
Gray & Adams, Leyland Trucks, TruTac and Eminox were amongst the winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. A total of nine businesses related to the commercial vehicle sector were recognised amongst 220 other businesses in the four categories of Innovation, International Trade, Promoting Opportunity (Social Mobility) and Sustainable Development as part of the Queen’s Award 2020.
Leyland Trucks was honoured for its impressive and sustained growth in international trade with more than 19,000 trucks manufactured and sold in the UK and across the world. Leyland Trucks builds DAF’s LF, CF and XF exporting them to six continents.
Brennan Gourdie, MD at Leyland Trucks, said, “Our reputation as an outstanding truck manufacturer, not just in the UK but around the world, is led by the passion of our great employees and of the exceptional DAF distribution network. Without them, we couldn’t have achieved our exporting success and this award reflects their exceptional commitment, talent and hard work.”
Gray & Adams won an Innovation award for its double-deck trailer designs which have seen widespread uptake by household names including DPD, John Lewis and Warburtons. One new trailer, known as the Pod, was designed in collaboration with NewCold Logistics in 2019 and enables auto loading in temperature-controlled environments to reduce loading times and ensure best quality produce. A second new product developed with global perishable cargo specialists, Perishable Movements, is a refrigerated trailer with an automated loading and unloading system which transfers the cargo via a series of drive rollers that are built into the floor.
Software provider and tachograph analysis experts TruTac also picked up an Innovation award for its contribution towards safety and drivers’ hours recording. TruTac processes more than 3m driver and vehicle records per month and have tailored their product specifically towards Bus and Coach safety with TruTac’s software designers writing an entirely different set of rules with unique algorithms, based on the PSV ruleset and the bespoke operational requirements of coach and bus operations within the UK and Europe.
TruTac MD, Terry Ramsey, said, “We work closely with PSV and HGV operators, so their data helps them closely manage their operations while remaining compliant and protecting their operator’s licence. This award is in recognition of our ongoing innovative solutions for PSV operators, much the same as we have developed for the HGV industry, to aid compliance and reduce the risk of fines and other DVSA penalties.”
Eminox was recognised in the International Trade award category for their exports which have seen overseas sales grow by 146% over the past three-years. Export sales have risen to 67% of the company’s total sales. Eminox designs and manufactures sustainable systems to reduce exhaust pollutant emissions from buses, trucks, rail, marine vehicles and non-road mobile machines and has seen a substantial growth in business due to international emissions requirements.
Also recognised in the International Trade category were powertrain specialists Drive System Design and time-critical logistics specialist Priority Freight. High performance aluminium alloy manufacturer Grainger & Worrall received and Innovation award along with smart ticketing systems provider Ticketer, while Plymouth Citybus was honoured for its work helping disadvantaged people get into a job in the Promoting Opportunity Award.