Wire joiner firm gains Queens Award

Manufacturer of a wire joiner, Gripple, has received a second Queen's Award for Enterprise - this time for the growth of its international business.

Sheffield, UK-based manufacturer of the unique Gripple wire joiner, Gripple, the has received a second Queen's Award for Enterprise for the growth of its international business Twenty years after the invention of the patented Gripple, approaching 300 million have been sold into the construction, viticultural and fencing markets to more than 2,000 customers across 85 countries worldwide

Between 2003 and 2006 international sales grew by 53% and represented more than 80% of turnover.

The employee-owned company's growth has been achieved by identifying wire joining, tensioning and suspension problems and solving them with innovative products.

This focus on innovation led to a Queen's Award for Innovation in 2000 and a Prince of Wales Award for Innovation back in 1991.

Investing in new markets, strengthening the company's position in established overseas markets and choosing international partners carefully have also been key to Gripple's success.

While maintaining its primary manufacturing base in the UK, Gripple has an established industrial sales operation in France, and in the USA, where the company has had a sales presence for six years,.

The company will be opening a new factory in the USA shortly.

which will incorporate the warehouse and sales office.

Gripple has more than 220 employees worldwide, many of them multi-lingual.

It has achieved a 15% share of the worldwide viticultural market.

The company told manufacturingtalk that since the industrial division was set up in 1998, worldwide sales of its hanger system to the construction industry have seen an average annual growth rate of 26%.

Gripple managing director, Mark Edmonds, said: "This award is a tremendous honour, and a huge milestone in Gripple's development as a world-beating, customer-focused company.

We are delighted and proud that our ongoing efforts to expand our international business have also been recognised in such a highly prestigious way".

He added: "Gripple is founded on defying convention.

This philosophy, which also encompasses a commitment to people, excellence, partnership and community, combined with our ability to communicate in 14 of the world's most commonly used languages, has not only enabled us to compete with foreign competitors but also to leave them standing.".