Airbus wins Queen’s award for Enterprise

Airbus UK, which employs thousands of highly skilled workers from around the region has won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its ‘outstanding overseas growth.’

An A350 XWB wing in production at Broughton – picture courtesy of Airbus

The Queen’s award for Enterprise is the highest accolade a UK business can receive and recognises the companies outstanding achievement in international trade over 3 years.

The 2014 list, published to mark the Queen’s birthday today, contains 162 business awards mixing FTSE companies with private businesses and foreign-owned subsidiaries.

The awards panel praised the company’s care to understand and anticipate the future needs of customers and its attention to environmental issues.

UK business secretary Vince Cable said;

“Companies that are growing, innovating and championing UK business overseas deserve the recognition that these awards bestow, it is clear that Britain is emerging as a leader in selling its quality services and products throughout the world.”

The Airbus site in Broughton manufactures aircraft wings for Airbus aircraft including the flagship A380 and employs over 6000 people.

The wings are transported to final assembly lines in France and Germany, where, along with other major sections manufactured across Europe, they are assembled to form a completed aircraft which are then exported to customers around the world, they have been shipped over to Europe since production started in 1972.

Another completed wing loaded onto a ‘Beluga’ transport plane – picture courtesy of Airbus

The Queen’s Award winners will be visited by a royal representative and given a crystal bowl to mark their achievement.

They will also attend a reception at Buckingham Palace and can use the Queen’s Award emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for five years as a symbol of their quality and success.