Swindon and Wiltshire firms honoured with Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

Swindon and Wiltshire-based firms are among the select roster of 200 businesses to receive a Queen’s Award for Enterprise today (Tuesday).

They include care sector food producer Apetito, parking management technology firm Chipside, agricultural machinery manufacturer Alvan Blanch Development Company, seals and fasteners specialist Clarendon Speciality Fasteners, electronic keg system manufacturer Rotech, pharmaceutical specials manufacturer Bath ASU, and cyber security firm Foregenix.

Picking up its third Queen’s Award, Trowbridge-based Apetito UK was one of only six businesses to receive recognition for sustainable development – an award recognises commitment to conducting business in a way that impacts positively on the environment, society and economy.

The 90-year-old company is the leading food producer for the health and social care sector, providing nutritious and sustainable meals for people at home or in care.

Paul Freeston, CEO and chairman, said: “We are proud, honoured and delighted to have been recognised in The Queen’s Award: Sustainable Development, it is testament to the hard work, dedication and vision of our entire team.

“All of us at Apetito are passionate about ‘making a real difference’ to people’s lives and we believe our commitment to sustainable development reflects this.

“Sustainability informs not just the way we work, but how we treat people, the impact on the environment and our contribution to the economy. Leading from the top, we’ve worked to embed this belief into the whole business.”

Apetito, the parent company of Wiltshire Farm Foods, first won The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2005 for its development of the Chefmobil, and again in 2016 for its texture-modified food range.

Chippenham-based Chipside – a leader in the world of parking and traffic management IT and the firm behind cashless car parking technology MiPermit – won an award for innovation.

CEO Paul Moorby said: “Winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation is a fantastic achievement for our company and welcome recognition for the hard work and results I have seen from my team in recent years”.

“We have worked hard to digitally transform local government and this is why we continually reinvest in innovation to improve our software suite – introducing new services to customers such as back office notice processing and MiPermit digital permits.

“We look forward to moving forward and continuing to build upon our success, growing as a tech company and improving our services to meet the potential of the UK’s connected cities.”

There were international trade awards for Alvan Blanch Development Company, based in Crudwell near Malmesbury; Swindon-based Clarendon Speciality Fasteners, which supplies seals and fasteners to the aerospace and motorsport industries; Highworth-based Rotech (Swindon), the world leader in electronic keg systems for the brewing industry; Corsham-based Bath ASU; and Marlborough-based Foregenix.

John Hunt, managing director of Clarendon Speciality Fasteners, said: “We are honoured to receive the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

“It serves as a testament to all employees whom without their sheer determination and hard work, we would not be in this position today. This award comes at an exciting time for Clarendon as we extend our global footprint into new markets and is the UK’s highest accolade for business.”

Bath ASU director Chris Watt said: ““It is extremely gratifying to see the dedication and commitment of the team directly resulting in a better experience for cancer patients and providing a major helping hand for oncology units in hospitals throughout the country.

“The recognition of all of this with the Queens Award is a tremendous reward not just for the R&D team, but for the entire business and every single member of staff, we are all delighted and deeply honoured.”

Andrew Bontoft, founder and CTO of Foregenix – which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year – said: “It is testimony to the brilliant work and dedication of our global team, that we’ve received this prestigious award. We are very proud of what the team has achieved and grateful for the recognition this award signifies. We would also like to thank our clients and suppliers for helping us achieve this honour.”

And Foregenix CEO Andrew Henwood added: “Foregenix aims to protect businesses and organisations from criminals who attempt to endanger people’s livelihoods and futures, for their own enrichment.

“It is a cause that resonates with our customers, offering practical advice, baked in security and tangible risk reduction globally. We are incredibly humbled to be recognised for this prestigious award.”

For the past 53 years, Queen’s Awards have been bestowed to mark the monarch’s birthday. More than 200 businesses will be honoured at a Buckingham Palace reception.

This year, three-quarters of the total are SMEs, 30 of which have fewer than 10 employees.

There are 129 International Trade winners, 61 Innovation winners, six Sustainable Development winners, and five Promoting Opportunity winners.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “These prestigious awards help shine a light on all that is great about UK business today.

“I am extremely impressed to see such a wealth of talent and innovation from across the UK being recognised today by Her Majesty The Queen.

“These awards recognise the innovative products and services being provided by British businesses that are in demand across the world, as well as the sheer determination and hard work that comes with starting and running a business.

“Many of these winners are small businesses – the backbone of our economy – and we are backing them to grow, increase their productivity and create more jobs and opportunity across the UK through our modern Industrial Strategy.”