JUDGES of the Echo-backed Dorset Business Awards have announced the 12 finalists shortlisted for honours this year.

The top 12 now have to wait until the gala awards dinner on December 5 to discover whether they have topped their award category to become a winner of the county's premier business awards.

The finalists in each of the four award categories are (in alphabetical order):

KPMG Company of the Year:

Bowlplex, Bournemouth, which provides 10-pin bowling as well as a wider entertainment experience for families;

Portman Building Society, Bournemouth, the fourth largest building society in the UK;

SPS Print Group, Ferndown, a national supplier of printed point-of-sale material.

Lester Aldridge Business Person of the Year:

Barry Holt, general manager of ITW Finishing Systems and Products UK, based in Poole;

Peter Mills, chairman of Poole Pottery Properties;

Tracy Standish, managing director of Bowlplex, Bournemouth.

DCCI International Award, co-sponsored by Barclays Bank:

Merlin Entertainments, Poole, a leading developer and operator of visitor attractions throughout the UK and Europe;

SF Detection, a subsidiary of Zellweger Analytics, Poole, makes domestic gas detection systems and is a world leader in carbon monoxide monitoring;

VAI Industries, a leading engineering and plant building company for the international iron and steel industry.

IoD Daily Echo Marketing Challenge:

Beale, of Bournemouth, for the re-launch of its customer account card to help reposition the retailer and attract new customers;

Bournemouth University for its innovative approach to increasing awareness of its Services to Business among regional small- and medium-sized enterprises;

Orb Estates for the successful public consultation and marketing exercise concerning the Dolphin Quays development in Poole.

Lester Aldridge managing partner Roger Woolley said: "Our three finalists for the Business Person of the Year award all demonstrate the entrepreneurial qualities and amazing contributions made not just to their businesses but to the wider regional community."

KPMG South Coast senior partner Tony Cottam added: "All candidates for the KPMG Company of the Year have shown real strength in their products and services, vision, exploitation of new markets and staff development."

Commenting on behalf of the IoD Daily Echo Marketing Challenge, Kelvyn Derrick, managing director of Hamworthy KSE, said: "The strength of our finalists' marketing campaigns is proof that marketing is being treated as a vital and integral part of business strategy."

DCCI chief Tony Bridger said all the International Award finalists had made "an excellent contribution over and above the norm in terms of growth and commitment".