Timsons award was given specifically for international trade, in which it had to demonstrate outstanding achievement for the size of its operation. Over the three years leading to the award, Timsons overseas earnings went up 80%, representing three quarters of its total turnover.

Timsons marketing director John Miles said: As a small company operating in the backstreets of Kettering, this sort of award is great for our credibility, especially in the international market where trust is everything.

Timsons main markets are within North America and Europe but, according to Miles, there is a great awareness of emerging markets in the Far East.

FFEIs award was for Innovation, specifically for its Luxel F-9000 imagesetter. For this award it demonstrated outstanding innovation for its advances in multi-beam expose technology, which can image at three times the speed of conventional technology.

The machine was launched at Ipex 98 and became commercially available in 1999. FFEI managing director Andy Cook said: It was actually a customer that suggested we ought to apply for the award as the F-9000 was a really significant innovation.

Beardow Adams, the Milton Keynes-based hot melt adhesive manufacturer, also won an Innovation award for its BAMFutura hot melt. The firm is a major supplier to printers and bookbinders.

Story by Rachel Barnes