Union Electric Steel UK

PO Box 21 Coulthards Lane

NE8 3DX

Union Electric Steel UK manufactures and supplies cast rolls for the ferrous and non-ferrous metal forming industries.

These rolls are usedin hot and cold flat product mills, heavy section mills and universal beam mills. Establishedin 1969,Union Electric Steel exports over 80% of its product world-wide with its top five customers spanning three continents.having recognised the need to differentiate itself from its competitors, Union Electric Steel has developed industry leadingproduct quality and customer support to ensure retention and growth of existing customers and to enable growth of theemerging steel producing markets. Considerable success is demonstrated by the growth of the USA and Mexico markets overthe last three years which have yielded acombined additional £9 million worth of orders.

Walker Filtration Ltd

Walker Filtration Ltd.

establishedin 1983, designs and manufactures avast range of compressed air and vacuum pump

filtration and drying products for industrial and medical applications. The company wins the Award for the fourth timein itshistory for its continuous improvementin overseas sales which are seen to have grown by over 100% over the six year period.

This success is also repeatedin the company size and profit. The company sees the implementation of amulti-stranded andconsidered export strategy of supply to OEMs and the formation and development of divisional subsidiaries as key to itssuccess. Exports now accountf or 88% of the company’s total sales across 65 countries, including significant accomplishmentsin new marketsin Asia and the Far East as well as current marketsin Europe and the USA.

http://www.**iones.com

Employees:***

Immediate Parent: Union Electric Steel Corporation - USA

Managing Director: Mr Stephen Bell MBE

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mr Shaun Alan Mantle

Tel: 01914 025***

Email: s.mantle**[ta]**nesuk.co.uk

Director, Group General Manager: Mrs Lianne Walker MBE

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Ross Hamilton

Tel: 01914 186***

Email: ross.hamilton**[ta]**erfiltration.co.uk

NORTH EAST INNOVATION

Pearson Engineering Services

Pearson Engineering Limited

wins an Innovation Award for the latestin its range of counter-mine and counter-Improvised

Explosive Device (IED) equipment. The Spark 1 and 2 equipment mounts to awide range of wheeled vehicles and is designed to trigger pressure-plate IEDsin front of the host vehicle, protecting it and its occupants. The lightweight equipment has minimalimpact on mobility allowing speeds up to 60mph, sharp vehicle turns and reversing. The roller also steers to maintain protectionin turns, can vary the roller ground load to target higher trigger forces and can be jettisoned under armour if damaged. to further minimise vehicle impact it generates its own power. The rollers have been used extensivelyin Iraq and Afghanistanby international forces and, having triggered hundreds of IEDs that would otherwise have detonated under the vehicle, they haveundoubtedly saved many soldiers lives. The product has also been an international commercial success.

Immediate Parent: Reece Ventures Limited

Design Engineer: Mr Matt Handley

Contactf or Press Enquiries: John Crompton (Managing Director)

Tel: 01912 340***

Email: pearson**[ta]**son-eng.com

Professor Brian Tanner

Professor of Physics & Dean of Knowledge Transfer

Durham University Currently Professor of Physics and Dean of Knowledge Transfer at Durham University, Professor Brian Tanner’s involvementin enterprise promotion dates back over 30 years having led the development of an enterprise culture at Durham and otheruniversitiesin the North East.in particular, Professor Tanner has had asubstantial impact over atwenty year period ontechnology transfer and spin-off companies from the North East Universities. He took the lead to bring the Universities togetherfounding, and then becoming the first Director of, the North East Centre for Science Enterprise. From this came ‘Blueprint’which has created over 200 businesses; many of which play an important rolein shaping the region’s knowledge economy.

He has also been instrumentalin the development of ‘Netpark’, the UK’s fastest growing science park.

Mr. Sandy Ogilvie

Retired Chief Executive

Project North East (PNE)

Tyne & Weir

Sandy Ogilvie retired as the Chief Executive of Project North East (PNE)in April 2011 after eleven yearsin the job.

From joining PNE, Sandy was involved with the development and sustained growth of the Shell Livewire programme, throughwhich, he has been promoting entrepreneurship to young people (up to age 30)in the UK and globally. As well as promotingenterprise, much of his work has been focused on ensuring the sustainability of the support programmes. During hisstewardship of PNE Group, PNE’s loan funds made ‘micro finance’ loans to over 1,000 small businessesin the North East,built new premisesin both Gateshead and Newcastle - as well as refurbishing several old buildings - to create more workspaceFor new and growing businesses.

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mrs. Claire Whitelaw, Director of Communications (Media Relations); or Mr. Carl Stiansen, Me***

Relations Officer

Tel: 01913 346***

Tel: 01913 346***

Email: c.m.whitelaw**[ta]**am.ac.uk

Email: c.r.stiansen**[ta]**am.ac.uk

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mr. Brian Butcher

Tel: 01912 306***

Email: brian.butcher**[ta]**org

NORTHERN IRELAND INNOVATION

RFD Beaufort Limited t/a Survitec GroupDunmurry BT17 9AFan Innovation Award is made to RFD Beaufort Ltd t/a Survitec Group for the development of evacuation systems for marineapplications. The Stockholm Agreement of 1996 introduced stringent regulation concerning evacuation procedures fromships. The new regulations, requiring high speeds of evacuation, posed challenges to equipment designers.in response, thecompany designed new equipment, the RFD Marin Ark Mk II which has been continuously developed, employing twin verticalchutes at muster stations to transfer passengers into square, inflatable and reversible, life-rafts. The chutes and rafts are fully enclosed, sheltering passengers from the elements. The chutes, which, for increased safety, permit passengers to pass others,incorporate shock cords for controlling descents. The rafts incorporate unique features concerned with buoyancy and storage.

The equipment, capable of safely evacuating over 800 peoplein less than 30 minutes, has had global commercial success.

http://www.**dbeaufortmarine.com

Employees:***

Immediate Parent: Survitec Group Limited

Managing Director, RFD Beaufort Limited: Mrs Moya Johnston

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Rachel Rotrou

Tel: 020 7183 ***

Tel: 07423 453***

Email: rrotrou**[ta]**itecgroup.com

Bryson Charitable GroupBryson House

28 Bedford StreetBT2 7FE

Bryson Charitable Group, aleading Social Enterprise has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Sustainable DevelopmentFor its contribution to the social and environmental improvement of Northern Ireland. The Award recognises the company’s commitment to delivering apositive improvement to the social and environmental challenges there. Bryson is very well known fo rits workin recycling and is the largest provider of kerb-side recycling servicesin Northern Ireland. The company is also involved inthe energy sector by providing energy saving advice and installing arange of energy saving measuresin homes. These are just twoexamples of the range of sustainability driven work delivered by the group. Bryson employs almost 600 staff with aturnover of over £30million making asignificant contribution to the lives of people right across Northern Ireland.

http://www.**ysongroup.org

Employees:***

Chief Executive: Mr John McMullan OBE

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Siobhan Purnell

Tel: 02890 325***

Email: spurnell**[ta]**ongroup.org

Ms. Claire Ferris

Work West Enterprise Agency Claire Ferris has been promoting enterprise professionally, through various agenciesin Northern Ireland, for 17 years.

She has been the Manager of Work West Enterprise Agency basedin Andersonstown, Belfast, since 1999. The agency providesassistance with workspace management, enterprise awareness, business start-up, business growth and social enterprise.

She has extensive experience of working with SMEs and groupsin both arural and urban setting and is skilledin assistingenterprises at varying stages of development. She has particular expertisein working with growth enterprises and has alsovoluntarily given her time to help potential entrepreneursin the early phases of business development where no formalprogrammes of support are available to them. She is also an unpaid serving member of many boards promoting enterpriseand economic development.

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Ms. Claire Ferris

Tel: 07966 520***

Email: claire**[ta]**west.co.uk

NORTH WEST INTERNATIONAL TradeACDC LED Ltd

Innovation Works Gisburn Road Barrowford

BB9 8NB

ACDC LED Ltd

design and manufacture specialist long-life architectural LED and Cold Cathode lighting solutions. They win theAward for the first time for their outstanding achievementin overseas earnings growth recording an overall growth of 90% over thethree year period. This success is linked to the company’s strategy that focuses on identifying suitable markets, on creating productsolutionsin terms of efficiency, output and simplicity of design and ensuring that their product range fully complies with local standards. The company’s key export markets include Europe, USA, Australia, Far East, Middle East and India.

Allied Filter Systems Ltd

Huntsman Drive

Allied Filter Systems Ltd

is aprivately owned manufacturer of filter consumables for liquid process industries; primarily filter bagsfrom woven and non-woven materials but also stainless steel filter housings into which the filter bags are fitted. Establishedin 1995,the company is recognised for its continuous achievement. The company has applied ahealthy focus on developing and winn***

higher margin business throughout Europe, generated by entering new markets and seeking new product applicationsin sectors suchas food and beverage, chemical and automotive. Their success is also borne out of adopting an export sales strategy aimed at gaininga high market sharein smaller markets via adistribution network, andin larger markets through acombination of distributors anddirect end-user sales.in Sweden for example Allied Filter Systems has achieved greater than 70% market share.

Americhem Europe Limited

Cawdor StreetEccles

M30 0QF

Americhem Europe Ltd

designs and manufactures colour and additive masterbatch for the thermoplastic processing industry.in avery competitive market, Americhem has captured ahigh global market sharein specialist polymer converting industries throughits approach to concentrate on being the technology leaderin its chosen market segments. Export sales are 80% of turnover whichis wellin excess of industry sector averages. Their international sales footprint extends across Europe, the Middle East, Africa andAustralia driven by acommitment to provide high levels of quality and customer service resultingin overseas growth earnings of 88%

http://www.**dclighting.co.uk

Immediate Parent: ACDC Lighting Systems Ltd

Marketing Communications Manager: Mrs Victoria Dobson

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mrs Victoria Dobson

Tel: 0845 862 ***

Email: vdobson**[ta]**lighting.co.uk

http://www.**liedfilter.co.uk

Managing Director: Mr Daniel Thompson

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mr Daniel Thompson

Tel: 01617 779***

Email: daniel**[ta]**edfilter.co.uk

http://www.**erichem.com

Immediate Parent: Americhem Holdings International Ltd

Director and General Manager EMEA: Dr William MacDougall

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Dr Craig MacDougall

Tel: 01617 872***

Email: cmacdougall**[ta]**ichem.com

BMP Europe Ltd

Altham Business ParkAccrington

BB5 5YH

Established 25 years ago and basedin Accrington, BMP Europe Ltd

is aglobal company specialisingin the manufacture andconversion of technical non woven textiles, engineered polyurethane elastomers, mechanical components and sub systemsusedin adiverse range of industrial equipment. aprevious winner of aQueen’s Award for Innovation, the company has won aQueen’s Award for International trade for its outstanding performance over the last three years. Operatingin 17 markets, BMP hasconsistently maintained exports at over 90% of total sales. An experienced manufacturer and exporter operating across severalsectors including automotive and renewable energy, the company is adept at developing new products and markets and hasidentified opportunitiesin the fast growing and highly competitive hybrid vehicle market securing on-going sales from the USA.

ChargePoint Technology Limited

80 Venture Point West

Evans Road L24 9PB

ChargePoint Technology Ltd.

aLiverpool based manufacturer, supplies high precision containment valves to the pharmaceutical,bio-pharmaceutical and FMCG industries to protect operators when transferring potent powders from one piece of processequipment to another or to maintain sterility of productin the manufacture of injectable drugs. afirst time winner of aQueen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding performance over the last three years this relative newcomer to the market now sells to the world’s 50 largest pharmaceutical companies. Recognised as amarket leader, turnover has more than doubled with exportsaccounting for around 92% contributing to overseas earnings growth of 136%. An experienced manufacturer and exporter they have made significant progressin difficult markets including China and the US. The company have established officesin France,Netherlands, and the USA.

Colonial Gifts Limited

Ribble Court

1 Mead Way Padiham

BB12 7NG

Foundedin 2006, Colonial Gifts Limited

is an online retailer of floral gifts and food and beverage gifts. This includes flowers, winesand foodstuffs, as well as traditional and regional English products. Flowers are sourced via regional in-country suppliers utilising aweb based supply chain system. They win an outstanding award for achieving overseas earnings growth of 200% over the last threeyears increasing their exports to over 46% of turnover. The company have invested heavilyin on-line technology and have developedan impressive supply chain; these two elements together have contributed to their success. Their USP is same day deliveryin 60% of the 119 countriesin which they currently operate.in addition they have also successfully addressed issues such as cultural

differences, ease of payment, and currency.

http://www.**pworldwide.com

Immediate Parent: Andrew Industries Ltd

Managing Director: Mr Mark Athersmith

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Mr Steve Moon

Tel: 01282 772***

Email: info**[ta]**urope.com

http://www.**echargepoint.com

Managing Director: Mr Chris Eccles

Contactf or Press Enquiries: David Potter

Tel: 07734 030***

Email: david.potter**[ta]**hargepoint.com

http://www.**lorist.co.uk

Managing Director: Mr David Price

Contactf or Press Enquiries: David Price

Tel: 01282 779***

Email: david**[ta]**rist.co.uk

Glen Dimplex Home Appliances Ltd

Stoney Lane

Prescot

L35 2XW

Glen Dimplex Home Appliances Ltd

was originally establishedin 2002 and is part of the Glen Dimplex Group [Ireland].

The company sells cooking appliancesin the form of ovens, grills & cookers along with other domestic and electrical appliances.it wins the Award for the first time for its outstanding achievementin overseas earnings growth with export earnings doubling eachyear. Overall growth is calculated at 880%. This success is seen to be linked to astrategy to carefully select suitable markets andsupport these markets with distributors. The company also makes efforts to maintain ahigh profile through trade shows and hasentered anumber of new marketsin the period: Poland, Germany and Israel.

St James Court

Establishedin 1997, ICC Solutions Limited

develops and supplies test tools for Chip & PIN certifications, supplying its tools to payment associations and banks among other similar businesses. It wins the Award for the first time for its continuousimprovement having shown positive growth and expansion throughout the period resultingin a115% overall growthin overseasearnings since 2005. The company is recognised as atechnology leaderin payment security test tools and works to maintain Thisposition and to efficiently supply markets as new technologies are introduced. It also wins the Award for Innovation.

INCINER8 Limited

Balmoral Drive

PR9 8PZ

Establishedin 2005, INCINER8 Limited

is amanufacturer and merchant of Waste Incinerators and related recyclingequipment associated with energy recovery systems. INCINER8 market and sell incineration systems through adealer/agentnetworkin 54 countries. The growth shown is related to the expansionin its customer and agent support system.it wins the Award for the first time for its outstanding achievementin growing export sales, seen to be increasing some136% over the last three years. The company also shows consideration of its customer and collaborator relations, takingcare to continuously improve its product and service.

http://www.**ha.com

Employees: ***

Immediate Parent: Stoves Group Ltd

Managing Director: Mr Denver Hewlett

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Jane Rylands

Tel: 01514 933***

Email: jrylands**[ta]**.com

CEO: Mr David Maisey

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Dave Maisey

Tel: 07767 457***

Email: davemaisey**[ta]**olutions.com

Managing Director: Mr Vincent Ferguson

Contactf or Press Enquiries: Vincent Ferguson

Tel: 01704 506***

Email: vince**[ta]**ner8.com