Top honour for Yorkshire businesses

A REAR view mirror manufacturer and a firm specialising in pig breeding are among the Yorkshire companies to have received one of the highest accolades in business.

Queen’s Awards for Enterprise have been presented to 20 companies across the region.

Vitamin manufacturer and distributor Principle Healthcare, based in Skipton, is a first time winner of the award having been recognised for its international trade success.

Over the last three years the company has had a six-fold increase in overseas sales, exporting to the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Scandinavia, South East Asia and the Republic of China.

Chief executive Mike Davies said: “This award is a tremendous accolade and demonstrates our wholehearted commitment to quality, innovation and growing the business.

“All of our international trade has been developed over the past five years and gaining a Queen’s Award will undoubtedly help to continue expanding our export business.”

Other winners include pig breeding business JSR Genetics, which has seen a 117% increase in overseas earnings in the last three years, and Ashtree Glass, a supplier of rear view mirrors to commercial vehicle producers.

Wire joiner and tensioner Gripple was one of just four in the region to be recognised with an award for innovation, the second major accolade for the business in a week after it was selected to take part in the Make it in Great Britain exhibition this summer.

Mark Edmonds, Gripple’s managing director, said: “We are particularly proud that Gripple has been recognised in a way which means so much to the company and its hard-working staff.”

The full list of companies presented with Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is:

International Trade

Ardent, York

Ashtree Glass, Bradford

ATB Morley, Leeds

Boxford, Elland

CF Booth, Rotherham

Calibre UK, Bradford

Diamond Dispersions, Sheffield

GSPK Circuits, Knaresborough

James H Heal & Company, Halifax

Joseph Rhodes, Wakefield

JSR Genetics, Driffield

King Cole, Keighley

Kiveton Park Steel, Sheffield

Millers Oils, Brighouse

Principle Healthcare, Skipton

William Beckett Plastics, Sheffield

Innovation

Ancon, Sheffield

Gripple, Sheffield

Peratech, Richmond

Transdech, Doncaster