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Local engineering company celebrates royal presentation of Queen’s Award for International Trade
10th October 2019
Semmco, a Woking-based engineering company and manufacturer of access platforms and ground support equipment for the aviation sector, and rail access platforms, celebrated its Queen’s Award win with a royal presentation by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent KG, at its facilities in Woking, Surrey on Wednesday 2nd October.
Semmco was given the prestigious award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in recognition of its overseas sales over the last three years.
Operating across Europe, Middle East, Australasia and the Americas, Semmco has opened two new facilities since 2017, with one in Dubai and one in Texas, USA. The global company also has an impressive list of customers, including: British Airways, Qantas, Delta, Easy Jet, First Capital Connect, Alstrom, Rolls Royce and, most recently, JetBlue.
As Vice Chairman of the Overseas Trade Board, The Duke of Kent has undertaken more than 60 trips overseas to promote British trade and exports, including: Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East, so was particularly well-placed to understand the contribution Semmco is making to UK plc and to present Semmco with the award
Semmco is one of 200 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Now in its 53rd year, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the most prestigious business award in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.
The company has seen its overseas sales grow from 19% of total sales in 2015 to 40.5% of total sales in 2017 and 49% of total sales in 2018.
At the event, long-serving staff were presented with individual awards to mark the occasion and to thank them for their contribution to the company success.
Stuart McOnie, Managing Director of Semmco, said “We are extremely proud to have received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade and to have been presented with this award by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent KG. It’s an incredible achievement and one that has been possible because of the hard work and commitment from our amazing staff and the support of all of our customers.
“This award follows some exciting years – in 2017 we opened our Middle East maintenance and assembly facility based in Dubai; in 2018 we expanded our design and manufacturing facility in Woking due to high demand and this year we opened our USA office and factory in Dallas, Texas. We are looking forward to continuing to develop our range of products and to promoting and selling them around the world.”
For more information about Semmco visit www.semmco.com
