17 prestigious Queen’s Awards wins for North West firms
30 April 2021
Companies from Bollington to Burnley have been recognised with an esteemed Queen’s Award for Enterprise, including three Greater Manchester manufacturers that have benefitted from Hub support.
Companies from Bollington to Burnley have been recognised with an esteemed Queen’s Award for Enterprise, including three Greater Manchester manufacturers that have benefitted from Hub support.
The annual Awards, which were created in 1965 following the recommendation of a committee chaired by the late Duke of Edinburgh, are the most prestigious business accolade in the UK.
Winners have to pass a robust assessment process judged by senior officials in Whitehall and experts from across industry, academia and the third sector, before being recommended to Her Majesty the Queen by the Prime Minister.
In the North West, there were winners this year across the Innovation (6), International Trade (9) and Sustainable Development (2) categories.
The winners include three Greater Manchester manufacturers that have been supported by GC Business Growth Hub along their growth journey.
Reach and Rescue
Wigan-based Reach and Rescue, winner of Venturefest North West in 2018, was recognised in the Innovation category for its easy to deploy telescopic poles for water rescue operations.
The extendable poles can be fitted with interchangeable end devices, offering rescuers – including the UK Fire and Rescue Service – significantly safer options for rescues from water than were previously available. The innovation celebrated a decade of saving lives in 2020.
Director Jo Taylor said:
“Our passion is taking an idea and transforming it via our state-of-the-art design process into a product that overcomes the real-world challenges faced by rescuers every day.
“Our ethos is the same today as it was a decade ago – address the needs of our customers. They’re on the frontline; they encounter new, unique and sometimes dangerous situations every day. Through open dialogue with our customers, we can address their issues and develop new solutions which ultimately alleviate the dangers they face.”
Other Innovation winners in the North West included:
- Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings in Bolton, for developing a new coating for durable, aesthetically pleasing fire protection in steel structures
- Aerofoil Energy in Bollington, for its pioneering use of aerospace and racing car inspired shelf-edge technology to improve the energy efficiency of supermarket refrigerators
- Process Instruments (UK) in Burnley, for developing a water quality analyser, controller and internet gateway for industries where water is part of their process
- Anacarda Ltd in Wigan, for developing a low free monomer, non-flammable, non-toxic epoxy curing agent for formulating rapid coatings with improved performance
- Barrnon Ltd in Cumbria, for its nuclear sludge removal technology and hydraulically-powered robotic solutions, which decrease the cost of decommissioning and increase safety for nuclear facilities.
Emsys Maritime
In the International Trade category, Emsys Maritime in Trafford was recognised for growing its overseas sales by 218 per cent.
The maritime technology manufacturer supplies laser based emission monitoring technology for ships, reducing pollution in air or oceans during shipping operations. With 90 per cent of customers located overseas, exporting is critical to the company’s success.
Managing Director Simon Brown said:
“Our team are amazing – they have to be as we compete with many of the world’s largest companies in a highly competitive market. Like all companies, the past 12 months have been a tough struggle, however the resilience and enthusiasm shown by my incredible colleagues has been duly rewarded by this exceptional acknowledgement of their efforts.”
Other companies in the region recognised in the same category were:
- Hartley Botanic in Greenfield, Lancashire, which has built a name and reputation worldwide for its structurally superior greenhouses
- Cobra Braiding Machinery in Congleton, for more than doubling its overseas sales in three years for its wire harness braiding machinery
- Illingworth Research Group in Macclesfield, which has grown export sales to 80 per cent of total turnover for its patient services that assist pharmaceutical companies with clinical research projects
- Process Instruments (UK) in Burnley, which was recognised for its exports to over 60 markets worldwide, in addition to the Innovation Award for its water quality controller technology
- Chelburn Precision Ltd in Rochdale, for growing overseas sales of its precision machined components by five-fold in the last three years with companies in the United States, France and South Africa
- CPL UK Ltd in Manchester, which has increased overseas sales of its perfumes and beauty products by more than 260 per cent through e-commerce platforms
- Beauty Works Ltd in Stockport, for its success in selling hair extensions to professional salons and consumers in more than 180 countries
- Natures Aid Ltd in Kirkham, for more than doubling the overseas sales of its vitamins, minerals, supplements, herbal remedies and organic superfoods to health food stores and pharmacies.
Emsys Maritime, Process Instruments, CPL UK, Natures Aid, Beauty Works and Cobra Braiding Machinery have all benefitted from support by GC International Trade.
Crystal Doors
Crystal Doors in Rochdale was one of just 17 companies nationwide to win the Sustainable Development Award.
The manufacturer of vinyl-wrapped doors and accessories for kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms was singled out for its efforts to deliver meaningful climate action, embedding a culture of resource efficiency throughout the business and sharing its learning with others.
Managing Director Richard Hagan said:
“The science says we only have a few years of inaction left before achieving our global agreements on greenhouse gas emissions become impossible. It is our collective responsibility, as businesses and as a society, to take action. Our story is proof that even small organisations with tight purse strings like ours can turn things around rapidly.”
The only other North West company to win the Sustainable Development Award was Armstrong Fluid Technology, a designer and manufacturer of pumps, heating and ventilation systems in Manchester. The company has embraced sustainable action across a range of areas, including a strong employee engagement programme.
Applications for next year’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise open on 1 May.