Award-winning GaraDry hosts royal visit

Ormskirk-based GaraDry hosted a visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester for a presentation of its King’s Award for Enterprise.

GaraDry designs, manufactures, and sells a range of threshold seals which form a watertight seal for residential garage doors and commercial doors. The threshold seal also prevents leaves, dust and debris from being blown under and acts as a defence against rodents, insects and reptiles.

The company opened a subsidiary in the USA in 2017 and launched a fulfilment centre in Tennessee to ship transatlantic orders quickly.

A warehouse was also set up in Germany in 2022 to fulfil all EU orders and smooth the challenges of Brexit.

The dramatic growth in domestic and international sales saw the company earn The King’s Award.

Ashley Smith, who founded the company in 2009, attended Buckingham Palace during the summer to celebrate his company’s achievement.

Then HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited the company's premises for a special tour of the company and to present staff with an award from His Majesty the King. 

Ashley Smith said: "We are all delighted and humbled for our company, which started off life in a garden shed, to receive this accolade. It encourages us even further to continue designing innovative products for people all over the world.

"This has been a great year for GaraDry and this is the perfect springboard for us as we work on our growth plans for 2024."

Ashley Dalton MP for West Lancashire also attended the event, and said: "It is good to see innovative companies like GaraDry getting recognised in this way and I’m sure this will inspire them to grow even further and continue to do great things on the international stage.”

Councillor Maureen Nixon, Mayor of West Lancashire said:

“I am proud and honoured to help celebrate the success of GaraDry with the staff and His Royal Highness. It’s an incredible achievement for this local company which continues to grow, develop new products and is a fantastic success story.”

Jacqui Sinnott-Lacey, Chief Operating Officer, West Lancashire Borough Council, said: 

“It is an honour to be here today to meet the team behind such an inspirational organisation. GaraDry is a fantastic example of a business based in our region that is expanding and reaching new territories all over the world.”

Picture: L-R: HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Ashley Dalton MP, Councillor Maureen Nixon Mayor of West Lancashire, Ashley Smith founder of GaraDry, Mr Laughton Wilkinson Mayor's Consort and Jacqui Sinnott-Lacey, chief operating officer, West Lancashire Borough Council.