Companies win Queen’s Award for Enterprise
FIVE businesses in the county have been selected for a Queen’s Award for Enterprise which recognises businesses leading the way in pioneering products and services.
The awards are based on outstanding achievement in the following four categories: innovation; international trade; sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.
The Queen’s Award for enterprise is now in its 55th year and is recognised as one of the most distinguished awards programmes for British businesses.
The businesses are five of just 205 organisations nationally to be recognised with this award. Here are the five: » Ocere
Cheltenham-based digital marketing agency Ocere, whose clients include Airbnb and Betway, has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.
In the last two years Ocere has grown international sales by more than 245 per cent and now derives more than 50 per cent of revenues from overseas markets.
Chief executive Tom Parling said: “We are delighted to receive this richly deserved royal recognition for outstanding international growth.
“In the midst of a crippling pandemic, Ocere has doubled revenues and added a roster of top global clients.
“We’re overjoyed to be honoured with this award and will use it as a springboard for the next chapter.”
» Trufflehunter
Trufflehunter, one of the world’s leading suppliers of fresh truffles and truffle products, has been awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.
Launched more than 10 years ago, the Trufflehunter range is produced at its Cotswold base, and is now sold on Amazon as well as through international partners across America, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and China.
Trufflehunter also supplies a number of Michelin-starred chefs and trade outlets across the world.
Nigel Whitehouse, chief executive of Trufflehunter, said: “Since Trufflehunter began over 10 years ago, we’ve focused on growing the business internationally.
“The growth of international trade has enabled us to reduce the impact of Covid on our business, over the past 12 months.”
» Alice Caroline
Tewkesbury-based Alice Caroline has been announced as one of the first official UK Liberty fabric companies to win a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
Alice Garrett’s life-long passion for fabrics and sewing inspired her to establish Alice Caroline, a Cotswolds-based creative business selling Liberty fabrics and sewing kits for homewares and accessories.
Nine years later, the business now has 23 employees and has recently catapulted onto a global stage during a hugely successful lockdown year.
Ms Garrett said: “We have just had our busiest 12 months with customers turning to us to keep them busy sewing.
“A love of crafting our own homewares is certainly here to stay and our UK success along with our Queen’s Award will lead to further expansion both in the UK and internationally.”
» ALS Mechatronic
North Gloucestershire-based company ALS Mechatronic has been recognised for its excellence in international trade.
Set up in 2002, it now employs 30 people and specialises in the design, build and installation of bespoke factory automation systems, control systems, container handling machinery, vision inspection systems and robotics; typically automating with machinery and software repeatable labour-intensive manufacturing processes.
ALS Mechatronics’ Queen’s Award recognises it for outstanding shortterm growth in international markets, showing steep year-on-year growth in the last three years with no dips.
The US is now growing into its most important market, which has resulted in ALS opening its own direct sales offices in Texas.
Andrew Steward, founder and managing director for ALS Mechatronic, said: “It is an honour to have our company recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise and following a year that has created untold damage to many companies due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
» The Music Works
The Gloucester-based charity The Music Works has received an award for promoting opportunity.
It started in 2004 and its mission is to transform the lives of under-represented and disadvantaged groups through music. The charity is also building a centre where people can explore music in a safe space where they can learn and grow. Deborah Potts, CEO, said: “This is such an honour, and we are so proud of the whole team... but especially all the thousands of young people who we’ve seen transform and come into their own through their musical expression. “It’s incredible to have played such a part in enriching their lives, and we’re now looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us all.”