EMPLOYEES TO SHARE IN FIRM'S OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT

Grantham based manufacturer, BGB Innovation, is to receive a Royal visit on 24th September when the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire visits the firm’s premises at Dysart Road, Grantham to present the firm with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its outstanding business success.

BGB won its Queen’s Award in the International Trade category in April this year.  The firm specialises in electrical slip ring assemblies, brush holders and lightning protection for rotary applications and underwater lighting & camera solutions. They are being commended for achieving continual exporting ability and maintaining export figures of over 90 per cent of turnover year after year.

The ceremony will also include the official opening of the new R&D laboratory and factory extension.  The company is expanding for a second time in under three years with building work currently underway on a 468m2 factory extension at its Dysart Road address.  “We were able to build a new Research & Development block alongside the new extension through the help given to us by emda (East Midlands Development Agency)” said David T Holt, BGB Managing Director. “The new extension will not only make us more competitive in the world market, but also increase our capacity and create new jobs in the local area.”  

Speaking about the company and the support they have received, John O’Reilly, emda’s Business Support Director, said: “The fact that BGB is receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is testament to the success of the company. The business is expanding rapidly and I am delighted that we have been able to assist them in this growth by providing the grants needed in order to achieve the next stage of their development.

“The Grant for Research and Development (GRD) has helped BGB to develop innovative new ideas and the Grant for Business Investment (GBI) has enabled the company to expand its factory in order to manufacture these new products.”

BGB has received a variety of support services from emda in recent years. This includes a GRD of £110,500 in March 2008 to enable it to undertake an 18 month R&D project to solve the problem of two-way digital communications in the rotating shafts used in wind turbines, where control and monitoring is needed.

In January 2009, a GBI of just over £113,000 was awarded towards the cost of building a new factory extension, including a new clean room to accommodate fibre optic assembly and to purchase new plant and equipment. The project will create or safeguard 20 highly skilled jobs over the period. Both the GRD and GBI grants are part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

In addition, BGB was supported by emda’s High Growth programme in 2006/07, when the company’s MD worked with a dedicated Growth Coach to help the business unlock its growth potential.

At the presentation ceremony, BGB will be presented with a crystal bowl engraved with The Queen’s Awards Emblem as a symbol of its success.  The company is now also entitled to use this Emblem in all its marketing and on packaging for the next five years, here and abroad.

Mr Holt comments:  “The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the UK’s highest honour for business success, so we’re extremely proud to have achieved this Royal standard of excellence.   The presentation ceremony will be a wonderful opportunity to share this success with everyone connected to our business.  These are very worthwhile Awards – I’d recommend them to any business which can prove it is amongst the best in its field.”

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise exist to champion the UK’s most enterprising, creative and sustainable organisations – from all business sectors.  Applications for the 2010 Awards are now being invited.   Companies can apply for an Award in three categories – International Trade, Innovation or Sustainable Development.  It costs nothing to enter, and The Awards are open to any UK-based business with two or more employees.  For more information, visit www.queensawards.org.uk

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