A total of 16 companies in the North West and one in the Isle of Man have been honoured - a huge achievement compared to the six winners in 2008. Across the UK, 194 Queen's Awards have been announced this year beating the previous record of 175 in 1990.
In the North West, 11 companies have won awards for International Trade, four for Innovation and one for Sustainable Development. They include a flooring company in Cheshire whose exports have grown by nearly 150% over three years, a scrap metal manufacturer in Merseyside and a surveillance technology specialist in Greater Manchester.
The winning organisations cover a wide variety of business sectors and range from enterprising small businesses, such as GSD (Corporate) in Preston which has just six employees, to multinational organisations. And the legal firm Cains Advocates, which has won an International Trade Award, is the Isle of Man's winner.
The winners in the International Trade category are:
* atg UV Technology Ltd in Wigan (ultraviolet water treatment equipment)
* Cains Advocates in Douglas in the Isle of Man (legal and fiduciary services)
* ColorMatrix Europe in Knowsley (liquid colorants and additives for plastics)
* Flowcrete UK in Sandbach (industrial and commercial flooring)
* GSD (Corporate) in Preston (software production, sales and training)
* Leyland Trucks in Leyland (commercial vehicle manufacturer)
* M & I Materials in Trafford (materials for industry and science)
* Metals UK in Blackburn (Nickel Alloys, Duplex, Super Duplex and Stainless Steel metals)
* Nitecrest in Leyland (supplies, manufactures, personalises and packages payment cards)
* Pigott Shaft Drilling in Preston (tunnelling and drilling equipment)
* SMS Mevac UK in Winsford (liquid iron and steel treatment)
* S Norton & Co in Liverpool (sorts, cleans and processes scrap metals)
The winners in the Innovation category are:
* Aerelink in Knowsley (wireless technology)
* Astech Projects in Runcorn (respiratory drug production, research and development)
* Forge Europa in Ulverston (LED displays, assemblies and lighting)
* Wireless CCTV in Rochdale (mobile surveillance)
The winner in the Sustainable Development category is:
* Knowsley Development Trust in Knowsley (business support centre)
Business Minister, Lord Mandelson, said:
"I heartily congratulate all today's winners of The Queen's Awards. These inspirational firms have proved they are amongst Britain's very best businesses. They are flying the flag for British enterprise, innovation and corporate responsibility, both here and abroad. They have achieved the UK's most prestigious standard of business excellence, and set the standard for other businesses to follow as they help lead Britain out of recession."
The UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, HRH The Duke of York, said:
"I'm delighted to see so many companies applying for, and winning, The Queen's Award for Enterprise this year. Over the years, I've visited many Queen's Award winning firms, and have seen first hand just what a boost this Award brings to their business and their employees. My sincere congratulations to this year's record haul of winners, and the individual recipients of The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion, for their exceptional achievement in gaining this prestigious Award."
Minister for Trade & Investment, Lord Davies of Abersoch, said:
"A Queen's Award for Enterprise is an internationally-recognised symbol of business success. It is a standard that I believe all good businesses should aspire to. Past International Trade winners consistently tell us how their Award has helped open new doors for their company overseas. The fact that more firms than ever are now applying for The Queen's Award shows what a remarkably valuable endorsement this Award continues to be around the world."
Overall, 135 companies have won awards for International Trade, 49 for Innovation and 10 for Sustainable Development. 11 individuals have also received The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion for their inspiring efforts to encourage UK entrepreneurship. Winners of The Queen's Awards enjoy widespread publicity, a company visit by a Royal representative during the year to present a crystal bowl and a special reception at Buckingham Palace in July. They are also entitled to use the Queen's Award emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for a period of five years as a symbol of their quality and success.
In a recent survey of 2008 Queen's Award winners:
* 77% reported the win had brought added commercial value to their business;
* 73% saw employee engagement rise;
* 73% gained extra press coverage;
* 85% said the impact of winning a Queen's Award met or exceeded their expectations; and
* 57% of International Trade winners achieved increased recognition overseas.
The full list of winners can be found on the Queen's Awards website at http://www.queensawards.org.uk.
