SimVenture directors, from left: Paul Brough Jones (COO), Paul Harrington (Co-founder & CTO), Peter Harrington (Co-founder & CEO)
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 (DBT) Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards.
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 Warner’s Distillery, an independent, family-owned craft drinks producer that creates 100% 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.
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 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 & 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. The latter five categories have been introduced as new additions this year to ensure that businesses from all sectors could enter.
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, ranks as Scotland’s only “volume production” car company and plans to build 50 vehicles by mid-2024 before shifting 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:
- Agri, 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. Left: Media Bodies, Founder Edward Fuller
- 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% of its paying customers are international, generating approximately 70% 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. Left: PG Paper Company, joint CEO DR Poonam Gupta OBE and her husband Puneet Gupta OBE
- 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 AmerisourceBergen. Left: Ciga Healthcare, Founder and CEO Irwin Armstrong
- 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. Left: Autoflame Engineering, Steve Kemp and Nick Kemp (twins and joint Directors)
- 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. Left: IceMOS Technology, Founder Samuel Anderson
This year’s highly commended businesses include:
- Agriculture, Food and Drink
Highly Commended: Doughlicious – The London Dough Co.
Doughlicious is a “Better for You” cookie dough platform. The Doughlicious brand is present in the frozen, chilled and ambient categories throughout retailers and food service. All its cookie dough is gluten-free and manufactured in our its factory in London, which runs on renewable electricity. The product lines consist of ready-to-bake cookie dough, cookie dough and gelato bites and baked ready-to-eat cookies.
Highly Commended: LoveRaw
LoveRaw is the plant-based chocolate brand; free from palm oil and artificial ingredients, creating indulgent vegan versions of the nation’s favourite chocolate bars. Husband-and-wife team Rimi and Manav Thapar launched LoveRaw, a B-Corp Certified business, in 2013.
Highly Commended: Wootzano
Wootzano is a British state-of-the-art robotics company based in Sedgefield, northeast of England. Their highly dexterous robotic system, Avaraia, is crafted to meet the needs of the post-harvest industry by supplementing a struggling workforce in the packing of delicate, soft produce.
- Creative Industries
Highly Commended: Sixteen South
Sixteen South is focussed on the creation of the highest quality television for kids in every country across the world. Sixteen South creates, produces and distributes its own unique and original content from their studios with the ambition that they’re seen by every child in every home in every country across the world. Their shows air on the leading networks and broadcasters in over 160 countries across the globe.
Highly Commended: Katapult
Katapult is an award-winning themed attractions and experiences design company that amaze and engage visitors globally. Its work is enjoyed by 95 million visitors, at 120 attractions, in 26 different countries, every year. It works alongside the biggest names in the leisure industry to create theme parks, themed resorts, experience and visitor attractions, including The LEGO Group, Merlin Entertainments, Warner Bros Discovery, Ferrari and many more. Katapult is a B-Corp certified business.
Highly Commended: Wales Interactive
Wales Interactive is a multi-award-winning indie video games and interactive movie developer, publisher and investor. As well as creating our own in-house titles, we have evolved into a publishing label collaborating with some of the most talented game developers and film makers across the globe to help bring their original creations to gaming platforms.
- Education & EdTech
Highly Commended: TransformELT Ltd
TransformELT is an English Language Teaching consultancy enabling individuals, institutions and education systems to define, design and meet their development goals by building progressive strategies for change. Launched in 2017, TransformELT has taken part in a succession of high-profile projects in 44 countries.
Highly Commended: International Dyslexia Learnings Solutions Ltd
International Dyslexia Learning Solutions provides specialist multi-sensory software to schools in the UK and around the world. Our goal is to provide learning support to those most in need and our software is used by thousands of learners across the globe. IDL Literacy dramatically increases reading and spelling ages for those with dyslexia or low literacy ability.
Highly Commended: Learning with Experts
Learning with Experts is an online learning platform, uniting enthusiastic learners with leading experts in diverse subjects like gardening, photography, and Food. The courses are enriched through partnerships with the Royal Horticultural Society and River Cottage, and focus on interactive, community-centric education.
- Financial Services and FinTech
Highly Commended: Exus
EXUS helps Financial Institutions and Utilities improve their debt collection results through state-of-the-art technology. EFS (EXUS Financial Suite) is the main product offered and this is a comprehensive suite of software products that manage credit risk along the whole lifecycle of accounts.
Highly Commended: Tapoly
Tapoly is an award-winning Insurtech providing business insurance for SMEs and freelancers. Winner of Technological Development at the European Business Awards 2021 and Insurance Broker of the Year at the British Business Awards 2023, Tapoly provides a comprehensive list of insurance products to cater for businesses of all sizes, including the gig economy.
Highly Commended: Konsentus
Konsentus provides specialist advisory services and technology solutions to support the national implementation of open finance ecosystems. Subject matter experts, Konsentus advisors have a proven track record in navigating complex, multi-stakeholder ecosystems and understanding individual regulatory and market requirements. Konsentus’ award-winning technology powers national open finance infrastructures. Modular and scalable by design, our trust infrastructure solutions are tailored to individual market requirements, enabling ecosystem participants to seamlessly identify each other and interact within a safe and trusted environment. Founded in 2018, Konsentus is active across 37 markets and counts many of the largest global financial institutions as clients.
- Retail & Consumer Goods
Highly Commended: Katy Sue Designs
Katy Sue Designs is an award-winning British company specialising in crafting innovative food safe silicone moulds and unique paper craft products. Proudly manufacturing in the UK, Katy Sue Designs brings an exceptional range of die-cut, foiled paper crafts, stickers, and more.
Highly Commended: Urban Apothecary London Limited
Urban Apothecary London started life at the kitchen table in 2012 as founder and perfumer-alchemist Tajinder Banwait MBE sat surrounded by aromatic botanicals spilling from beautiful bottles and her notebook of scent stories. This modern apothecary British brand is fuelled by a passion for blending flowers, fruits, resins and woods in unconventional, contemporary ways.
Highly Commended: Captain Fawcett Ltd
Founded in 2010 by Richard Finney, Captain Fawcett Ltd is an international lifestyle brand specialising in First Class Gentlemans Grooming Requisites. The company was established after Richards Moustache Wax, initially crafted for personal use, won acclaim among film industry professionals.
- Consultancy & Professional Services
Highly Commended: Luminance
Built on a proprietary legal Large Language Model (LLM), Luminance’s specialised legal co-pilot uses next-generation AI to automate the generation, negotiation and analysis of contracts. Developed by world-leading AI experts, validated by leading lawyers, and in use by over 600 customers in 70 countries, Luminance’s ‘legal-grade’ AI is a key component of any legal team.
Highly Commended: People 1st International
People 1st International partners with industry, development banks, government agencies, NGOs and education providers to create sustainable approaches to workforce development. Providing consultancy, research and training solutions globally, it develops skilled, productive and inclusive workforces to help drive social and economic growth.
Highly Commended: EECO2
EECO2 works with global life science organisations – empowering them to reach their decarbonisation targets ahead of promised deadlines through proven energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. It works across the globe with the smallest and largest pharma organisations to decarbonise their operations.
- Healthcare
Highly Commended: Dulas Ltd
For over 40 years, Dulas has been a pioneer in renewable energy. Its mission is to develop and implement renewable energy solutions that improve lives, help to combat climate change, and support communities in the most rural parts of the world.
Highly Commended: Chemian Technology
Chemian Technology Limited (CTL) has developed, patented and now makes almost all its income from a naturally derived, but highly effective insect repellent active substance, that it supplies to producers of consumer insect repellent brands under its general Trade Name of Citrepel.
Highly Commended: Evenly Ltd
Evenly Bra Balancers are for all those with uneven breasts, no matter what the cause. Breast asymmetry, where there is a noticeable difference in the size of the breasts, affects up to 90% of women. Multiple studies have shown the damaging effects this can have on a woman’s self-esteem, mental health, physical comfort and quality of life and researchers repeatedly stress that this is more than just a cosmetic issue. Evenly’s silicone breast forms offer a non-surgical, affordable and natural-looking solution.
- Infrastructure & Engineering
Highly Commended: Inciner8
Inciner8 manufactures cutting-edge incinerators for diverse customers and applications in more than 180 countries. Inciner8 has been built on one simple principle: well-designed incinerators, suitable for installation anywhere, providing a safe, environmentally responsible, and convenient form of waste disposal.
Highly Commended: Xrail Group Ltd
Xrail is an international rail engineering solutions provider delivering turnkey multi-disciplinary signalling, telecommunications, overhead line (OLE) and trackside civils engineering services.
Highly Commended: Belzona Ltd
Belzona designs and manufactures polymeric repair and protection materials for industry. Across its 72-year history, the Business has engineered an extensive portfolio of solutions that prolong the asset-life in an ever-growing number of industries, thereby reducing the need for replacement. This mitigates not just the financial costs of replacing equipment, but also the harmful environmental consequences.
- Low Carbon Energy – Munro Vehicles
Highly Commended: Silverstream Technologies
Silverstream Technologies is a market-leading maritime clean technology company specialising in hull air lubrication. The company is headquartered in London with offices in Shanghai. The Silverstream® System reduces frictional resistance between the water and the ship’s hull, reducing average net fuel consumption and GHG emissions. They export to all corners of the world including Japan, China, Dubai and Europe.
Highly Commended: Rosehill Polymers Group
Based in Sowerby Bridge, Rosehill Polymers Group specialises in creating innovative infrastructure products from recycled tyre rubber. Rosehill has a global reach and export their products to over 40 countries.
Highly Commended: Clearly
Together Global Ltd. (trading as Clearly) is a data-driven mobility emissions platform which offers net-zero solutions for decarbonising road transportation. It integrates diverse data sources, like vehicle/GPS data, operations/shipments data, fuel & energy data, financial data, and sustainability regulations, to provide a unified view and calculates accurate fleet emission/energy intensity. They currently export to US, Norway and Thailand.
- Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing and Construction
Highly Commended: I Holland Ltd
I Holland has been specialising in superior quality punches and dies for the pharmaceutical industry for over 75 years, making us the longest established tool manufacturer in the world.
Highly Commended: Vikoma International Limited
Vikoma designs and manufactures oil-spill response, industrial clean up and environmental protection equipment, with a reputation for innovation, quality and reliability. The company provides products and services to various industries and has solutions for all scenarios; offshore oil & gas, ports and harbours, shoreline, refinery & petrochemical and onshore.
Highly Commended: Silson Ltd
Silson is a manufacturer of ultra-thin films, specialising in silicon nitride, silicon carbide and silicon membranes, as well as more advanced, customer-specified products. Our products are used during scientific research experiments and often in equipment on beam-lines.
