WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — Alvan Blanch, a U.K.-based manufacturer of post-harvesting processing machinery and industrial drying systems, received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2019 in the International Trade — Outstanding Achievement category.

This is the third time that the company has received the award having won previously in 2005 and 2012.

With regular markets in every inhabited continent, the company has focused on using its international trade to drive growth, while maintaining its established U.K. customer base.

Understanding the challenges and changes of fast-moving markets has been crucial for Alvan Blanch to achieve its international success, the company said. In addition to a well-known grain drier business, Alvan Blanch has dedicated engineering and design teams.

The last five years have seen a large expansion in global operations for the Wiltshire-based manufacturer. The company has opened sales offices and service centers in several markets in Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe, benefitting customer and dealer relationships.

“We are very proud to have won this award for the third time; it represents a great achievement by everyone here,” said Andrew Blanch, managing director.  “When we first won it 14 years ago we had managed £3 million of export sales, the award in 2012 reflected sharp growth of exports to £8 million, while now we have reached £12 million. Over that period, we have doubled our workforce to 120 and we have recently invested very heavily in manufacturing automation and in expanding our factory. We now have a world-class manufacturing facility that enables us to compete in highly demanding global markets with our world beating products. But all of that has only been made possible by our 4-fold export sales growth over the 14 years between these awards.”