Two-hundred and forty three companies received an award this year, recognising results in innovation, international trade and sustainable development. Inciner8 Limited was one of six small and medium sized companies which achieved double recognition – for innovation and international trade.
Businesses Secretary Sajid Javid commented: “The Queen’s Awards are a great way of celebrating the best of British business. Whether you’re a disruptive start-up making life easier for your customers or a large company with a blockbuster product, these awards recognise your contribution to enterprise.
“We are a country full of exciting and innovative businesses that deserve to be celebrated. I’d like to commend all the winners for their hard work in creating jobs for people and driving our growing economy.”
Andusia
Refuse Derived Fuels (RDF) exporter Andusia Recovered Fuels Limited has achieved the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade – the first such award given to a business in the RDF export sector.
Established in 2012, the Hertfordshire-based firm, in its first year of trading exported around 13,000 tonnes of RDF. By 2014, it had become the third largest exporter of RDF in the UK.
Primarily exporting to Scandinavia and Germany, the company offers a collection and delivery service for RDF, from UK producers to energy from waste (EFW) combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Europe.
Andusia’s director Stewart Brackenbury commented: “We’re proud to gain such a prestigious award as recognition for expanding and developing this sector – but also honoured that this accolade is unique for our industry.
“We’ve worked extremely hard on building international relationships, being environmentally aware and sustainable – so I guess this is our reward for those first four years.”
Inciner8
Southport-based Inciner8 has been honoured with two awards, in International Trade and in Innovation.
Established in 2003, the UK incinerator manufacturer has received the International Trade award for its high growth and level of UK exports – currently exporting to 172 countries worldwide, the company claims.
The Innovation award was given as recognition of the company’s latest product – a container based incinerator, which converts the energy used in waste disposal into hot water and heat.
Working alongside the US military, British Foreign Office and the UN, it has been widely used in conflict zones and areas of natural disasters which house large refugee camps.
The incinerators use a two stage process – firstly burning waste and then capturing the energy with a heat exchanger, which can then be used to heat water.
Chairman of Inciner8, Vince Ferguson said: “This is the second time we’ve picked up a Queen’s Enterprise Award and to win two this year is such a rare honour. We are all delighted here to receive recognition both of our business success and the innovative products we are developing to deal with crises in countries around the world.”
Vegware
Compostable food packaging company Vegware has received an Innovation Award for their eco-packaging describing it as a ‘huge honour’.
Founded in 2006, the Edinburgh-based firm, supply compostable products, including hot cup lids and soup containers worldwide and clients of the firm include food distributors, government offices and hospitals.
“When we started, the only option for used takeaway packaging was to go to landfill or incineration – But we changed that by creating the widest range of genuinely compostable plastic-free catering disposables.”
Managing director Joe Frankel
Vegware
Managing director Joe Frankel said: “Winning the Queen’s Award again is a huge honour. The journey has been fantastic – when we started, the only option for used takeaway packaging was to go to landfill or incineration, as most still does. But we changed that by creating the widest range of genuinely compostable plastic-free catering disposables, and working closely with the waste sector across the UK.“
The company has also created the Food Waste Network – a free consultancy service a mapping service using all the UK food waste recycling services and matchmaking UK business with its suitable composting and AD options.
Premier
Elsewhere, Premier Workplace Services has achieved a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development for their sustainable office furniture services.
Particular recognition went to the company’s Renew Centre – which, according to the company, is the UK’s only independent commercial facility solely dedicated to remanufacturing, refurbishing and repairing desks, chairs and office furniture.
In 2011, the company set up Premier Sustain, offering sustainable workplace solutions for furniture in the waste hierarchy that may otherwise end up in landfill.
Jerry Marks, managing director at Premier said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award. We are committed to delivering our services fairly and responsibly and attaining the best financial, social and environmental outcomes.
“It’s great to be recognised for our achievements and leadership in sustainable development.”
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, established in 1965, are given by the Queen on her birthday. As well as the year of the Queen’s 90th birthday, 2016 marks the 50th anniversary for the winners of the Queen’s Awards scheme. Winners are visited by a Royal representative and presented with a crystal bowl – also invited to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace in July 2016.
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