A BURY-based water and flood restoration company has achieved another clean sweep!

Finesse Chem-Dry has won an international franchise award after beating off the challenge of around 5,000 other hopefuls.

And the latest triumph for Finesse comes after it lifted two coveted accolades for its UK operations.

Finesse has just been awarded the Chem-Dry International Franchise of the Year award at a ceremony in Atlanta, America.

The company was selected by bosses of Harris Research Incorporated, owners of the Chem-Dry.

The competition embraced Chem-Dry franchises worldwide and Finesse's victory marked a remarkable double.

Last year, the Wash Lane-based business received the Great Britain award for best service standard for water and flood restoration after winning the Franchise of the Year award the previous year. Finesse, with branches in Bury, Manchester and East Lancs, is run by Mr Arthur Foster and his son Peter who travelled to the USA to collect the franchise award.

The business trades under the Northern and Southern banner and the Finesse Chem-Dry franchise was launched in Manchester in 1994.

Mr Arthur Foster: "We started off as carpet and upholstery cleaners but now we are primarily involved in flood and fire restoration operations with most of the work coming via insurance companies.

"We dry out buildings which have been victims of floods or fires and we also fumigate buildings and carry out dry cleaning."

Finesse is also involved in electrical testing work, deploying the skills of other local firms.

Mr Foster, a former operations manager with British Aerospace, originally launched Finesse under the old Enterprise Allowance scheme after undergoing training at the then Bury Partnership.

Since then, the company has rapidly expanded, illustrated by the fact that turnover since the early days has expanded by a staggering 185 per cent.

And Mr Foster is proud that the Bury company's commitment to its customers has been recognised internationally.

Commenting on Finesse's USA triumph, he added: "We were up against 5,000 other Chem-Dry franchises from all over the world and the award was judged on service to customers, marketing and assistance to the Chem-Dry network.

"We have had seven good years trading as a Chem-Dry franchise, many loyal customers that have referred our services to friends and recommended us to the companies that they work for."

He added: So, the award is not only for ourselves and employees, but for a lot of local people.

"With the award, we will continue to build on our success and often the best service we can to our domestic, commercial and insurance customers."

Finesse, which employs a seven-strong part, is part of Chem-Dry's 450 UK network.