Swindon & Wiltshire News
Business excellence celebrated in second King’s Awards for Enterprise
Some of the region’s best businesses have been recognised in the second King’s Awards for Enterprise.
More than 250 business have been recognised across the UK, including 161 businesses in the International Trade category, 59 for Innovation, 29 for Sustainable Development and eight for Promoting Opportunity through social mobility.
Swindon & Wiltshire recipients included Swindon-based automotive R&D company BG Automotive (International Trade), Trowbridge-based hospital meals provider Apetito (Sustainable Development), Salisbury-based AeroGlow International, which designs emergency escape lighting for armoured vehicles, (International Trade), and Marlborough-based paint and textiles manufacturer Fermoie (International Trade).
Apetito, which employs 1,900 staff whose brands include home meals delivery service Wiltshire Farm Foods received its fourth Award for Enterprise, having won awards in 2005, 2016, and 2019.
CEO Paul Freeston said: “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. Put simply, we believe it’s the right way to do business.”
Fermoie (pictured) was established in 2010 by Farrow & Ball founders Tom Helme and Martin Ephson and now employs over 50 people at its design studio, production facility and showroom in Marlborough.
Fermoie received its award after growing its export business by over 800 per cent in just four years.
Commercial director Jamie Shawcross said: “We have worked incredibly hard to build our company and develop our export business, which has grown eightfold in just four years and now accounts for over half our annual turnover.
“There is a real appetite among international customers, particularly in America but also across Europe and further afield, for beauty in design and print.
“We’re delighted that our hand-drawn artwork, distinctive colours and beautiful fabrics, all manufactured entirely in-house here in the UK, have found such a receptive audience right across the world.”
Bristol & Bath businesses included Bristol-based rail monitoring technology firm One Big Circle (Innovation), Avonmouth-based O.C.O. Technology (Sustainable Development), which creates energy from waste, and Emerson’s Green-based sports line marking solutions firm The Pitchmark Group (International Trade).
The Pitchmark Group employs 29 people and was founded in 2010. Clients include Wembley Stadium, Premier League football teams, and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
MD Tim Rodman said: “We are incredibly proud to have received the King’s Award for International Trade, having previously received the Queen’s Award 5 years ago. The award is a testament to the team and proves that the business continues to grow and prosper.”
One Big Circle employs a team of 50 at Temple Meads station, working at the forefront of intelligent video, AI and machine learning to produce hardware and software for the rail industry
Co-founder Emily Kent said: “It is a momentous achievement to be awarded the accolade of King’s Award for Enterprise and is a fantastic reflection on our team who have worked so hard on delivering innovation with and for the UK Rail Industry.
“From our first deployment just before the pandemic, to now being a trusted partner of the industry delivering a high level of data service every day it is a real demonstration of innovation, and a great example of what can be achieved through collaboration.”
O.C.O. Technology CEO Steve Greig, said: “We are hugely proud to be awarded such a prestigious honour, cementing our reputation as the clear UK market leader in carbon mineralisation.
“Our patented technology offers real sustainable solutions in helping the Energy from Waste (EfW) industry manage the disposal of waste materials, turning them into carbon negative manufactured limestone aggregate, which is in high demand from the construction sector.
“To have our hard work acknowledged at the highest level is incredibly rewarding and we look forward to flying the flag for British success and the circular economy as we continue to develop our partnerships on the world stage.”
In Berkshire, recipients included Ascot-based global healthcare consultancy Uptake Strategies (International Trade), Windsor-based ONIX Life Sciences (International Trade), and Reading-based drugs manufacturer M2M Pharmaceuticals (International Trade).
Uptake Strategies offers consultancy to global healthcare companies.
Uptake CEO Stephanie Hall said: “This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team members, who embody our core values and mission of positively impacting patients’ lives.
“Our collaborations with international pharmaceutical and biotech organisations have played a significant role in Uptake receiving this esteemed recognition for our international growth.”
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