Natgraph’s Queen’s Award success was shared with the entire team recently when Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir John Peace, visited our Nottingham factory to make the official presentation of a crystal bowl, and have the Royal citation read.
Sir John also took the opportunity to meet the Natgraph Management Team and hear how the company secured the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. He then took a tour of the factory before making the presentation.
Natgraph heard they had won the Queen’s Award in April and this official presentation was the latest in a series of celebrations which included a reception at Buckingham Palace, attended by Chris Preston and Rick Mann, during which they met Princess Beatrice of York, and a further reception at Nottingham University with HRH The Duke of Kent, in June, attended by Irene Fitzgerald, Geoff Bowley, Darren Kerry, and Alan Shaw.
We sat down with Sales Director, Douglas Gray, who received the award on behalf of the company to discuss with him the award.
Asked why he believed Natgraph won the award, Douglas put it down to the companies focus on embodying the spirit of manufacturing, saying that, “There are strict criteria dictated in the process and obviously, we met those with ease. More broadly Natgraph embodies the spirit of British manufacturing in that we are successful, innovative and offer high-performance premium products that are needed. We are highly responsive to customer needs, ambitious and have a clear strategy for continued success around the world.
The panel recognised this and saw us as an example of all that is good about British business. The award was specifically for export trade which the government is keen to promote so I guess we are a good example of what is possible. I have heard statistics that say only 14% of UK business with exportable products or services actually export so understandably this is to be encouraged. With close to 90% export we are a good example of what can be achieved.”
When receiving the award, Douglas said, “We were honoured to be visited by Sir John who was very interested to see and hear how Natgraph has become the world leader in its field. This was also a very special day for all the team in Nottingham, whose skill, hard work and commitment have been key factors in our success over many years.”
Douglas then answered the question about what he thinks made Natgraph stand out among the competition, and what important the award will have for the company. “Firstly we are exporting an eye-catching proportion of our output. Without export trade, we would barely have a business. Our brand is recognised and trusted around the world and in no small part that is because we are British and this still counts for more than many people think. It is a message that is reflected on our products and promotional material and which I believe reassures distant customers.
He went on to say, "We have many competitors of which a substantial number are in Low-Cost Economies yet will still succeed and prosper. The reason for our success includes the softer stuff like brand, strategy, good business acumen and an ambition to meet the needs of the most demanding applications in the market.
A business, in the round, is not too different from the individual. People thrive on recognition and credit and in that respect, the business is no different. We made a plan, we executed, it gave us the result we expected and the award was recognition and celebration of our achievements. Inevitably the award brought publicity in the UK itself and also the opportunity to generate publicity and interest in North America and Asia where there is considerable interest in all things Royal."
We asked Douglas what he believes the impact of the award will be. In response, he said “Whether the award will make a huge difference to our business is questionable. It adds some credibility, aids marketing and we enjoy using the QA logo but I think the objective goes beyond our company and is about enthusing others to get into exporting. This is something I believe in wholeheartedly and to that end try to do my bit as an Export Champion for The Midlands Engine.”