A second-generation family business has won the supreme award at the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards 2013, beating 30 other finalists. Thompson Construction and Engineering also won the construction category announced at a Gala Awards evening last night at the Caroline Bay Hall.

The business was formed 35 years ago by Lyndon Thompson. His sons, Craig and Vaughan, started working for the company after they left school and took over the business when their father retired in 2002, along with their sister Michelle, who joined the firm in 1998. The company specialises in designing and constructing buildings for commercial, industrial and agricultural use. Buildings are designed in 3D using fabricated structural steel and precast concrete. The awards were judged by University of Auckland professional teaching fellow Dr Leith Oliver, Redesign managing director Jo Pennycuick, 100% Pure New Zealand Honey managing director Steve Lyttle and Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend. The awards are organised by Aoraki Development Business and Tourism (ADBT).

Winners of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards 2013

• Construction Industry Award 2013: Thompson Construction and Engineering
• Winner of the Supreme Award 2013: Thompson Construction and Engineering

Keeping it in the family has been no challenge for the Thompsons, with the Washdyke family business giving them all a job. Emma Bailey talks to Michelle Thompson.

How did the business start? Our father, Lyndon, started it in 1978. He was a farm manager but had done a bit of steel fabrication and building in South Otago. Mum convinced him to move to Timaru and start an engineering business. Back then it was mostly working on farm buildings. My brothers Craig and Vaughan both started working for Dad after they left school, apart from time doing their OEs. They took over from Dad in 2002. I came [to Thompsons] five years ago. I was working as an administrator for 14 years at Blairs in Geraldine, that was another expanding business. I did business studies as well. I used to do the paperwork for here [Thompsons] in the weekend, and doing both jobs just got too much. Now Craig is the production director and quality control, Vaughan is sales oriented and does the estimating and oversees the design, and I do the admin and financial control...