Royal seal of approval for Lancashire businesses

Two Lancashire firms have been recognised for their international achievements with a royal seal.

East Lancashire engineering company Fort Vale and Lancaster-based Rinicom, which develops and manufactures radio communication systems for the emergency services and professional security services, have both been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2013 – one of the UK’s highest accolades for business success.

These awards are presented annually by Her Majesty the Queen, and are only given for the highest levels of excellence in each category.

Fort Vale has won the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement three times previously, and employs around 460 people worldwide, and in addition to its headquarters in Burnley, has bases in the Netherlands, Singapore, China, Russia, and the USA. It sells its products into more than 50 countries and over 95% of production from its state-of-the-art Simonstone factory is exported.

Ian Wilson, managing director, said: “We are very pleased to receive this prestigious award. It is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of all our employees, whose efforts continue to drive the business forward year on year.” Over the last three years, Rinicom has grown overseas sales by almost a third per year, expanding rapidly throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Winning the award entitles the holder to use the Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.