Four firms – Heraeus Electro-Nite (UK) Ltd, David Nieper, Garnalex and Upbeat Clean – have triumphed in the national awards, which are recognised as the highest honour which can be bestowed upon a British company.
A fifth company, Cosy Direct, which began life in Derby but is now based on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border in Fauld, also picked up a King’s Award, joining 199 other winning firms across the UK.
There are four different King’s Awards on offer – Excellence in Innovation, International Trade, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility - and this year’s local winners have made history by achieving a clean sweep of all four.
Garnalex, an aluminium extrusion firm based in Nether Heage, won the King’s Award – its first – for innovation. Garnalex is the trading name of Garner Aluminium Extrusions Ltd and was founded in early 2018 by Roger Hartshorn.
Its 100,000 sq ft factory is regarded as the most modern aluminium facility in the UK and the firm has just announced new expansion plans, promising to create hundreds more jobs in the coming years.
Luxury women’s clothing manufacturers David Nieper, based in Alfreton, won the sustainable development award, renewing its commitment to helping the environment after winning the same award five years ago.
The firm, which was founded more than 60 years ago, prides itself on bringing sustainability to the fashion industry. It has operated a zero waste-to-landfill policy since 2019 and uses solar power at its factory, while it practices "just-in-time" manufacturing to minimise overproduction.
Any surplus garments are donated to charity.
Heraeus Electro-Nite (UK), which is a market leader in the field of measurement technology in molten metals and is based in Sheepbridge near Chesterfield, also picked up the Innovation Award, adding it to the International Trade award which it won last year.
It specialises in developing and supplying sensors and integrated measurement systems for the steel, iron, aluminium and copper industries and its products measure critical parameters like temperature, oxygen, hydrogen and carbon.
Cosy Direct is also a previous winner, having won the Sustainable development award – when the scheme was known as the Queen’s Awards - in 2022, but was recognised for its export success with an award for International Trade this time round.
Finally, Derby-based commercial cleaning firm Upbeat Clean became the first Derbyshire firm to win the rarest award of the four, that of Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.
The company was recognised for providing cleaning to local firms by employing refugee women in Derby, giving them the opportunity to help them rebuild their lives, support their families, get training and contribute to society.
In winning their second awards, Heraeus Electro-Nite and Cosy Direct have brought the number of local double King’s Award winners up to six.
There are just 39 double award holders nationwide and they share the distinction with previous Derbyshire award winners Peak NDT, Mastermover, Image Sound and SureScreen Diagnostics.
Elizabeth Fothergill, Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, said: “I am thrilled that yet again the brilliant achievements of Derbyshire companies have been recognised with a King’s Award for Enterprise, the highest and most prestigious award for any UK company.
“They all make a remarkable impact across our county, enhancing the economy and providing sustainable skilled jobs, but each company also makes a difference to its community while keeping manufacturing rooted in the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
“They are all truly exceptional and inspiring organisations and I am delighted that Upbeat Clean has become the first company in Derbyshire to be recognised for Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility. Many congratulations.”
Marvin Cooke, chair of the Derbyshire King's Award for Enterprise panel, said: "The King’s Awards are widely recognised as the most prestigious business accolades and among the most challenging to attain, with an exceptionally competitive application process.
“That five of our companies have been successful is a truly remarkable achievement.
“It’s wonderful that, between them, they have made a clean sweep of all the awards available and have added to the growing list of double-winners from this part of the world.
“Derbyshire is rightly seen as a county of innovation and excellence and these awards are a shining example of the incredible business talent that we have on our doorstep. Huge congratulations to all of them.”
Cosy’s award follows a hugely successful four years in which it has grown its export activity by 2,000%, including hiring multilingual export staff, opening a trading office in mainland Europe and expanding its operations via a joint enterprise across Canada and the USA.
Its managing director, David Hook, said: “Our whole team have worked so hard to reform Cosy’s process and quality to get us export fit.
“With a brand-new team and offices and staff in the Netherlands, it’s one of our four stellar growth divisions. To be lucky enough to win two King’s Awards as we approach our 15th year is simply brilliant and we’re all over the moon.”