Land Rover among Queen’s Award winners

The Solihull-based 4x4 maker won the International Trade Award, increasing export sales by £1.3 billion over three years to nearly £4 billion a year. It also secured the Innovation Award, thanks to its Terrain Response System. Land Rover exports more than 75% of its vehicles to 147 countries. Last year sales rose 17.6 per cent to 226,395 units. The Terrain Response sets up the vehicle's engine response and traction to maximise performance on all surfaces. The company likens the system to an expert instructor sitting next to the driver. Land Rover's managing director Phil Popham, said, "To win not one but two Queen's Awards is a considerable achievement and a testament to Land Rover's relevance and modernity in its 60th anniversary year. It demonstrates we are building and selling desirable and technically advanced cars around the world and generating significant wealth for Britain." The SMMT reports that Land rover sales for the first quarter of 2008 are also soaring – by 13% compared to 2007. The company says that emerging markets are leading the sales drive; Russia is currently running 176% ahead of last year with 4,690 sales and China is ahead by 224% with 3,239 sales. Lamd Rover was among 139 business Awards and 11 individual Awards announced yesterday (21 April, The Queen's birthday). The Awards are made in three categories: International Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Development. Products and services from winners in the International Trade category rangd from the design, development and manufacture of luxury powerboats and yachts to counter terrorism defence services. Awards in the Innovation category included the creation of a revolutionary horse feed made from sugar beet and the development of a system for securing wheelchairs in coaches. This year's Sustainable Development category rewarded the provision of fresh-cut fruit, prepared at source, and aimed at maximising the sustainability benefits created for local producers and the production of sustainable construction materials, using power station ash output to manufacture products, including blended cements, grouts and waste stabilisation materials. John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said: "We want more new and growing businesses in the UK and more companies and people acting on their enterprising ideas - and these outstanding Award-winners are all great examples of that.