- Ten SMEs announced as winners of the 2024 Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards.
- Now in their second year, the awards celebrate outstanding small businesses achieving exporting success, as new figures show UK was world’s 4th largest exporter of goods and services in 2022.
- Winners include SMEs operating across the UK, such as Warner’s Distillery, Munro Vehicles and CIGA Healthcare.
A family-owned craft drinks B-Corp, an electric vehicle company and a rapid diagnostic tests specialist are among the 2024 winners of the Department for Business and Trade’s Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards announced today.
Now in their second year, the awards celebrate the international sales success of small-medium businesses across the UK and provide a stepping stone for further growth and opportunity.
Winners include Warners Distillery, an independent, family-owned craft drinks producer that creates 100 percent natural, sustainably sourced products crafted from ingredients grown on its farm in Northamptonshire.
Awarded in the Agriculture, Food and Drink category, the B Corp accredited business’s range of spirits and non-alcoholic drinks are listed in major UK retailers and sold in over 30 countries, including the United States, Australia, China, and nations across mainland Europe.
The awards come after new figures from the UN’s body that leads on global trade show the UK was the 4th largest exporter of goods and services globally in 2022, moving up from 7th in the rankings in 2021.
For businesses looking to find out more about how to start selling internationally or to expand their international footprint, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a wide range of free guidance, services and experts available to help unlock new opportunities and grow their sales at GREAT.gov.uk.
Minister for Exports Lord Offord said:
We’re proud of our British exporters and these Awards highlight some fantastic businesses punching above their weight and selling UK-made products and services around the world.
I hope the winners serve as inspiration to others looking to get onto the exporting ladder and encourage more businesses to showcase the incredible talent and innovation of UK businesses selling abroad.
Cabinet Office Minister Ester McVey said:
Selling overseas is key to driving economic growth across the UK. As part of the GREAT campaign, it’s wonderful to celebrate these businesses who showcase the best of what Britain and Northern Ireland have to offer the world.
The winning businesses have been drawn from a diverse range of 12 sectors across 10 categories: Agriculture, Food and Drink; Creative Industries; Education & EdTech; Financial Services and FinTech; Retail & Consumer Goods; Consultancy & Professional Services; Healthcare; Infrastructure & Engineering; Low Carbon Energy; and Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing & Construction.
In the Low Carbon Energy category, Glasgow-based Munro Vehicles was recognised for its next-generation, fully electric commercial vehicles that are designed to help essential but carbon-intensive industries transition to net zero. The company, which exported to 16 countries in 2023, plans to move to a new purpose-built site near Glasgow later in the year, creating up to 300 jobs.
The Healthcare winners are pioneers CIGA Healthcare, a leading UK company specialising in rapid diagnostic tests including fertility tests, blood pressure monitors and blood glucose monitors. CIGA Healthcare’s products are supplied to national health services and international brands, such as Walmart and AmerisourceBergen, and the company’s international reach extends to over 80 countries, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, and nations across South America.
Within each category, three additional businesses were also awarded highly commended status for their inspiring business stories and exporting prowess.
Marco Forgione, Director General of The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) and judge on the panel for this year’s awards, commented:
The calibre of businesses that entered across all categories has been incredibly high and selecting a winner has been a tough job. We are delighted to offer an IOE&IT membership to these winners alongside the businesses that are highly commended and look forward to working with this year’s companies, helping them to grow and expand through international trade.
These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate the global trade success stories of small businesses from all Nations and regions – and we hope these winners will inspire even more budding business owners.
The evidence continues to tell us that businesses that trade internationally are more sustainable, more resilient, more innovative, employ more people and, ultimately, are more profitable. So, it is vital that these businesses are supported in their exporting journeys and that their success stories are celebrated.
In 2021, DBT launched the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign to celebrate exporting success from across the UK and tell businesses’ stories. The awards programme builds on this to further recognise and celebrate the global trading success of SMEs from across the UK.
Winning businesses receive an invitation to an evening Parliamentary Reception and receive a year’s free membership with the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT). They will also win a digital badge, physical certificate and trophy and enjoy promotional activity across DBT channels, including individual profiles to share their export success.
This year’s winners include:
Agriculture, Food and Drink – Warner’s Distillery
Warner’s Distillery is the world’s leading premium farm-born spirits gin producer. Created and run by Tom & Tina Warner, Warner’s Distillery sits in the rolling hills of Northamptonshire. Since launching in 2012, Tom & Tina have built an expert team, producing unique spirits, elegantly crafted from ingredients grown on the farm such as elderflower, angelica, verbena and lavender. They became B Corp accredited in Summer 2022.
Creative Industries – Media Bodies
Media Bodies is a Performance Influencer Marketing Agency focusing on YouTube, Podcast, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and Experiential Marketing. Having started with a focus on the gaming industry, Media Bodies now works across industries including tech, retail, ecommerce, beauty, fashion, wellness, and more. Media Bodies’ client roster is in close to 20 countries around the world.
Education & EdTech – SimVenture
Used by education institutions and workplace training providers in over 20 countries, SimVenture digital software products enable educators and trainers to bring business learning to life. By providing business and entrepreneurship learning tools, learners are able to make decisions, deal with consequences, and work in a highly engaging and authentic way.
Financial Services and FinTech – Mosaic Smart Data
Mosaic Smart Data is a data analytics software company providing solutions to the global financial services industry. Its product uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help its customers better understand and service their own customers. The business model is primarily a SaaS subscription software license model, where customers are offered a cloud-hosted, fully managed solution. Exports have been central to Mosaic’s growth. The company has customers on every continent and over 70 percent of its paying customers are international, generating approximately 70 percent of total revenue.
Retail & Consumer Goods – PG Paper Company Ltd
PG Paper is a global, award-winning pulp, paper and board company that creates markets and solutions to enable trade for paper and packaging products worldwide. It has experienced exponential growth and is now one of Scotland’s largest trading companies, operating in over 60 countries with multiple global offices.
Consultancy & Professional Services – Intralink Ltd
Intralink is an international business development consultancy. It helps companies to expand in Asia, Europe and North America, corporates to innovate through global collaboration, and governments to grow their exports and attract foreign investment. Intralink has 120 employees across 15 offices, with 23 in the UK. Over its 34-year history, it has helped more than 1,500 companies secure deals worth around £600 million.
Healthcare – CIGA Healthcare
CIGA Healthcare Ltd operates in the International Rapid Test Diagnostic sector, including both electronic equipment and reagent tests. It supplies both the professional and consumer markets in its SURESIGN brand as well as in customer “own label” brands. It supplies national health services and international brands, such as Walmart and Walgreens.
Infrastructure & Engineering – Autoflame Engineering
Autoflame Engineering manufactures industry-leading commercial and industrial combustion management and monitoring solutions. It empowers its customers to reduce their fuel and maintenance costs, substantially lower emissions and remain compliant with environmental regulations. Autoflame Engineering is family-owned and distributes through a network of 110+ Technology Centres around the world. It boasts an impressive 46 patents.
Low Carbon Energy – Munro Vehicles
Munro Vehicles, based in Glasgow, is a designer and manufacturer of fully electric commercial vehicles, exporting to Europe. Their mission is to develop and deliver next-generation zero-emission vehicles that help essential but carbon-intensive industries transition to net zero.
Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing and Construction – IceMos Technology
IceMOS Technology is a privately held semiconductor technology corporation and manufacturer of a new class of MEMS based power and sensing advanced semiconductor technologies. This serves wide-ranging applications anywhere that power efficiency and sensing matters. The company has a manufacturing centre of excellence located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
