Awards
Published: May 6, 2024 | Updated: 6th May 2024
The recipients of the King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today, 6th May, with twelve companies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight picking up recognition.
Launched by the late Queen Elizabeth in 1965 and now carried forward by King Charles, the programme has celebrated the enterprising efforts of more than 7,000 companies around the UK in its sixty-year history.
The awards are presented across four categories – innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity.
Winning businesses are then visited throughout the year by His Majesty’s lord-lieutenants to receive their awards, along with an official certificate and commemorative crystal trophy.
They’re also able to fly a King’s Awards flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing materials.
Kevin Hollinrake, minister for enterprise, said: “I congratulate the recipients of this year’s 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 winners in our region are:
Petersfield-based Percussion Play are the leading manufacturer of outdoor musical instruments, aiming to add harmony, soul, and energy to inclusive and accessible outdoor play environments across the world.
This is the second time the 20-year-old business has been recognised with a Royal Enterprise award, having picked up the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2021.
Ahmad Tea, hailing from Eastleigh, started out a little more than 35 years ago with one tea trader’s goal to create exception tea which could be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere in the world.
Today, Ahmad Tea brings over 30 million cups of tea a day to tea lovers in more than 80 different countries. Last year, the business published a report detailing how it is achieving its sustainability goals.
This is the first time Ahmad Tea has been recognised in these awards.
Symetrica is a leading manufacturer of radiation detection solutions and integrated security threat systems, with offices in Southampton and the United States.
This is the first time Symetrica has won a Royal Award.
Hook-based Driven International is a multidisciplinary practice offering architecture, engineering, visualisation and design of sports, leisure, driving and motorsport destinations.
A key component of their business is in race tracks and driving courses, along with supporting facilities such as pit buildings, clubhouses, condos, retail developments and private garages.
Driven is a returning winner of the Royal Awards, having picked up the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2020.
Medipharma Group, based in Andover, has picked up this year’s award for its Optibac Probiotics – the UK’s most recommended brand of probiotic supplements.
A returning winner, having picked up the Innovation award in 2019, export now contributes to more than 50 per cent of the business’ sales.
Haystack Dryers was founded in 2000 and has grown to become the world’s leading manufacturer of body dryers, selling to the theme park and leisure industry.
The Ferndown-based business works alongside hundreds of visitor attractions throughout the UK, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East – across 38 countries and counting.
Haystack Dryers previously won the Internation Trade award in 2016.
Petersfield-based Hi-Level Mezzanines is an independent supplier of mezzanine flooring solutions with a value engineered design model that optimises steel utilisation and drives costs down.
The business is picking up its first ever Royal Award for an innovative solution for efficient designing, estimating and manufacturing of mezzanine floors.
Levertonhelm, based in Basingstoke, makes Lithium chemicals and develops new ones, working with global customers to find the best solutions for their applications.
These chemicals have applications in everything from batteries and construction, to laboratories and lubricants.
No stranger to the Royal Awards, the now three time winner picked up the International Trade Award in both 2014 and 2019.
Systems Interface is a leading project based aviation systems integrator with many years specialist experience delivering turnkey projects to civil and defence airports and Civil Aviation Authorities worldwide.
The Bordon-based business previously won the International Trade Award in 2019.
Fareham-based Captec is an international supplier of specialised computing platforms and complex systems for critical, certified and/or challenging environments.
The business offers everything from specialised computers for industrial and defence computing to embedded software and IoT device design.
Captec previously won the International Trade award in 2016, and the Innovation award in 2019.
Isle of Wight-based A.J Wells & Sons Ltd is a privately owned, family run British engineering company that specialises in the manufacture and installation of signage, cladding and vitreous enamel products.
The company also designs and manufactures wood burning stoves and accessories.
This is the first time the business, which was founded in 1972, has been recognised in the Royal Awards.
Last, but by no means least, Isle of Wight-based Stainless Games is an independent games development studio, which has developed more than 60 games and 300 SKUs on Mobile, Console, PC Steam and VR.
The business, which is picking up its first Royal Award, works with international clients and sells to customers across the globe.
Patrick Buckland, Founder and CEO of Stainless Games said: “We created Stainless back in 1994 with the intention of bringing high-tech employment to the Isle of Wight by doing what we love: making video games.
“We started with eight staff, since growing to over eighty, and have made games for most of the biggest companies in the world as well as selling our own products globally.
“In doing so, we bring tens of millions into the UK economy whilst providing enjoyment to people the world over. This is our thirtieth year in business and we’re very proud to mark the occasion with this King’s Award”.
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