AWARD HOLDERS 2019-2022
MRT Castings Ltd
Last year, MRT Castings was proud to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade for the second time in six years. Following its 2016 award for International Trade, MRT had experienced a further period of exceptional growth. MRT produces aluminium die-castings and machined components for a wide range of UK and international customers. These components are used in applications as diverse as hi-fi equipment to supercars, and designer lighting to military control systems. One of the company’s largest markets is in medical devices and, in particular, critical care ventilators. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, hospitals around the world were in desperate need of additional ventilators to treat critically ill patients. Since 2014, MRT has worked with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of these ventilators, supplying 21 components in each unit. Prior to the pandemic, MRT produced approximately 4,000 kits of these precision engineered components each year, but between April 2020 and March 2021, MRT dramatically scaled up operations to manufacture over 26,000 sets, enabling its customers to supply life-saving ventilators to every corner of the globe. Last year MRT celebrated its 75th anniversary. The family-owned business was originally established
in London, then relocated to its current production base in Hampshire in 1965. It has steadily expanded the scale and complexity of its production facilities over the years, and just prior to the pandemic, opened a new, purpose- built, state-of-the-art die-casting foundry to accommodate future growth. With the challenge of rapidly scaling up operations to respond to the Covid-19 crisis, the business invested in additional die- casting cells and CNC machining centres, and almost doubled its workforce, instantly transforming the new foundry into a hive of productivity and innovation.
International sales grew by 437% over the three years to 2022, and the proportion of sales exported increased to 85% of total sales. Managing Director, Phil Rawnson, explains: “To have won two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise just six years apart is testament to the relentless energy and enthusiasm of our team, and to receive this honour during the company’s 75th anniversary year was particularly special.”
MRT’s new world-class die-casting foundry
MRT CASTINGS LTD South Way, Walworth Business Park, Andover, Hampshire SP10 5JT Tel: +44 (0)1264 324021 • general@mrt-castings.co.uk www.mrt-castings.co.uk @MRTcastings mrt-castings-ltd
Roberts Recycling
In 2022 Roberts recycling ltd won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade – for the Second time Running. It was a thrill for us as a Knowsley business to receive recognition from Her Majesty the Queen in her Jubilee Year. The company was started 10 years ago by three brothers Paul , John and Simon Roberts. Paul now 37, left Swansea University with a BSc Hons in Marketing, John now 35, left with a BA Hons in Accountancy from Liverpool university Simon now 33 Left Leeds university with a BSc Hons in Sports business management. What started in a portacabin is now a multi million pound company with three warehouses in Knowsley and one in Cardiff – Flying the flag. The nature of the business is to divert unwanted clothes from the waste stream and sell on to other markets as re wearable clothing. Suppliers of the clothing are the general public, fund raisers, schools, charities, and clubs with one aim.... to exchange unwanted items for much needed funds. This was ahead of its time in vision and principles when they set out. More recently, due to the massive uptake of online shopping the online shops have had to come up with an ethical and sustainable disposal services for the mountains of clothing returns generated by online shopping started during the covid pandemic . The call for this service has been so great the business has been in the privileged position of expansion.
In 2019 and 2022 Roberts Recycling was the recipient of a Queen’s Award for Export. As a result, the team met the then-Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace
The company’s newest warehouse, which to- tals 15,000 sq ft, has solar panels on the roof
The winning team
The company has also started a service called Collect My Clothes.“People can go online and book in for old clothes to be collected,”says Simon.“We will do the pick up in our electric van. There is a list of charities on the website and people can choose which ones will benefit from the sale of the clothes. We have gone national with that, partnering with other collectors.” Roberts Recycling sends, on average, 180 tonnes of clothing overseas every week. In 2019 and 2022 it was the recipient of a Queen’s Award for Export for its outstanding growth in international trade. In 2020 and 2021 Roberts was a finalist in the National Recycling Awards and, in the last few months, has scooped the Zero Carbon Award at Knowsley Business Awards. “On average, around 90% of the clothes we export overseas are re-used as garments,”says Simon.“We want to ensure nothing goes to landfill. That 10-12% that isn’t directly re-used can be re-purposed.”
We have been inspired to create a beautiful space around us, commissioned a mural inspired by nature and created by a local artist. We also employ a full time apiarist who looks after the newly installed bee hives. The honey produced is donated to our local community cafe. Calling all fashion brands and other retailers looking to add or dispose of stocks in the best possible and ethical way. If you want it we may have it.. if you don’t want it... we will have it! Contact us we are actively seeking more challenges. ROBERTS RECYCLING LTD Unit 4, Brickfields, Huyton Business Park, Liverpool, Merseyside L36 6HY Tel: 08000 142412 • info@robertsrecycling.co.uk recycle4school recycle4schooluk @robertsrecycle
King’s Awards Magazine 2023
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