SHELTON's Supertrencher+ is a big hit with people needing to drain the world's sports pitches, grounds and racecourses.

Such has been its acclaim that Shelton Sportsturf Drainage Solutions decided to go bigger and better – tapping an even larger market – with its soon to be launched 760.

And that kind of entrepreneurial thinking is helping the Horncastle firm retain its position as a market leader in keeping pitches playable.

With global sales, the winner of last year's Lincolnshire Echo Business Innovation Award is, recession or not, still on for 60 per cent growth over its current three-year business term.

The annual Lincolnshire Echo Business Awards were launched this month.

Entries are now being invited in six categories, including business of the year and young business person of the year.

The awards are designed to celebrate the cream of local industry and have become an established event in the county's business calendar. Winners receive a trophy and will be announced at a prestigious gala dinner in February, next year, at the EPIC Centre at Lincolnshire Showground.

Turning over more than £1 million a year, Shelton's is working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service to grow its business and is doing very nicely in Australia and New Zealand, where the market, particularly among golf course managers, is rapidly taking off.

"People there are queuing up to use our equipment," said general manager Michael Claxton.

And a decade of groundwork in the USA is beginning to pay dividends. "Previously we have hardly scratched the surface over there, but now it is beginning to look very promising.

"Generally, they are world leaders in grass management but, ten years ago, had little understanding of sports turf drainage technology. That is all changing and we are now getting growing numbers of informed inquiries."

Shelton's tractor-mounted Supertrencher+ can cleanly and cost-effectively cut drainage system installation trenches with minimal damage to the playing surface, all while discharging surplus soil into a dumper.

Ease and efficiency of use, together with laser guidance, mean little sports time is lost on anything from golf courses and football pitches to racecourses, making the Drain Today – Play Tomorrow slogan a reality.

Much of the company's sales are to grounds maintenance contractors and Shelton also runs its own contracting division.

Started by David Shelton in 1981 to deal with problems on his own farm, it began contracting to other farmers and then discovered the sports market.

Manufacture is sub-contracted to Lincolnshire firms and, overall, the business is said to be supporting 15 to 20 local jobs.