King's Awards winners flying the flag for Shropshire
Companies can now prepare to enter the 2027 awards as we look back at some of the county's previous winners
What do Shropshire companies Aviramp, Fabweld Steel Products, Grainger & Worrall, Jesmonite, I2R Packaging and Stallion AI have in common?
They might not be household names but are well-known in the sectors such as manufacturing, castings and reproduction.
And they have all received King's Awards for Enterprise over the past few years.
The award scheme celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and recognises achievement across four categories - international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity.
Recipients are permitted to fly the King's Awards flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing material for five years and are invited to a royal reception at Windsor Castle.
This year's cohort of winners will be announced in May and, in order to receive one, companies need to demonstrate outstanding achievement in one of the four categories. There is also a young founder award for those aged 18 to 30 which is new for 2027.
Mandy Thorn, a deputy lieutenant for Shropshire, said: "More than 70 per cent of companies say they received an increase in profile through PR opportunities and 57 per cent of international trade winners say they received increased recognition overseas.
"The King's Award is not an easy win, nor should it be, but for Shropshire businesses with a genuine track record of excellence, it is well within reach. Winning is not a matter of submitting a well-written application.
"It demands evidence of sustained, exceptional performance, year on year, without dips, backed by verified commercial data. The businesses winning these awards are demonstrating to the world that Shropshire is a serious place to do business.
"We have companies here doing genuinely extraordinary things and the King's Award gives that the recognition it deserves."
The Shropshire Lieutenancy is holding an information session next week to help businesses thinking of applying for the 2027 awards. It runs from 5pm to 6.30pm on April 20 at Reech Media on Shrewsbury Business Park - email [email protected] for details.
Wayne Carter is the managing director of Fabweld Steel Products, a Telford-based manufacturer of steel access covers which won a King's Award last year for sustainable development.
"It was an absolute privilege to receive the highest honour that can be bestowed on a UK business and a testament to everyone at Fabweld who played a part in this success," he said.
For Stallion AI, the Whitchurch-based equine reproduction specialist, winning a Queen's Award in the innovation category in 2022 opened doors that managing director Tullis Matson had not anticipated.
He said: "I totally underestimated what it could do for a business. The award means we can fly the flag outside our Whitchurch offices - when I and my staff walk into work, we see that and feel proud.
"For our team, when we're working overseas, that emblem is the first thing we put out there and it sets the bar high and leads to bigger things."
Bridgnorth-based Grainger & Worrall specialises in complex aluminium sand castings and secured an innovation award last year for its work developing lightweight structures for electric vehicles.
Chief executive Duncan Eldridge said: "The King's Award is revered across the world and supports our desire to push technology, born in Shropshire, to customers in existing and emerging international markets.
"We are putting Bridgnorth on the global map when it comes to producing components that will help drive sustainable manufacturing for years to come."
Other Shropshire winners include Telford-based Aviramp, which makes accessible boarding ramps for aircraft, and Bishop's Castle outfit Jesmonite which manufactures composite materials.
They both won awards for international trade in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
i2r Packaging Solutions in Telford is one of those rare companies which has won two awards.
The manufacturer of aluminium foil trays won an international trade award in 2020 followed by an innovation award two years later.
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