Host of businesses celebrate 2022 Queen’s Awards
A string of East Midlands business are celebrating after winning a 2022 Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
The region boasted 13 winners in the International Trade category while seven companies picked up a Queen’s Award for Innovation.
There were also two winners in the sustainable development section.
Small Business Minister Paul Scully said: “This country is renowned for its entrepreneurial achievements and there is no greater showcase for it than The Queen’s Awards. It’s vital we celebrate the success of our businesses and recognise the contributions they make to communities across the country.
“I congratulate this year’s winners for their hard work and commitment over the last year and I wish them every success for the future.”
Applications for the 2023 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise will open on 1 May.
The full list of winners from the East Midlands
Innovation
Elcom, Leicester
Elcom Ltd, established in 2018, has rapidly expanded to become a leading UK based manufacturer for an array of protective products for industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics and defence.
Flexeserve, Hinckley
Flexeserve, a brand of The Alan Nuttall Partnership Ltd, is the world expert in hot-holding, advancing how global food operators serve hot food. For over 25 years, it has been manufacturing game-changing hot-holding units. Together with its unique all-encompassing service, Flexeserve Solution, the business has been pushing the boundaries of what hot food-to-go can be. In 1996, its technical experts discovered that convection technology was the only way to truly keep hot food at optimum quality and temperature. It has advanced hot-holding ever since, winning the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2005.
Flexeserve continuously innovates, refining how best to use its unique technology – developing the patented, industry #1 heated display – Flexeserve Zone.
Delivering ‘true hot-holding’, Flexeserve Zone creates a consistent air temperature throughout each shelf, which can be individually controlled. This unlocks new opportunities for major operators to expand product ranges, achieve unrivalled hold times and reduced food waste, whilst maintaining excellent food quality – for the best possible customer experience.
Imagesound, Chesterfield
Imagesound Ltd are a company that was formed in 1998 and provides bespoke media content to large organisations such as retail stores and hotel chains. Traditionally music or video content that is played by clients on their premises was created and distributed on CD or DVD. This is a slow, costly, and limiting method of distribution. The company has developed the Imagesound Management System (IMS); a multi-tenanted cloud platform delivering bespoke media content to clients globally. The platform enables new services and functionality. For example, 2,500 strong leading grocery and convenience chain receive a total of 2,000 store specific updates to content per day. It enables detailed and zonal control over content and delivery across multiple sites e.g., over 2000 luxury hotel sites/zones each having individual control. This level of control can meet local requirements such as the automatic silencing of music based on GPS data during the call to prayer in Islamic countries.
Nimbus, Derby
Nimbus: The Disability Consultancy Service Ltd was set up by disabled people in 2006 to advise organisations on how best to meet needs in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. In 2013, Nimbus started working on its innovative Access Card. This is a system for streamlining booking and participation in events. It was created for people with disabilities and the venues that need to accommodate them. Access Card codifies a given person’s disability impacts and the mitigation actions required to meet their needs. This codification happens through interviews to understand issues for each cardholder. The company also partners with venues to consider access and publish a free access statement informing disabled customers what to expect. For venue managers, the service streamlines accepting bookings and delivering appropriate access.
Peak NDT, Derby
Peak NDT Limited, established in 1995, develops and manufactures high performance ultrasonic instruments for non-destructive testing. The company has developed a flexible, compact, lightweight and enclosed version of their premium instrument system range incorporating novel solutions to achieve high performance and low power operation. This new product range fits between two established ultrasonic non-destructive testing markets and has opened up new markets for high performance ultrasonic instruments. The company identified a gap between simple handheld units and large integrated high-performance products and saw a need for a mid-price product mainly aimed at industrial inspection and research applications. Their new development includes several innovative features to ensure the highest performance with low power consumption and in a small volume to enable the units to be integrated close to the test item for automated inspection operations.
Oncimmune, Nottingham
Oncimmune Holdings plc founded in 2004, has developed innovative autoantibody profiling technologies that has enabled it to become a leading immunodiagnostics developer and pharma services provider. Oncimmune’s primary focus is on the growing fields of immuno-oncology, autoimmune disease and infectious diseases, and it’s pioneering work has created a portfolio of nearly 200 granted and pending patents. This expertise has enabled the company to create unique biomarker technologies which allow the healthcare and life science industry to understand the immune response to therapies, leading to more effective, and safer treatments for patients, as well as to stratify patients for clinical trials, predict patient response to treatment and immune-related adverse events and understand the earliest immune response to diseases. The company’s innovations are widely applicable and are having a significant impact on patient treatment and outcomes.
Qdos Broker & Underwriting Services , Leicestershire
Established in 2006, Qdos Broker & Underwriting Services Limited, trading as Qdos Contractor, provides advice and services on employment status regarding IR35 legislation and business insurance to the self-employed market. The service Status Review ensures compliance with complex legislation and helps clients avoid potentially costly mistakes. Initially, the company delivered IR35 advice and assistance to individual contractors responsible for their own employment status. When legislation changed to make the contracting party responsible for ensuring compliance, the business was at risk of losing a significant part its business. The company pivoted its offer from one client group to another and developed new aspects of its service in response to the changing legislation. The service delivered via an online management platform combines expert advice and insurance. It also ensures both the contracting party and the contractors are involved in ensuring an accurate opinion of status is identified.
International Trade
Ampetronic
Ampetronic Limited is based in Newark, Nottinghamshire and has been trading since 1987. Its mission is to bring intelligible sound back into the lives of people with hearing loss by improving the quality of installed hearing access equipment. The company produces a wide range of electronic products for hearing accessibility, primarily Audio Induction Loop Systems that can deliver sound direct to hearing aid users. Overseas sales grew by 110% across the six-year period with top markets including the United States, Norway, Australia, Germany and Sweden. It invested in the development of the global standards in Bluetooth technology and new networked digital hearing loop drivers to replace most current analogue products. This helped double sales in the last three years, mostly from overseas. It won the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2014 and the company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years.
Cellomatics Biosciences
Established in 2016 and based in Nottingham, Cellomatics Biosciences Ltd is a privately owned contract research organisation that provides pre-clinical in-vitro testing services for biotechnology & pharmaceutical clients as part of new development programmes. The company focuses on five therapeutic areas, Oncology, Immuno-oncology, Immunology, Inflammation and Respiratory. Its service offering is grouped into two main areas, analytical assays and bespoke cell-based assays. It has supported 160 projects for 55 clients in 17 countries and overseas sales have grown by 207% with over 50% of all sales exported. The company operates across North America, Europe and the Far East. All sales are managed centrally by the company in the UK. Its main markets are USA, South Korea, Switzerland, Belgium and the Republic of Ireland. Recently the company entered new markets in Austria, Japan, Brazil, India and Hong Kong. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
DEA Aviation
Based at Retford Airport, Nottinghamshire, DEA Aviation Ltd (DEA) is a world leading technology-led provider of specialised aerial data acquisition services. DEA deploys state-of-the-art aerial sensing and digital processing technology in dynamic, challenging environments worldwide and is frequently relied upon to provide critical security services of national importance, demanding class-leading safety and compliance processes. Overseas sales have grown six fold between 2016 and 2021 with 85% of its 2021 revenue from exported services. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years.
Diamond Hard Surfaces
Diamond Hard Surfaces Limited, based in Towcester, Northamptonshire has been trading since 2004. It is a materials technology company and solution provider to high endurance applications of a unique diamond material which give extended life in high temperature, chemically aggressive and abrasive environments. Using its patented processes, it is able to provide components with reduced friction, improved wear resistance and load carrying characteristics over and above traditional materials and other coated surfaces. It works directly with blue chip businesses in 22 countries around the globe in the Electronics, Energy, Aerospace and Chemical processing sectors. Overseas sales grew by almost 200% in the three-year period with top markets including the United States, Israel, France, South Korea and Sweden. The pandemic had a significant impact on the business, however it maintained business continuity and met its customers’ needs. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Donald Ward, Derbyshire
Donald Ward Limited is a National Recycling Company which was incorporated in December 1976 although the business commenced trading in the 1940s. The company processes around a million tonnes of materials annually; recycling products such as metals, plastics, glass, cardboard, wood, textiles, soils, and hardcore to ensure its customers fulfil environmental regulations and commitments. Its core business, representing 80% of turnover, is the processing and recycling of metals from a variety of sources, including end-of-life vehicles, and demolition projects. Over the three years to March 2019, overseas sales grew by 84%, a growth rate of 36% per annum. Its five largest markets were, Pakistan, Turkey, India, Hong Kong, and Belgium. It is planning sustainable growth with significant investment into people, processes, equipment, and infrastructure. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Flair Rugs
Glossop based Flair Rugs Ltd. is a family business established originally in 1982 and acquired by new owners in 1984. It designs, sources and supplies rugs from international manufacturers, before shipping them directly to overseas customers or one of its two warehouses in the UK. It works directly with retailers but also wholesalers and distributors. Overseas sales increased by 112% over the three year period with the proportion of goods exported increasing from 5.8% to 8.6%. Flair currently supplies 26 countries, mostly within Europe. Ireland is its largest market followed by France, Romania, Czechia and Poland. Segmentation is important to the company and involves identifying customer needs, past behaviours, demographic profiles, profit potential per segment etc. Flair won the Queen’s Award for International Trade 2019 and now wins it again for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Imagesound
Chesterfield based Imagesound Ltd. began trading in 1998 with the purpose of enhancing customer experience by using audio and visual channels within its clients’ venues, from hotels and leisure to retail and hospitality. It delivers to over 60,000 locations across 152 countries and 9 overseas territories through offices in the UK, Los Angeles, Miami, Dubai, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and regional consultants in Tokyo, Bangkok, Bali, Delhi, Casablanca, Vancouver, New York and Sydney. It is the market leader in the UK and is in the top three worldwide. It has focused on growing market share rather than entering new ones, succeeding in growing exports by 55% in three years. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Logi-tek
Stamford based Logi-tek (UK) Limted was founded in 2002 as an independent commissioning and technical management consultancy for mechanical and engineering systems. Additional services, including quality assessments, design management and validation and diagnosis analysis, were added and it expanded into new sectors including financial, commercial, pharmaceutical, retail, data centres and museum/heritage. In 2008 it added innovative new client reporting systems and in 2012 it started exporting into Europe on a reactive basis, becoming proactive just four years ago. Overseas sales grew by 283% in the three year period with the proportion of sales derived overseas growing from 39% to 73%. Services are offered in five countries: Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Sweden. It now plans to expand further, potentially branching out into the Middle East and Africa. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Peak NDT
Derby based and director-owned Peak NDT Ltd. began trading in 1995 and is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of high performance conventional and phased-array ultrasonic instrumentation used for non-destructive testing in advanced engineering sectors. Its MicroPulse products have been used extensively by leading UK and International research facilities. Peak NDT invests heavily and continuously in Research and Development and won the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2011. Annual overseas sales doubled over three years, growing from 58% to 71% of total turnover. Peak has established customers in most regions of the world, with recent sales channels developed in India, Japan and Singapore. Top markets are Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong and Switzerland with a new development in place that will increase sales by £2m per annum, mostly overseas. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
PR Marriott Drilling
PR Marriott Drilling Ltd, started in 1991 and is based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. It is a specialist company providing drilling and associated services to the oil, gas, gas storage, geothermal, geoscience, mining and water industries. The company currently operates in the UK, Switzerland, Kenya, Mozambique, Bolivia and is developing new business in Kuwait and Ethiopia. Over three years to December 2020 exports have grown by 3,294% with exports now representing over 70% of all sales. It has overcome the challenges of Covid-19 which caused delays to contracts as staff engaged in international operations had to isolate on arrival, then isolate again when returning to the UK. Other challenges include shipping delays for equipment due to the pandemic. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Unimed Procurement Services
Based in Leicester, Unimed Procurement Services Ltd. began trading in April 2018. With healthcare equality at its core, the company acts as a procurement agent for humanitarian relief organisations, NGOs and charities. As a business, it triumphs in collaborating with partners to procure quality healthcare supplies and deliver them to global locations. It is regulated and authorised by the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and holds a Wholesalers Dealers Authorisation. With hard work and dedication, trading has grown by 1,796% over three years, with exports making up 85% of all sales. It distributes to partners in Europe, Africa, South America, Asia and Oceania, with health products delivered to over 25 countries in 2021. Unimed Procurement Services Ltd. has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Urban Apothecary
Founded in 2012 and based in Billesdon, Leicestershire, Urban Apothecary Limited is an exciting British brand, manufacturing and selling luxury home fragrance and bath and body products in the UK and to thirty international markets. Its products range from candles, diffusers, and room sprays to body products, such as cleansing gels, hand and body lotions and soaps. In response to Covid-19, it launched a luxury hand sanitiser gel. In three years to December 2020, overseas sales have grown by 168% with exports now making up 47% of all sales. Its top five markets are Germany, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan. It has a clear overseas marketing strategy, in which all distributors hold stock to maximise sales in each territory. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
Plum Play
Founded in 1988 by a husband and wife team, Plum Play is a family run business with over 30 years experience. It is based in Lincoln and designs, manufactures and sell Trampolines, Swings, Climbing Frames, Outdoor and Indoor Toys. It focuses on building a strong brand and increasing its market presence. Over six years to December 2020, its overseas sales have grown by 1,009% now making up nearly 40% of all sales. Its top five markets in 2020 were, USA, Canada, Australia Germany, and Holland. Its sells to over 57 countries worldwide. It has seen a huge growth in demand for play equipment as trampolines, climbing frames were the perfect fit for outdoor play. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years.
Sustainable Development
Bambino Mio
Bambino Mio was established in 1997, is based in Brixworth, Northants and employs 103 staff. Its focus is to reduce single-use plastic waste through making reusable nappies the first choice for parents, through accessibility and education. Products also include reusable potty-training essentials, swim products, change bags and nappy change accessories. It has transitioned from a local, family run initiative to an international success story by growing to become one of the world’s leading reusable nappy brands, providing sustainable products to parents in over 50 countries and in 2020 was winner of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in International Trade. Bambino Mio is awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development because it has a strong record its own sustainability as an organisation and has provided inspirational leadership. This is a truly industry-leading company.
Collaborate and Innovate
Collaborate and Innovate Ltd – trading as Cosy – is a community-minded supplier of ethically produced and environmentally friendly outdoor play equipment founded in 2011 in Fauld, Derbyshire. It has formed effective partnerships, for instance sharing recycling ideas with schools and nurseries. The company works with and encourages teachers to create new ideas. For instance 10,000 rubber tyres a year are re-purposed into mirrors, grass-covered seating, or whiteboard circles. It supports many community projects in the UK and Africa. Overseas activity includes sponsoring children so they can receive schooling in Kenya and Tanzania, helping to pay for new school facilities and funding three sports coaches in The Gambia. Cosy is awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development because it has brought an ethical approach to play by selling sustainable, recycled, responsibly sourced and environmentally friendly educational equipment.
