A Huntingdon-based company has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise after seeing a huge growth in exports.

The lord-lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence OBE, and deputy lieutenant John Bridge OBE, visited Cellbond’s headquarters to present managing director Dr Mike Ashmead with the coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise after exports grew to more than 90 per cent of total output.

Representatives from every team within the business were out in force to welcome the visitors, who enjoyed a tour of the company’s state of the art crash test dummy laboratory and shared a huge celebration cake with the 190 employees.

Cellbond, based on the Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate, was formed in 1988 by Dr Ashmead and has been involved in the field of energy absorption and vehicle safety testing since 1988. From small beginnings – with only three members of staff - Cellbond has grown to become a market leader and employs a diverse and highly skilled workforce. Cellbond’s success in the automotive testing field has led to expansion and the business is currently recruiting for an additional 18 positions ranging from apprenticeships to design engineers available.

A dedicated and on-going investment programme for staff, training, machinery and equipment, partnered with key strategies including opening an office and warehouse facility in Japan and employing multi-lingual staff, has enabled Cellbond to provide the highest levels of customer service.

Dr Ashmead: said: Exporting has been fundamental to Cellbond for nearly 30 years and has allowed for steady, organic but considerable growth. It has enhanced our reputation as a UK company in a global arena where we have 80 per cent of the market share are known as innovators and industry leaders. We are honoured and delighted to have won this award and to showcase how successful UK business can be at a time when there is so much economic uncertainty.”

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the highest award that can be given to any UK business. It recognises a company’s contribution to UK exports but also looks at its role within the local community, environmental impact and the quality of its relationships with suppliers, partners, employees and customers.