Two West Midland business leaders have received honorary degress for their contribution to the region’s economy.

Roy Taylor, chairman and managing director of Tividale-based Malthouse Engineering, and David Dodd, who co-founded the Poundland chain, were both awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Wolverhampton.

Mr Taylor has worked with the university’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) team for the past decade and has held his position at Malthouse for nearly 30 years where he has overseen sales at the specialist steel profiling company grow from £1.5 million to £18 million.

Mr Dodd left school after completing the first term of A-level studies to start a career in retail and after leading a management buyout of Poundland in 2002, went on to double the size of the business and treble the profits before retiring in 2007.

“This great honour bestowed upon me illustrates the practical and mutual benefits that can be achieved when academia and industry work closely together,” Mr Taylor said.

“New ways should be sought to encourage greater engagement.”

Mr Dodd said: “To be acknowledged by The University of Wolverhampton, in my home town, is truly an honour.

“Wolverhampton has been good to me, and I hope that over time, in some way, I am able to reciprocate.”

Mr Dodd now spends his time assisting start-up and SME businesses and is an investor in affordable housing projects.

The honours were presented at the city’s Grand Theatre.