Business West members and clients among Queen’s Award for Enterprise winners 2021

30th April 2021

South West businesses are strongly represented among the Queen’s Award for Enterprise winners 2021.

With the second highest number of winners of any regions outside of London and the South East, South West England has demonstrated strong talent when it comes to businesses doing great things in international trade, innovation, and sustainability. 

Let’s take a look at this year’s successful winners who are Business West clients:

Watson Gym Equipment, Frome, Somerset 

Watson Gym was established in 1999, when founder Simon Watson began manufacturing gym equipment by hand. The equipment is all manufactured in Frome out of 100 % British steel and includes heavy duty machines, bars, and accessories. Its target market is specialist gyms and training facilities and it’s also currently expanding into niche high net worth individuals and bespoke facilities for personal gyms in homes and on boats/yachts. The company now employs over 50 people and has a goal to achieve £20 million turnover in the next three years. Over three years, the company’s international sales have grown from £1.9 million to £2.7 million and make up 57.5% of sales with its top markets being the US, Australia, Netherlands, France, and Germany. 

The company wins the Queen's Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short-Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

TruffleHunter Ltd, South Cerney, Gloucestershire

TruffleHunter Ltd started trading in 2007. They supply fresh truffles and truffle products to be sold in a range of food markets. Truffles ordinarily have a short shelf life and therefore can be problematic to export, however the company came up with a solution to produce truffle products with longer shelf lives that were more stable and could be exported overseas more easily. This includes preserved truffles; infused olive oils, ketchup, and mayonnaise; truffle crisps, popcorn and seaweed and truffle gifts. Its overseas sales have grown more than eight-fold in six years with customers in the US, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan. 

The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years. 

Scanning Pens, Wiltshire 

While the company was established in Telford West Midlands, it is now based in Wiltshire and has been supported by Business West for several years. Founded by Jack Churchill and Toby Sutton, Scanning Pens is an international EdTech company that provides reading support to children with learning difficulties. Its electronic ‘ReaderPen’ and ‘ExamReader’ reads text aloud to pupils who struggle with comprehension and who would otherwise need the assistance of a human reader. Over the last three years the company has experienced significant export growth across markets including the US, Australia, Canada and India, with export sales increasing from 44% to 60% in the last three years. 

The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short-Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Alice Caroline, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire  

Alice Garrett, founder of Alice Caroline, began selling liberty fabric in 2012 after her life-long passion for the designs led to her creating handbags for student fairs, before selling the fabric on Etsy, and then eventually setting up her own business from her home. Her company sells Liberty fabrics, sewing kits, haberdashery, patterns, and accessories to an international audience through its retail website. Overseas sales grew by over 206% in six years and overseas sales account for 45.7% of total sales. Its top markets are USA, France, Japan, Australia, and Denmark.

The company wins the Queens Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over 6 years. 

Tellurium Q, Somerton, Somerset 

Tellurium began trading in 2009 and produces award winning, high-end audio cables designed and manufactured in the UK for the global high-end audio niche market. The products are made exclusively for home audio systems and recording studios. Its top markets include China, Argentina, Canada and Croatia. Overseas sales have grown by 100% over three years.

The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term growth in overseas sales over the last three years. 

Ocere, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire  

Cheltenham based Ocere was founded in 2009 by 22-year-old Tim Parling with just £1. Ocere is a Digital Marketing Agency that helps its clients to grow their businesses online and improve their search engine optimisation (SEO). Its sales have grown by almost 70% in the last three years, increasing its overseas revenue by 245%. Exports represent half of Ocere’s total sales. 

Ocere wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term growth in Overseas Sales in the last three years.

  • Join the Chamber

    Be a part of the largest business membership organisation in the region and tap into a range of valuable business benefits. Join today from as little as £250 per year by registering with Business West.

     

Do you want to join the conversation?

Sign up here
  • Find out how to get started

    Start selling your products overseas with our comprehensive support to help you every step of the way.

    Call our trade centre on 01275 370 944