35 North West firms win 90th birthday Queens Awards – how many do you know?

TWO hundred and forty-three businesses across the UK have today received a new Queen’s Award for Enterprise, recognising their contribution to international trade, innovation and sustainable development.

Of those, 35 hail from this region – with 10 Innovation winners and 25 receiving the accolade for International Trade.

Two companies in the region – Liverpool-based Powder Systems and Southport-based Inciner8 – achieved double recognition, receiving awards for both innovation and international trade.

The winners span a broad range of industries – from cloud computing and medical device manufacture, to pet health and sports broadcasting.

This year marks the 50th anniversary for the winners of the Queen’s Awards scheme in what is also the Queen’s 90th birthday year. The winning businesses will also be able to use the Queen’s Awards emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for the next five years.

In the Innovation category, the winners are:

Warrington-based AlphaBiolabs wins its first Queens Award for Innovation. AlphaBiolabs started trading in 2012 and is an accredited DNA Paternity, Drug and Alcohol Testing Laboratory, which provides testing to the legal profession, corporations and members of the public.

The awarded innovation is a new laboratory process which dramatically reduces the cost and time of DNA analysis. The key technical advantage of the process is that AlphaBiolabs does not need to extract DNA and can move directly to the amplification step.

The results can be used as a legally defensible test or a test for i nformation purposes only. Providing next-day, legally-submissible DNA testing information ensures that the service can meet strict court deadlines and has contributed to growth in both sales and staff numbers for the company.

Lancashire’s Aqua Fabrications receive an innovation award for their innovation in rail drainage systems. The Derby glass reinforced plastic produce replaces a previous product manufactured in concrete. The product is a modular ring construction to line a catch pit, which is part of the drainage system on the railway.

The new material and design reduce the weight of the component from 74kg to 16kg. This weight reduction has a significant effect on reducing the risk of injuries due to manual handling when the product is being installed. There is also the benefit of reducing the time and staffing requirement for installation.

Additional benefits have been the increased efficiencies in manufacture, improved performance and reduced damage in transit and handling. The company was established in 1988 and the innovation has contributed to its growth over the last two years.

Rainford-based Communications Plus wins an Innovation Award for developing a sales process, ENERGISE, an eight stage framework that drives all mactivity within the business. Communications Plus Ltd operates as an O2 sales franchise that was established in 2006 and has grown to 16 store outlets today.

The framework was developed to address customer dissatisfaction with existing selling techniques and approaches. Communications Plus realised that 60% of people coming into a store are relatively clear about what they want but need some further advice and reassurance.

ENERGISE focuses on this to ensure a sale is made. The ENERGISE framework allows Communications Plus to compete with online sales and to ensure their customers are receiving value for money.

G and B North West, in Wigan, wins an Innovation Award for its Glass Reinforced Polyester(GRP) roofing system, Cure It. The company translated technology found in mould making and boat building and adapted it into a high performance GRP roofing system.

Cure It replaces the traditional bitumen systems and can be installed by any competent tradesperson with minimal training. Cure It breaks down the components of a roof into user-friendly parts of complimentary sizes that allow complexity in a compact form. For the industry it provides versatile roofing options and removes the need for hot works liability insurance required for bitumen roofs.

It has also innovated its business model by streamlining communications between departments, reviewing the entire product cycle and expanding an after sales support team.

Warrington-based Home Instead Senior Care wins an Innovation Award for introducing a new privately-funded home-based social care model to the UK. This addresses a growing demand from an increasing elderly population at a time when aspects of Local Authority funded care are reported as inadequate.

Home Instead Senior Care is a franchise operation focusing on care of the elderly and is privately funded by the recipients of care. The innovative aspect is the type of care given, which includes the social well-being of the person.

The service includes light housework, accompanying clients to social activities and medical appointments. This differentiates the service from care provided by Local Authorities where pressure of funding has led to short visits focussed on specific tasks.

Southport-based Inciner8 wins an Innovation Award for its containerised incinerator with a waste to energy capability. Inciner8 has adapted its standard container-based incinerator to use the waste energy produced to provide heat and hot water in camps formed in response to natural disasters, disease outbreaks or conflict.

To capture and convert waste to heat the incinerators use a two stage process to burn waste efficiently and then captures part of the energy with a heat exchanger. This can then be used to heat water. In camps with large numbers of people living in close proximity, sanitation and hygiene is a key issue and hot water is a high priority.

The company identified that fuel is a rare resource and waste management an issue in these camps and adapted their technology to meet these needs. One of only six double winners for the Queen’s Awards this year.

Mettler Toledo Safeline, based in Salford, for developing a line of advanced metal detection products to prevent small pieces of metal finding their way into the food chain. The company, which employs 268 staff, was awarded in the International Trade category in 2012.

Mobysoft, which employs 35 staff in Manchester city centre. It has developed a software application to help Social Landlords reduce and prevent costly rent arrears from their tenants. The applicant’s predictive algorithm audits a SL’s tenant records to identify the most at risk individuals.

Liverpool-based Powder Systems wins an Innovation Award for developing an efficient manufacturing process for microspheres of uniform size and distribution used in drug delivery. Polymeric microspheres are used as time-released capsules in injectable drugs with a wide range of potential applications from vaccines, hormones, anti-cancer drugs to diabetes treatment.

The company, which employs 53 staff, is an international manufacturer of filtration, drying and containment products. It is one of only six double winners for the Queen’s Awards this year.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings in Bolton, which employs 245 staff,  has developed an industrial coating, which is used to prevent corrosion on steel structures across marine, energy and infrastructure (road-rail bridges) sectors.

In the International Trade category, the winners are:

Congleton-based Anari Ltd, established in 2006, is a software and services business which develops and delivers solutions that assist airlines with reducing costs and increasing booking quality. It has developed an innovative ‘revenue integrity’ (RI) solution referred to as IRIS which checks airline bookings for issues such as duplicate flights or connection time violations.

The solution was first implemented at airBaltic (in Latvia) in May 2011, and is now operational at Fiji Airways, Kenya Airways, Qantas Airways, Biman Bangladesh and Aeroflot. Over the last three years overseas sales have grown by 637% with the percentage of sales exported rising to 82% adding customers in 5 new countries in 3 new regions.

Anari has demonstrated that by identifying a market demand and gap then creating a unique solution it is possible to enter and compete in a tough international market. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas
sales over the last three years.

Liverpool’s Bibby Maritime, which has 15 staff, started trading in 1983 and provides floating accommodation to major projects around the world. The vessels are easily towed from contract to contract with no negative legacy issues or footprint to show that hundreds of people once lived in the location.

The company has invested over £20m in the fleet over the last four years moving from being a value, no frills operator, to being a service provider for clients wanting budget hotel type comfort. They have also established themselves in the Australian market, which has grown from 0% of revenues in 2010 to 75% in 2014. During this time overseas sales have grown from £19m to £33m, an overall growth of 73%.

Bibby Maritime win the Queen’s Award for International Trade for its outstanding growth in overseas sales over the past three years.

Crawford Healthcare in Knutsford was established as a small family business in 1999 and became the subject of a management buy-out in 2009. With 93 staff, the company manufactures advanced wound care products at its state of the art facilities in the UK and has been involved in 15 acquisition deals over five years, helping it to develop and commercialise innovation in the treatment of wounds, and to increase its footprint in the company’s two overseas markets of Germany and the USA.

The company recognises the different cultures and practices in these markets by employing local people, developing products specific to the market, and by focusing on the right people within potential client companies. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding overseas sales growth over the last three years. During this period it has also grown its total sales by 75% and more than doubled its workforce.

Also in Knutsford, Delamere Dairy was established in 1985 to produce a range of goats’ and cows’ milk products, which the company sells using its own and customer brands. Delamere Dairy started exporting over 20 years ago but only recently began to seriously pursue export opportunities.

The company now sells to 18 countries in the Far and Middle East, Europe and North America, with China being its most successful market following the recognition of a particular opportunity for long-life milk. The company now has its own offices in Hong Kong and Belgium and it also exports through UK consolidators. Multi-lingual staff are employed using market-dedicated web sites and marketing materials to promote its products locally. Delamere wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth over the last three years.

Chester’s Elegant Address South of France was founded in 2004, after identifying a gap in the market for a luxury, bespoke property consultancy in the South of France that bridged the gap between an estate a gent and a travel agency to offer the highest level of rental and sales properties with unsurpassed specialist service and knowledge.

Operating at the top end of the market, targeting the top 5% of wealth in the World, quality service is key, together with real understanding of both the market conditions, cultures and clients lifestyle requirements. Elegant Address South of France provides their services globally with their top international markets including USA and Saudi Arabia as well as European client base from Belgium, Ireland and Latvia. Elegant Address South of France win the Queen’s Award
for International Trade for outstanding sales growth of 133% over the last three years.

Fairbanks in Lancashire began trading in 1996 and now provides fuel management solutions using real time analysis software to over 13,000 sites on contract in 35 countries and has 162 staff. The company researched its existing markets working with a French manufacturer of fuel dispensers, in order to better understand market demands.

In new markets it focussed on the major oil companies. Differences in requirements enabled the company to tailor its offer to better meet client needs. Japan, for example, required the Japanese language to be used, which is unusual in an industry that speaks English. Lessons learned here have helped the company with other non-English speaking countries.

Hardware changes have also been required due to the increasing number of different types of equipment. Overseas sales have grown by 350% in three years, for which outstanding achievement Fairbanks wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

GA Pet Food Partners in Chorley started its business in 1993 to process wheat from the family farm into dry pet food. The company now has 248 staff and makes 500 different types of dry extruded food catering for dogs, cats, fish and small animals, which are sold to over 1,200 customers around the world.

Products are manufactured and packaged to the client’s requirements and under their own labels. The company focuses on technological innovation, which has allowed it to use more fresh ingredients than any other manufacturer. It also emphasises quality and integrity with onsite laboratories to ensure food safety.

Export sales have grown over the last three years by 49% or by over £8 million with the number of UK employees growing from 154 to 248. For the first time GA Pet Food Partners wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade in recognition of its outstanding success.

Twice a previous winner of the Queens Award for International Trade in 2005 and 2011, Genesys International in Middlewich started trading in 2001 to manufacture and distribute antiscalant and cleaning chemicals for use in the water treatment and desalination markets.

Overseas sales have doubled to £5 million over the last six years and continue to represent more than 90% of total sales. Its top markets include Peru, North America, the UAE, Spain, Oman and Saudi Arabia with all its markets being served by a network of over 60 worldwide distributors. The company has recruited no less than 30 new distributors over the last six years.

Continuous research, new product development and technical excellence have contributed to the company’s success. Genesys International Ltd. once more wins the Queen’s award for International Trade in recognition of its continuous achievement in the overseas markets.

Oldham’s GGR Group wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Achievement Award by using the successful business model of purchasing products from Japan, adapting them for the European market and selling them on through a network of 27 dealers across Europe and the Middle East. Established in 1995, GGR Group is Europe’s leading supplier of vacuum handling equipment, compact pick and carry cranes, UNIC mini-spider cranes and restricted access lifting machinery for sale or hire.

The company has seen steady growth in overseas sales, which has almost doubled in the three year period of the Award and accounts for 25% of total turnover. There has been steady growth in staff numbers from 95 to 115, bringing gross value added to the UK economy and net profits almost doubling
in the period. GGR Group is not standing still and has international growth ambitions by capitalising on the existing dealer network by expanding into Russia, South America and Africa.

Founded in 1996, Warrington-based ICC Solutions Limited’s objective is to provide effective and comprehensive software based test tools and associated services to facilitate the most efficient Chip and PIN certificates with global payment associations.

This company is very profitable, taking its technology into a highly competitive sector and delivering market share. With continuing growth beyond its 2012 Queen’s Award for Trade and Innovation, the company again wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade. One of its major targets is to ensure it has
complete penetration of the United States market, which recently started their Chip and PIN migration and should offer ICC Solutions Ltd exponential growth.

Working with the second largest merchant acquirer in the United States and investing heavily in Research and Development, the company will ensure that its test tool comprehensively implements the necessary functionality. It is a dynamic business, responding within the shortest possible time to changes in the technical specification and associated test plans.

Southport-based Inciner8 is engaged in the design, manufacture, sale and installation of industrial incinerators for medical waste, animal by-products and general municipal waste. Since starting the company has grown to over £5m turnover with the majority as overseas earnings from 145 countries. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for its outstanding growth in overseas sales overthe past three years.

The company has strong ambitions to become the World leader in clean environment incineration solutions and the fastest growing provider of knowledge and products in the waste management sector. The company’s growth strategy was developed through close collaboration with key partners such as international charities, aid organisations and the United Nations. There is a constant challenge from changing legislation and tightening regulations, however this is treated as an opportunity to improve its products and to differentiate them from the competition. One of only six double winners for the Queen’s Awards this year.

Delp-based Inclusive Technology provides IT resources that help learners with complex and more severe special needs and disabilities to communicate, learn and live a full and independent life. The company develops accessible software aimed at children who perhaps can only make a single voluntary movement or sound and they provide alternative keyboards, joysticks, rollerballs, switches, touch screens and eye-gaze technology that learners may need.

They believe their biggest competitor is ignorance of the wealth of resources that can transform the learning experience. Recently the company has evolved to meet the demands of changing technology brought about by the advent of tablets and the online delivery of their HelpKidzLearn software as a service. Through investment, new product development, and a focused strategy the business has become stronger with a £4m turnover, 28% of which is from overseas and profits more than doubled, winning the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

Established 20 years ago as a spinout from the University of Manchester, a gap in the market was seen for test equipment of medium and high voltage electrical plant using On-line Partial Discharge testing and monitoring equipment. In the last three years, earnings from overseas have grown dramatically and the percentage of sales exported reached 87%. With over 200% growth in international earnings the company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

Its Mission is “Bringing expertise and market leading products and services to the power industry by listening to customers’ needs and creating innovative, quality, technical solutions that are sustainable, reliable and long-term”. Both utility and industrial clients use its monitor for permanent installations on over 3,500 high voltage assets worldwide.

IPEC Ltd gives distributers all the tools needed to grow interest in existing and potential territories including demo products, promotional material and any other technical support required, whilst responding to market and environmental demands.

Linemark UK in Rawtenstall and supplies line-marking paint products and machines to major international stadiums, and golf courses. The company won the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2011. The company’s export strategy is based on investment in market research, identifying and educating distributors, and market specific product development.

Currently the company exports to 34 countries with a single distributor for each of its main markets in USA, Australia, South Africa, Denmark and France. Overseas sales have grown by over 80% over the last three years with an increase in UK employees and overall sales. The proportion of sales exported has increased to 29% of total sales. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Runcorn’s LPW Technology Ltd began trading in 2007 supplies metal powders and powder solutions used in 3D printing. In 2015 a wholly owned subsidiary was established in USA, the company’s largest export market, with other major sales in Germany, Italy and Japan. The company’s strategy for European and American markets is to sell through strong relationships with the providers of 3D printing equipment, with Europe served by the UK office, and North and South America through the USA office.

Asian markets are approached through resellers. Overseas sales have grown by over 300% during the last three years with an increase in UK employees and overall sales. The proportion of sales exported has increased to 70% of total sales. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Wilmslow-based Mobica was formed in 2004 and provides software development, consultancy and testing to large technology companies in a variety of sectors. The company has headquarters in the United Kingdom and United States of America, focusing on Western Europe and North America.

Rather than outsource to India or the Far East, the company chose to base engineers locally to its customers with centres in Poland and Mexico. Overseas sales have grown by over 100% over the last three years with an increase in UK employees, profitability and overall sales. The proportion of sales exported is now 66% of total sales. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Manchester-based Northern Drives and Controls Ltd has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding overseas sales growth over three years. The company specialises in the reverse manufacture of variable speed drives (VSDs) for elevators and repairs and re-manufactures VSDs.

It is now the world leader in its field. Norther n Drives and Controls put an international strategy in place in 2012 and now have over 700 clients in over 40 markets worldwide. It provides a service that is both niche and unique, built on technical excellence and customer service. Exports have grown year on year over the three years by a total of 764%.

Liverpool’s Powder Systems, international manufacturer of filtration, drying and containment solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, established in 1989, has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over three years.

Originally a turnkey engineering provider, a range of product innovations in 2010 enabled the company to move to being a product-based manufacturer. Products were specifically designed to address global market demands and overseas sales account for over 90% of total turnover.

Traditional markets in Europe and the USA remain strong but over the last three years business has expanded into India, Latin America, Australia, China and SE Asia. Exports have grown by over 40% over three years. One of only six double winners for the Queen’s Awards this year.

Established in 2012, Manchester-based RealityMine is a technology company that develops solutions for collecting behavioural data which provide clients with consumer insights in 25 markets worldwide and it has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over three years.

The company’s data collection tools, which measure activity through a range of devices, provide a comprehensive view of individual consumer behaviour with a complete picture of consumption, behaviour and context, enabling clients to formulate future strategy on advertising spend, marketing plans and product development. International sales have grown by over 2000% over three years and now account for over 90% of total turnover.

Regatta, based in Urmston and employing more than 500 staff, has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over three years. Previous winners of the same Award in 2012 and 2013, the company produces a range of outdoor clothing, footwear, camping equipment, accessories and backpacks.

It also has a separate brand focussing on snow sports. Originally all sales were wholesale but the company has moved on to retail and direct sales as well. A strategy of heavy investment in additional warehousing space and developing a new website and on line ordering/stock control to ensure guaranteed stock availability all year round has led to increased international sales over three years of over 20% which now account for over 40% of total turnover.

RSK Group plc, in Helsby, has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over three years. Employing over 1,000 staff worldwide it provides a wide range of scientific and engineering consultancy services.

Building on a reputation established in North sea gas development the business has expanded into major products across Europe and more recently into Russia and Turkey with a major presence also in Iraq. Total overseas sales over three years have grown by over 160% and now stand at 37% of total turnover.

Swinton’s S+B UK Ltd, a designer, manufacturer and installer of educational and laboratory furniture, has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales over three years. Originally established by a Dutch company in the 1960’s the present company was established by a management buyout in 2006.

It provides a design, supply and installation service covering all laboratory furniture and fume cupboard needs for clients in education, pharmaceutical research, healthcare, utilities and industry. Since 2012 the business has moved into international markets developing a strategy to identify and target opportunities for all market sectors in particular large concentrations of British/International schools resulting in major projects in Europe, Middle East, Far East and the USA. More recently the company has penetrated the African market. International sales have grown by a total of over 700% over three years and now account for over 20% of total turnover.

Sandon Global Engineering Technology in Runcorn has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for continuous outstanding growth in overseas sales over six years. The company manufactures anilox sleeves and rolls for the flexographic print industry and gravure cylinders for the gravure print industry.

Originally founded to fill a gap in the UK market, more recently the business has expanded into international markets and in 2015 were awarded the gold medal for Supplier of the Year by the international representative body for its industry. The company exports to Europe, Africa, India and the Middle East and international sales have grown over six years by a total of over 650% and now account for over 50% of total turnover.

Slingco in Lancashire has three distinct divisions. Firstly “Rampspares” which supplies the UK Garage Workshop after-market with replacement parts for vehicle lifts. Secondly “Cablenet” a division that designs, manufactures and installs high level access nets from steel cable in theatres internationally. Finally its core business are products which make the installation and/or support of industrial cable & hose, easier and safer.

The largest export market for Slingco is the USA which yields 93% of overseas sales, followed by Norway, Netherlands, Denmark and Australia. The company has targeted South America, Russia, Europe, and the Middle East as presenting the most immediate opportunities for sustained growth. Export sales have more than doubled in three years and now represent 70% of total sales. It wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for growth in overseas earnings of 126% over the last three years.

Since 1990, Crewe-based Wheelwash has been providing energy efficient and environmentally friendly wheel cleaning systems, which effectively prevent site vehicles and mobile plant spreading dirt and debris onto public roads. It designs and manufactures a large range of automatically operated, high performance wheel cleaning equipment, and is at the forefront of wheel wash design, incorporating many unique features.

This makes their standard and bespoke systems highly effective, requiring low maintenance. All products are manufactured in the UK by skilled and trained fabricators, using high quality steel. The company has built on its initial focus on Europe and now has an established dealer / agent representation in numerous countries across the globe. It has seen growth of its international trade of 88% since 2013, in a very specialised market area, and it wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding overseas sales growth over the last three years.

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