A Coventry vitamin and supplement manufacturer has been officially presented with one of the most prestigious awards in business for a second time after hugely increasing its exports.
Premier Health Products earned the Queen’s Award for International Trade this year after doubling its global orders since 2017 – the year when it won its first Queen’s Award in the same category.
The award was formally presented to the joint managing directors of Premier Health Products, brothers Adam and Simon Petros, by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE, at its HQ on Falkland Close.
And the official certificate featured the signature of the late Queen Elizabeth II, something the Lord Lieutenant said the business ‘would no doubt treasure’.
Queen’s Awards are regarded by many companies to be the pinnacle of business accolades, in part due to the robust process involved in earning one.
Adam said: “It’s an enormous source of pride that we’ve received the Queen’s Award for a second time. To win once was incredible, but to do it twice is outstanding.
“One of the best decisions we ever made was to make the shift to the export market. And the period we’ve had since 2017 has been the most successful in our firm’s history, having established markets in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia.
“Thanks to the hard work of our staff, and the support from the Chamber and the Department for International Trade, we’ve turned this business into something the whole team can be very proud of.”
Since Premier Health Products won its first Queen’s Award in 2017, it invested £3m to move from its old home in Wolfe Road to its current 31,000 sq ft facility on Falkland Close, as well as purchasing new machinery and hiring new staff.
And last year saw Premier Health Products become accredited to GMP standards by the UK Medicines Regulator; Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Its success as an exporting business began after a conversation and support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s then International Trade Director Ajay Desai back in 2007.
Now, it exports to more than 27 countries, and exporting accounts for more than 50 per cent of the company’s sales.
Ajay added: “It is wonderful to see how far Premier Health Products has come since I first worked with the business.
“We have supported the team throughout its growth, and we were delighted when it won its first Queen’s Award. So, for Premier Health Products to win a second while coping with the challenges of COVID and economic disruption is nothing short of remarkable.”
Corin Crane, Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, added: “It’s an incredible achievement to win a Queen’s Award twice – winning it once is impressive enough.
“We would encourage any business interested in applying for a Queen’s Award to take part in one of the Chamber’s masterclasses, where we can advise you on the best strategies for success.”
Pictured: Adam Petros is holding the award flanked by Ajay Desai (Department of International Trade), John Crabtree OBE (Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands), Simon Petros, Corin Crane (Chamber), along with staff, family members and supporters of the business.