Winner: Andrew Bissell of Sunamp

Ten Scottish enterprises are among 148 organisations across the UK to be recognised with the first King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as the Queen’s Awards.

Recipients are permitted to fly The King’s Awards flag at their main office and use the emblem on their marketing materials. They are also given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy. The awards are valid for 5 years. 

The new name reflects The King’s desire to continue the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses

The programme, now in its 57th year, has awarded more than 7,000 companies since its inception in 1965. 

Minister for Enterprise Kevin Hollinrake said: “I congratulate the first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, who exemplify the talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of British business.

“I wish them every success and commend the invaluable contributions they make to communities both at home and overseas, helping to grow the UK economy.”  

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INNOVATION

Sunamp, Tranent, East Lothian

Formed in 2005, Sunamp is a designer and manufacturer of space-saving thermal storage. Its innovation is Sunamp Heat Batteries, compact, energy-efficient thermal stores providing hot water and heating.

The development of the Sunamp battery has enabled older apartment buildings to be retrofitted with heat pumps and tenants are estimated to save £230/year (based on a 2019 estimate).

80 employees

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DeltaTek Oil Tools trading as DeltaTek Global, Dyce, Aberdeen

DeltaTek Oil Tools, recently acquired by Expro and trading as “DeltaTek Global”, is an Aberdeen business, established in 2014, that supports the activities of the oil and gas industry. Its innovation is a revolutionary subsea cementing technology which reduces risk and cost for operators.

13 employees

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Gaia Earth Sciences and Gaia Earth Technologies, Elgin

The company was formed in July 2003, offering quality assurance services to the oil and gas industry. In 2007, Gaia launched a programme to solve the long-standing and global problem of cable sticking during wireline logging operations, which can quickly escalate to multi-million dollar losses for a client. Gaia has generated 36 patents with many world firsts, such as the first cable mounted acquisition system, the first downhole digital odometer, and the first global sticking database with the most advanced wireline modelling package in the industry. Seven of the top ten oil and gas clients worldwide now use GCPS as a critical resource.

The two companies Gaia Earth Sciences and Gaia Earth Technologies are recipients of a joint Award recognising their respective roles in the development and commercialisation of the cable protection innovation.

2 employees

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Coolicon Lighting, Edinburgh

Coolicon Lighting began trading in 2015. The company designs, manufactures and wholesales handmade lights and associated accessories, selling to professional and premium retail markets. The international strategy is to establish the brand with “The Standard” product collection and then introduce new products.

Exports are through distributors, wholesalers, professionals and directly to consumers. Its first export market was Denmark and it now has distributors in nine geographical territories in Europe, Taiwan, and USA.

The company rapidly adapted to the challenges presented by COVID, implementing a consumer market focus to replace its retail sales. Overseas sales have grown by 106% over the three-year application period and the proportion of sales exported in the final year was 71% of total sales. The company wins The King’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

5 employees

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Join Talent Solutions trading as Join Talent), Angus

Established in 2018 and based in Brechin, Scotland, Join Talent Solutions Ltd. t/a as Join Talent, provides embedded recruitment support into companies globally. It helps brands from leading start- ups to international household names to build world-class teams and is expert in building successful talent acquisition models & strategies, currently doing so across 26 countries. The company has achieved year on year growth in overseas sales over three years at a steep level with total overseas sales growing by a remarkable 2,701% over the period.

Overseas sales now account for 42.8% of total business and the company is 100% a remote business that currently supports clients hiring into 26 countries across EMEA, APAC and North America. Its next five top markets are USA, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland. The company wins the King’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over three years.

96 employees

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Load Monitoring Systems, Aberdeen

Launched in 2016, Load Monitoring Systems is a key player in the load cell and intelligent lifting equipment sector. It has a growing global footprint across many diverse industry sectors in over 45 countries and on most continents.

With wireless technology being the main feature of the company’s products across 95% of the portfolio, it has positioned itself as an expert in this field. It typically works with distributors, partners and agents overseas.

During the period of the application, overseas earnings grew by 82% representing 40% of total company turnover in 2021. Key market areas are the Middle East, Norway, USA and Africa. Recent expansion into new markets has included Ecuador, Chile, Azerbaijan, Alaska, Senegal and Guyana. The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over three years.

12 employees

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PROMOTING OPPORTUNITY

Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, Bishopton

Eestablished in 2017, this is a social enterprise based in Renfrewshire. The factory is run by military charity Royal British Legion Industries. The initiative provides employment opportunities to injured military veterans and people with disabilities, with an emphasis on an individualised and flexible approach, recognising often complex needs and developing tailored welfare and employment progression plans.

The enterprise specialises in supporting veterans who have life-changing injuries, such as limb loss and mental health challenges such as PTSD. With more than 20 employees, the factory specialises in producing road and rail signage alongside bespoke and specialised engineering services.

In terms of impact, the number of participants helped has risen from five in 2018 to 21 in 2021. Fifteen jobs have been secured within a year of support and 11 jobs retained for more than one year. The factory is an SQA accredited training centre. Fourteen people achieved NVQs.

18 employees

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ACS Clothing, Motherwell

Founded in 1997, this is a ‘circular’ clothing firm facilitating clothes rental and resale for brands such as M&S, Moss Brothers and for individual customers.

ACS offers end-to-end fulfilment for rental brands, and garment refurbishment for brands with a high rate of clothing returns, and those in the re-commerce and re-sell market. This enables UK brands and retailers to join the circular fashion economy by moving to more effective clothing use.

ACS has been awarded for a well thought out and executed plan of immediate and longer-term goals, both directly to do with fashion and reducing energy/waste, but also concerning community involvement and an excellent range of employer initiatives and training schemes. The company has carefully considered its impacts, has a comprehensive programme to tackle them and has produced some highly positive outcomes while providing industry leadership.

129 employees

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The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, Perth and Kinross

A company limited by guarantee with charitable status established as a research institution for fundamental and applied science to drive the sustainable use of land and natural resources.

It has five research sites in Scotland. Agriculture is responsible for approximately 7.5 mt CO2e, 19% of Scotland’s emissions.

The research that the applicant carries out is directed towards reducing the impact of agriculture in terms of climate change and development of innovative farming protecting biodiversity. This research is inherently delivering sustainability outcomes. The James Hutton Institute has also looked at the sustainability of its own business practises and identified interventions to reduce its own impacts, including investment and development in renewable energy and carbon emission reduction.

520 employees