Innovative and enterprising businesses in the region are celebrating their success in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

Announced today to coincide with Her Majesty’s 91st birthday, the annual awards recognise some of the UK’s best small and medium-sized firms.

Business secretary Greg Clark said: “The Queen’s Awards for enterprise highlights everything that’s great about UK business today.

“We have some of the best entrepreneurs and innovative minds in the world who are at the heart of small start-ups providing excellent customer service to larger businesses developing global solutions.”

Four firms from our region are recognised in the innovation category: Domino Printing at Bar Hill, green energy firm geo, emissions technology specialists PCME and Zettlex, which makes sensors for challenging environments.

International trade awards have been granted to 42 Technology, Cambridge Consultants, Cellbond, and Isomerase Therapeutics.

geo’s prize has been awarded for its Solo in-home energy monitor, which helps consumers control their energy usage. It was the first product the company launched.

“Solo represents the starting point for everything that geo was set up to do,” said Patrick Caiger-Smith, CEO at geo, which is based in Hardwick.

“It is a highly engineered and beautifully designed solution that is simple and engaging to use. However, it also has the power to deliver vital data to the cloud that can be captured, transferred, stored and analysed, resulting in information to help the customer.”

Cellbond specialises in the design, development and manufacture of energy absorbers, crash test barriers, crash test dummies and passive safety testing products. Exports now make up over 90% of total output at the Huntingdon company.

Managing director Mike Ashmead said: “Exporting has been fundamental to Cellbond for nearly 30 years and has allowed for steady, organic but considerable growth. It has enhanced our reputation as a UK company in a global arena where we have 80% of the market share and are known as innovators and industry leaders. We are honoured and delighted to have won this award and to showcase how successful UK business can be at a time when there is so much economic uncertainty.”

For product design and development firm Cambridge Consultants , it is the third time it has picked up a Queen’s Award, having picked up an international trade prize in 2009 and an innovation award in 2011.

This time the Science Park company is triumphant in the international trade category, with overseas sales having grown 74% since 2012. The firm now does two-thirds of its business overseas, and employs 750 people around the world.

Alan Richardson, CEO of Cambridge Consultants
Alan Richardson, CEO of Cambridge Consultants

“We are honoured to have been recognised for this prestigious award for the third time,” said Alan Richardson, CEO of Cambridge Consultants.

“Growth is central to our ambition to be a trusted partner for the most innovative companies around the world, and we understand that many of those leading organisations are international clients based outside the UK. Our dedication to expanding across the globe has allowed Cambridge Consultants to be at the forefront of innovation, and I’m looking forward to our continued success in the markets that we serve.”

42 Technology's total annual turnover has more than doubled over the six-year qualification period whereas its international sales have increased almost six-fold. Export is now a fundamental part of 42 Technology’s business development and growth strategy, and in 2016 accounted for 65% of total annual turnover.

“42 Technology has become a shining example of what the UK can offer to international companies looking for help with the design and development of innovative technologies and products, or to solve challenging manufacturing or other technical issues. We have helped develop several award-winning products for some of our international clients but The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the first time our own success has been so directly recognised. The award is a significant endorsement for the whole team and will help underscore our credibility when presenting to new UK and overseas clients,” said Jeremy Carey, managing director of 42 Technology.

Zettlex is the world's leading provider of position and speed sensors for harsh environments, and exports to 42 countries. Exports account for nearly 90% of the Newton firm's sales.

Zettlex pair Dr Darran Kreit and Mark Howard
Zettlex pair Dr Darran Kreit and Mark Howard

"It doesn't seem that long ago that we were starting up in a garden shed and now we're a global company opening up sales offices in Europe and the USA," said Mark Howard, managing director.

Domino has been recognised A-Series i-Tech range of printers have been designed utilising significant advances in innovation and technology, changing the standards of performance and operation, leading to enhancements in the cleaning and servicing of printers, handling waste, reducing ink usage and optimising print quality.

Nigel Bond, CEO of Domino Printing Sciences said: “We are honoured and proud to have been selected for a Queen’s Award For Innovation. It is fitting tribute to our skilled and talented team who have worked on the A-Series and i-Tech ink system which is proving so popular with customers across the world and is delivering real benefits to their operations.”