Dudley company Industrial Penstocks receives Queen's Award
Jul 27 2010 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post
Dudley company Industrial Penstocks has been to Buckingham Palace to receive a Queen’s Award for International Trade.
Nine companies from across the West Midlands were honoured with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2010 to mark their outstanding commercial success.
They joined representatives from 143 thriving businesses from all corners of the UK, all winners of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, for their achievements in international trade, innovation or sustainable development.
Industrial Penstocks specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of penstocks and valves for fluid control.
It is part of the FJ Holdings group of companies, which concentrate on fluid control primarily in the water industry but also have clients in the cryogenics, liquefied natural gas, chemicals and oil and gas industries. The company has nine employees.
Exports make up 80 per cent of Industrial Penstocks’ turnover and the company has developed worldwide markets in the USA, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Falklands.
Director Paul Higginson said: “The award recognises our team’s achievements, reinforces our brand in a global marketplace and sets a benchmark for quality.
“The celebration at Buckingham Palace was a fantastic occasion as well as a superb networking opportunity.
“In particular, the Duke of Edinburgh congratulated me warmly and was very interested in the business.
“Within hours of the announcement that we had received a Queen’s Award, I received an email of congratulation from a customer in Sri Lanka, promising to place another order with us later this year.
“Winning the award is the culmination of six years’ work, which began with excellent advice and support from UK Trade & Investment to get us started when we had never exported before.”
Joanna Hill, head of the Queen’s Awards Office, said: “This is a fantastic accolade which underlines the essential role of enterprise and business in our economy.
“I warmly congratulate the team at Industrial Penstocks for their achievements and I wish them the very best for the future.”
Since the prestigious awards were announced on The Queen’s Birthday, 21st April, winners have been making the most of their unique status in the marketplace, where winning the award brings acknowledgment of quality of products and services by customers and competitors alike.
Winners may also display The Queen’s Award emblem on all their branding and company literature.
