The recipients of the first ever King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced this morning (21 April), with 148 businesses named across four categories - innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility).
Over half of the awards (78) were in the International Trade category with well-known consumer brands such as premium mixer drinks brand Fever-Tree, children’s bike maker Frog Bikes and luxury chocolate brand Monty Bojangles alongside industrial and B2B
firms, including a company that sells tube bending machinery and another that specialises in thermoplastic and aluminium seals for garage doors.
The winners were from all regions and nations of the UK, although there remains a concentration in the south, with 30 of the 78 international trade winners coming from Greater London and the South East.
Marco Forgione, director general of the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) welcomed the announcement of the awards, saying
“I’d like to congratulate all the 148 winners of these first King’s Awards. The range of sectors represented is testament to the creativity and diversity of the UK economy. And the breadth of the companies that have won the awards for international trade shows the incredible variety of goods and services the UK exports. This is good for them and good for the whole UK economy.
“It is right that we celebrate exporting in this way and recognise the hard work that these companies have put in to achieve what they have to date. We want to encourage more companies to start their own export journey, because we know that companies that export are more profitable, employ more people and are more resilient.”
Minister for enterprise, Kevin Hollinrake, said
“I congratulate the first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, who exemplify the talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of British business. I wish them every success and commend the invaluable contributions they make to communities both at home and overseas, helping to grow the UK economy.”
The full list of winners across all four categories can be found here. The winning companies will be presented the Awards by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants throughout the year.
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