old dog new tricks, and you’re never too old to take on another challenge!”
David Moore, director of brand marketing at Screwfix, adds: “This competition is in its eleventh year and it’s still as exciting as year one. We continue to be blown away by our tradespeople’s stories, none more so than this year, when we’ve heard about how they have overcome the challenges of recent months.
“Sean really impressed us with his skill, craftmanship and dedication to making sure his customers are happy with his work. He’s a genuine tradesperson who will do his best for his customers and has also really helped people in need. We are proud to announce Sean as our 2020 winner. I’m looking forward to seeing where this accolade will take his business.”
