Finalists for this year's Sussex Business Awards illustrate the strength and diversity of the region's economy.

Firms from as far apart as Crawley, Chichester and Eastbourne represent industries including baby goods, retailing, information technology, hot tub installation and an outsourced call centre.

The identity of the winners remains a closely-guarded secret until the gala awards dinner at the Copthorne Effingham Park, near Gatwick, on November 22.

In a new category for 2001, the Virgin Atlantic dynamic business award, there are final places for the Burgess Hill information tech-

nology company, ADA Computer Systems, caterers Morton's Fork, of Chichester, and the Brighton outsourced call centre, Telegen UK.

Finalists in another new category, the environmental awareness award, sponsored by South East Water and the Environment Agency, are: Seeboard Energy, of Hove, Sussex Branch of Butter-

fly Conservation, of Seaford, and Crawley-based Varian Medical Systems UK.

Sport and the arts feature in the business community citizenship award, sponsored by American Express in association with Business in the Community. Lining up for the shoot-out are Brighton and Hove Albion; information technology recycling and training company Crash Training Group, of Brighton and the Theatre Royal, Brighton.

Three contenders for the innovation award, which is backed by asb law and the Sussex Innovation Centre, are Complete Minilab Services, of Eastbourne, specialists in photographic processing equipment; Hove-based Immotrac, with its vehicle management and security system and the information technology and internet company, InsurE-com, based in Brighton.

In the competition for Sussex retailer of the year, sponsored by The Argus, there are final places for Frills All Round, of Uckfield, which sells baby goods, Lewes-based Giles Leisure, retailer of swimming pools and hot tubs, and the double-

glazing installer and manufacturer, Premier Windows, of Portslade.

For the KPMG Sussex company of the year, there are four finalists chasing two trophies: ADA Computer Systems, of Burgess Hill, Complete Minilab Services, of Eastbourne, InsurE-com, of Brighton and Telegen UK, of Brighton.

In the last stages of the university-business partnership award, sponsored by Brighton and Sussex Universities, it is a run-off between medical device manufacturer, Biocompatables, of Farnham, Surrey, Destiny Pharma, based at Falmer, Brighton, which specialises in pharmaceutical research and development, and the manufacturing company, Rolls Royce, of Derby.

The Southern FM small business award finalists are the Crawley accountancy recruitment firm, Alexander Lloyd; the information technology recruitment business, i2i Resources, of Horsham, and JD Courtney, of Lewes, commercial property consultants to the farming industry.

Finalists were chosen by a panel of judges headed by leading Sussex businessman Peter Hall, who is regional chairman of the Institute of Customer Service.

The awards are supported by the Economic Development Group of East Sussex County Council, Sussex Enterprise, Fortis Bank, the Copthorne Effingham Park, Brighton and Hove City Council and Concept Media and Sussex Enterprise.

The awards were created and organised by The Priory Partnership.

Table reservations for the presentation gala are being taken by Lynna Williams at the awards office on 01273 207155.