The East Midlands’ most enterprising businesses will attend an evening reception at Buckingham Palace tonight (14 July) after they were announced as this year’s winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2011.

Fourteen companies and two individuals will have the opportunity to meet Her Majesty The Queen and other members of the Royal Family: the ultimate recognition of their commitment to enterprise and innovation.  Eight of these companies won their Award under the International Trade category.

Peter Hogarth, International Trade Director for UK Trade & Investment in the East Midlands, said:

“The Queen's Award for Enterprise is a highly prestigious award and recognised across the world so having one of these under your belt can be particularly advantageous in overseas markets - they can give companies extra credibility and open doors to new opportunities.

East Midlands companies should be looking now to apply to become a Queen’s Award winner 2012, both an Olympic and Diamond Jubilee year.”

Representing book publishers Igloo Books Ltd of Sywell, Northamptonshire, at the reception will be Managing Director John Styring. They won an award for outstanding achievement in international trade. It won the Award for more than doubling its overseas sales over three years to a total of £14m over that period.

John Styring, Managing Director, has been delighted with the response to their award win. He said:

“All our customers, including our international customers, have been very receptive to the award and we are already benefiting from the increase in credibility as a result.”

Chief Operating Officer of Swan Valley based firm Irisys Dr Ian Wilcock is also set to meet the Queen following the firm’s win for increasing overseas sales of thermal detectors and systems for people counting, queue management, thermal imaging and security applications by 142 per cent to nearly £12million a year over three years, and increasing exports from 48 per cent to 83 per cent of its production.   

Ian Wilcock said:

“We export over 80 per cent of our infrared sensors to countries all over the world. Winning The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade has certainly boosted our profile. It’s official recognition that our products are the best you can buy.

The award also helps with recruitment. Competition for top quality software developers and electrical engineers is tough. People naturally want to work with a global leader, so the Award gives us a big advantage.

We’d encourage other companies to apply for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise.”

Also attending will be representatives from Northampton manufacturers of guitar amplifiers and pedals, Blackstar Amplification Ltd. The company won the International Trade Award for increasing its overseas revenues by five times to £2.8m per year in three-years, and selling 75% of its products overseas.   

Paul Hayhoe, Sales and Marketing Director, said:

“Blackstar Amplification is a small company that is growing fast and to receive this recognition only four years after our launch was a great honour. Having grown from the four founders, there is now a team of more than 30 people and each one has had a part to play in Blackstar’s success and has been highly motivated to know that their hard work has yielded such great results.”

Representing Melton Mowbray-based Bridgehead International, a strategic healthcare consultancy, will be their CEO Timothy Fitzgerald.  He is calling on other firms to apply now for the 2012 awards, an Olympic year, which is also the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

Bridgehead International won the International Award for the second time for outstanding achievement in international trade, in recognition of the fact that overseas sales have increased by 146 per cent over a three year period.

Timothy said:

“We are obviously delighted that our business performance merits such a prestigious award and would encourage other companies to apply. Over the last three years we have continued to build a leading market access consultancy, with expert capabilities and infrastructure in Europe and North America and appropriate strategic partnerships in key emerging markets.”

Pandrol UK Limited of Worksop, who manufacture railway fastenings, won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade for the third time.  They proved that despite recent economic conditions there is business to be won if you are prepared to travel for it. Over three years the company's total export earnings exceeded £85m from its markets in 60 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America. 

Donald Webster, Managing Director of Pandrol UK and based at the Worksop site, said:

“The success means that we are able to continue to provide jobs to local people and inject resources into the Worksop area in the form of local sponsorships and community engagement. The railway business is very active worldwide and we have been successful in securing a substantial slice of this success. For Pandrol, its employees, and the Worksop area, this sustained growth points to a promising future.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“The opportunity for business winners to go to the Palace to celebrate their hard work is well deserved and I hope they have a wonderful time. I strongly encourage businesses to start thinking about nominations for next year.”

Anyone who has helped individuals to develop entrepreneurial approaches and achievements with a view to starting or building a business can be nominated for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. These activities can be at both at national or local level.

The awards are made annually in April by HM The Queen and are only given for the highest levels of excellence demonstrated in each category. They are judged to a demanding level and winners receive a number of benefits and worldwide recognition.  Companies receive their awards throughout the year as part of Lord Lieutenant presentations.

The application/nomination period for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2012 is now open and closes on October 31. Entry is free and forms can be completed and submitted online at www.businesslink.gov.uk/queensawards.  Winners will be announced on April 21 2012.

 

 

Notes to Editors

 

1. Full list of East Midlands winners:

International Trade Award winners

• Altek Europe Ltd, Castle Donington, Derbyshire
• Blackstar Amplification Ltd, Northampton
• Bridgehead International Limited, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
• Igloo Books Limited, Sywell, Northamptonshire
• Irisys Swan Valley, Northamptonshire
• Lastolite Ltd, Coalville, Leicestershire
• Pandrol UK Limited, Worksop
• The UK Carbon & Graphite Co. Ltd, Belper, Derbyshire

 

Innovation Trade Award winners

• Datapath Ltd, Derby
• Molecular Profiles Limited, Nottingham
• Payne Security, a trading division of Filtrona C & SP Ltd, Giltbrook, Nottingham
• Peak NDT Ltd, Derby
• Zeeko Ltd, Coalville

 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• Blue Skies Holdings Ltd, Pitsford, Northampton

 

THE QUEEN’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE PROMOTION

 

Mr Paul Davies, Voluntary Chief Executive and Business Coach, Clowne Enterprise, Clowne, Derbyshire

 

Professor Susan Marlow, Professor of Entrepreneurship, De Montfort University, Leicester

 

Photography: Photographs of individual winners being presented their Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion by Vince Cable will be available from COI News & PR on Friday 15 July on the number below.  For photographs from the Reception contact the Press Association picture desk, or (main switchboard) 0207 963 7000.