soluCLEAN and SoluPak Shortlisted for Four Wakefield Business Awards

soluCLEAN and our manufacturer SoluPak are finalists in four categories at the Wakefield Business Awards 2026, and we could not be prouder of the team behind it.

The awards, run by We Are Wakefield, celebrate the businesses and people who make our district a great place to work. This year, together, we have been shortlisted for Doing Good in Business, Small Manufacturer of the Year, Diversity in Business and Employer of the Year (Small Business).

These nominations belong to both of us: soluCLEAN, and SoluPak, the team who manufacture every pod we sell. Four in one year says something about what we are building together here in Castleford. Each one recognises a different part of it, so here is a little on what they mean to us.

Doing Good in Business

Doing good is the reason soluCLEAN exists. Our water-soluble pods were designed to take single-use plastic and wasted water out of professional cleaning, not to offset it afterwards.

That thinking goes beyond the product. Through our partnership with the Made Blue Foundation, we have funded more than 17 million litres of clean water for communities that need it.

We completed the transition to a zero waste to landfill approach across our operations. By improving waste segregation, strengthening recycling streams, and working closely with waste management partners, we now ensure that all non-recyclable material is diverted through recovery or reuse routes rather than landfill.

Parcel shipments decreased from 2036 in 2024 to 1906 in 2025. Our total parcel volume has decreased this year, largely due to a deliberate and focused effort to increase the number of full pallets being dispatched.

Small Manufacturer of the Year

All four nominations are shared, but this one puts the spotlight firmly on SoluPak, our manufacturer and the team who make every soluCLEAN pod. SoluPak launched soluCLEAN in 2018, and everything we sell is still developed and made in Castleford.

Keeping manufacturing in Yorkshire means local jobs, shorter supply chains and full control over quality. It is good to see that recognised alongside some excellent local manufacturers.

Diversity in Business

A business is only as good as the people in it, and ours is stronger for the range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives on our team.

We are a Disability Confident employer, and by delivering interactive and informative production workshops, we create meaningful opportunities to share knowledge, build skills, and better understand how we can support inclusive and purposeful employment.

Being shortlisted for the Diversity in Business Award tells us we are on the right track, and it encourages us to keep going.

Employer of the Year (Small Business)

This is the one that means the most to us, because it is about how it feels to work here.

5 members of our team are on skilled apprenticeships, building knowledge in responsible business practices, environmental management, and social impact.

More than half of our team are trained as both first aiders and forklift operators and by prioritising employee wellbeing, engagement, and continuous improvement, we are strengthening a culture where sustainability is understood, shared, and practiced across all levels of the business.

"We have always believed that if you look after your people, they look after everything else." — Helen McDonald, Managing Director, Solupak.

Thank you, and fingers crossed

None of this happens without our team, our customers and our partners. Thank you to everyone who has backed soluCLEAN and SoluPak, and congratulations to all our fellow finalists across the district.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 12 November 2026 at WX Wakefield. Whatever the result on the night, both teams are proud to be in the room.

Wish us luck, and follow us on LinkedIn for updates from the night.