EnviroVent Celebrates Corporate Knighthood
The specialist in domestic ventilation shares a presentation event with clients, suppliers & local dignitaries.
Her Majesty’s representative, Colonel Edward York, the Vice Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire presented EnviroVent’s Managing Director, Nick Heaton and Finance Director, Ron Russell-Hobbs with the famous emblem engraved Crystal Bowl along with the Scroll signed by The Queen and The Prime Minister at the formal ceremony at the firm’s Harrogate factory on the 25th September 2009.
Over 100 people were seated in front of a tastefully decorated stage in anticipation of the prestigious event. Joining staff members to witness the occasion were various suppliers, clients and local dignitaries, these included the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Pat Jones and the Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, Mr Phil Willis. The citation was read by Stephen Knight, secretary to the Lord Lieutenant’s office before the presentation commenced.
Colonel York read out a speech that was written by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne, underlining the high-status of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise which is the most esteemed accolade that a UK business can win. Colonel York added that he was extremely impressed with how the company had originally marketed the winning entry.
Paying tribute to his team, Nick Heaton took time to name individuals who had been instrumental in designing, developing, manufacturing and selling the very first EnviroVent Filterless Extractor Fans, concluding with a special mention to EnviroVent’s founder, Frank Farmer. He said, ‘By winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, EnviroVent is flying the Flag for British manufacturing.”
The company celebrated with champagne and canopies in the main boardroom afterwards and Colonel York enjoyed an impressed tour around the EnviroVent factory: he said “I attend many formal events and I must say that the set-up here is most impressive.”
EnviroVent won its Queen’s Award in the Innovation category in April this year. The firm specialises in the manufacture of low energy, sustainable domestic ventilation solutions and was commended for the design, development and manufacture of the EnviroVent Filterless Extractor Fan.
For further information, visit http://www.envirovent.com
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Notes to Editors
EnviroVent manufactures low-energy, sustainable domestic ventilation equipment designed to improve indoor air quality and to eliminate condensation and black mould which now affects one in five properties in Great Britain. It designs and manufactures all products at its Harrogate base and supplies predominantly to the social housing sector, selling to more than 1000 housing associations, private landlords and regeneration bodies.
Originally established by Frank Farmer in 1987 as a specialist producer of condensation control units, the business has amassed a powerful track record and reputation due to the environmental benefits, innovative design and performance of its products. A ‘champion’ of improving air quality, established in 1997, the company became a plc in 1998. In August 2007, EnviroVent became an integral part of the Soler and Palau Group, a world leader in ventilation, following a management buy-out led by current MD Nick Heaton.
About The Queen’s Awards:
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious Awards for business success. There are four categories of Queen’s Awards – three for business success (International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development) and one for individual achievement in encouraging enterprise and entrepreneurship in the UK. Companies apply for the Business Awards, but individuals must be nominated for The QAEP.
In April 2009, 194 business Awards were bestowed in the business categories of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2009. 135 companies won Awards for International Trade, 49 for Innovation and 10 for Sustainable Development. In addition, 11 individuals received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion (QAEP)
The Queen’s Awards were originally established in 1966, when they were known as The Queen’s Awards to Industry. In 1976 they were replaced by two separate Awards – ‘The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement’ and ‘The Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement’. A third Award was added in 1994 – ‘The Queen’s Awards for Environmental Achievement’. In 2000, the Awards were renamed The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the three categories changed to International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion was added in 2004.