Industrial Washing Machines' Queen's Award triumph

The ceremony was held at the company's Birmingham offices on August 4, 2014, with the Lord Lieutenant awarding IWM the scroll and crystal bowl in the presence of the High Sheriff, employees, suppliers and IWM partners. IWM won the Queen's Award for Enterprise – International Trade for its outstanding export growth and global reach. "Winning such a prestigious accolade was a big confidence boost for us," said Carl Hollier, managing director at IWM. "It also meant so much to my father who founded the company and moulded it into the strong manufacturing unit it is today. IWM is a success story because of the people who put their heart and soul into it, and a Queen's Award is the ultimate recompense for us all." The Lord Lieutenant, Paul Chandrasekharan Sabapathy CBE, added: "It is always great to see small, family-run businesses that take chances and forge their own destiny. Five-hundred-and-seventy per cent growth in the last three years alone is a great achievement, and we are here to celebrate their dedication and courage in taking the business further. The private sector needs more companies like IWM and, obviously, more leaders like Mr Hollier guiding them."