Three burgeoning businesses capitalising on a Brexit boost have won a royal seal of approval as the very best of British.
The trio will today be handed The King’s Awards for Enterprise – the highest official UK honour for firms – for their part as international trade, innovation, and sustainable development trailblazers.
It comes just weeks after Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch hailed Brexit freedoms for powering a manufacturing “juggernaut” that is helping to fire a resurgent economy in further proof Britain is leading the way outside the EU.
Birmingham-based metal maker Brandauer has the rare honour of being one of only a select group to hold two different King’s Awards titles simultaneously.
It has been feted for manufacturing innovative and globally competitive precision tools that can produce micron accuracy components for use in high-specification construction applications, battery assemblies, MedTech devices and electrification.
It comes four years after it was presented with an International Trade Award from the then Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Boss Rowan Crozier said: “It’s so difficult to get royal endorsement once, so to get a second award is a tremendous achievement for the business and reinforces our determination to be world class in everything we do.
“The initial title had already helped us win new contracts, especially in the US where the Royal Family are highly revered.”
The pulsating “made in the UK” sector is now worth £518 billion and supports 7.3 million jobs in a clear sign the country is on the up and thriving.
The buoyant sector is a wake-up to those who predicted a sluggish future outside the closed-shop EU.
Recent analysis by Oxford Economics and the Manufacturing Technologies Association revealed how firms have flourished despite an unprecedented period of struggle.
Booming British businesses have succeeded despite Covid, rocketing energy costs, global supply chain fragility and raging international conflicts.
The value of manufacturing, the backbone of the economy, is now put at almost 25% of national wealth – significantly larger than 8.2% of direct contribution quoted by economists.
And typical wages in the sector are now £31,300 – 11% higher than the national average.
The optimism is thanks to flourishing firms like fast-growing RYSE 3D, formed by Mitchell Barnes in 2017, which has been recognised for its commitment to innovation after developing 3D printed mould tools allowing UK manufacturers to compete with low-cost overseas operations. The idea has significantly slashed costs for companies and provides faster turnaround times – in some cases as quick as a few days.
It has also ensured the Shipston-on-Stour business is able to produce components for 18 of the world’s hypercar projects, helping it accelerate turnover towards £4 million this year.
Mitchell said: “This has been some journey. From replacing my mum’s washing machines in the garage with a few DIY 3D printers to creating models at university, to setting up a world class 3D printing factory in Warwickshire and winning one of the hardest to achieve business awards in the world.
“We pride ourselves on disrupting the marketplace and this has seen us win a string of new contracts across the world.
“Forty per cent of our work is now going overseas and this figure is set to grow, with interest coming from five different continents.
“The King’s Award for Enterprise will help reinforce this international expansion and will certainly open new doors for us.”
Arrowsmith Engineering has seen overseas sales rocket by nearly 400% post-Covid, with orders now accounting for 35% of the firm’s annual £7.6m turnover.
Precision components manufactured in Coventry are sent to customers in China, France, Germany, Singapore and Spain for use in aerospace engines, landing gears and air frames.
Managing director Jason Aldridge said: “It has been some turnaround from the very depths of despair during Covid to the renaissance we are seeing now and in the future.
“Civil aviation – a major market for us – literally dropped off the cliff with the pandemic and we had to show good old-fashioned resilience and a fair bit of business innovation to get through it.”
The company’s continuing its quest to get more female engineers involved in aerospace.
A recruitment push has seen females make up nearly one quarter of the workforce – a figure set to be boosted through partnerships with schools, colleges, and universities and using existing engineers as mentors to showcase what ladies can achieve in industry.
Mr Aldridge added: “The King’s Award will definitely help us with recruitment, especially when you consider we are competing with some major carmakers and aerospace primes locally.
“The process is one of the most stringent in business and I’m delighted for our wonderful staff. “Yes, we have invested heavily in the best technology, but our people are still our greatest asset and selling point. This award is for them.”
