Wigan funeral vehicle business scoops prestigious accolade

Hindley-based Wilcox Limousines, which specialises in the conversion of cars into hearses and limousines, won the Quality Organisation of the Year prize at the International Quality Awards.

The gong recognises organisations which best exhibit a culture of quality and put it at the heart of what it does, with Wilcox honoured for the industry-leading hearses and limousines it produces.

It comes following a comprehensive review of the brand’s policies and procedures, as well as the overall quality of its final product.

The panel of judges described the business as “an organisation that has achieved top to bottom, organisation-wide transformation in only a few years, through a leadership style that is refreshingly frank and modest”.

The company, which has been in operation for more than 70 years, has established a keen focus on consumer preference, with a flexible approach to the changing landscape of the industry, under the leadership of managing director Jade Wilcox.

She has worked tirelessly to keep up expectations, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

From revised factory procedures to new cutting-edge design principles, Wilcox is now paving the way for a contemporary coachbuilding industry and is doing so with the same family values upon which the brand's reputation was built.

Ms Wilcox said: “When I took on the role of managing director in 2020, I never dreamt the company would be recognised internationally for the quality of its offering.

"However, throughout this process, I realised that I didn’t just inherit the business from my father, I inherited an immensely talented group of individuals who work tirelessly to ensure that every vehicle that leaves our factory is built to the highest of standards — something we like to call ‘the Wilcox way’.

"They are the driving force behind this recent achievement and I am so proud of what we have accomplished together.

“The pandemic was a difficult time for all of us and It was also a time of reflection.

"At Wilcox, we refused to rest on our laurels and instead we refined every aspect of our production process and pushed the boundaries of what we could achieve.”

Wilcox Limousines is run by second and third generation family members and employs more than 150 staff in Hindley and Northampton.

It was established in 1948 by husband and wife team William and May Wilcox, fulfilling a dream of running their own business, and has grown to become one of the largest funeral vehicle dealerships in Europe.

Over the years, it has built vehicles for use by the British royal family as well as for state funerals around the world.

The International Quality Awards are designed to recognise businesses’ endeavours and were established by the CQI, the professional body for experts in improving product, project and service quality.

As a registered charity with a royal charter, CQI designed the awards to celebrate excellence within the quality profession, across a range of industries.

Ms Wilcox added: “After a brief period of celebration and the odd bottle of bubbly, we will return our focus to further improvement and will continue to produce truly memorable vehicles.”