The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2012 also recognise a local authority owned building contractor and building products companies, among others.
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise has been bestowed on JCB’s Backhoe Loader Business Unit in the International Trade category. It is not just JCB’s 27th Queen’s Award since 1969 but also the sixth for its backhoe loaders. The award honours an increase in overseas sales of almost 150% from 2009 to 2011. Group chief executive Alan Blake said the award was “a huge honour for every single employee associated its success”.
Glasgow City Council’s City Building business won a Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, in recognition of the training and employment opportunities created for a diverse range of people.
City Building managing director John Foley said: "These awards are the pinnacle of achievement for any UK business. As one of Scotland's largest construction firms, we have always placed great emphasis on our unique social ethos, which is vital to our success.
"City Building engages directly with the community to ensure all our work leaves a lasting legacy for local residents. We deliver green solutions to customers, and we have cut our own carbon footprint by more than a quarter since 2007."
Also recognised were Ancon Building Products of Sheffield, which produces lockable dowels for use at temporary movement joints, and Manchester-based Tenmat, which produces Firefly passive fire protection products for prevention of fire through building cavities. Both of these companies won Innovation Awards.
In the international trade category, there was recognition for: Coalville’s Crusher Manganese Steels, which produces engineered components used in crushing equipment for mining & quarrying industries; Plant Parts Ltd of Ipswich, which (as its name suggests) sells spare parts for heavy construction machinery; and Ardent, a York-based company that sells bespoke vehicle and mobile plant fire suppression systems.
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