Electronics Weekly

An MPEG decoder and PCB X-ray system were two of the UK developed technologies winning a Queen's Award for Enterprise this week.

Winners in the innovation category included Dage Precision Industries for its PCB x-ray system and e2v technologies, which was recognised for its magnetron design which is used in the treatment of cancer.

Chelmsford-based e2v also helped design a CCD sensor used in Andor Technology's award-winning camera. Other winners for innovation were military semiconductor developer MBDA and Link Research for its low delay MPEG encoder.

An encouraging number of electronics SMEs were named as winners of international business awards. They included Wolfson Microelectronics and Oxford Semiconductor. Over 90 per cent of Wolfson's semiconductor business is outside the UK.

"Our export sucess has been achieved by forging close relations with overseas customers," said Oxford Semiconductor's CEO James Foster.

Also picking up export awards were Ampy Automation Digilog, a developer of electronic electricity meters with built-in intelligence, Bluetooth chip supplier CSR, Yorkshire-based PestWest Electronics and Spirent Communications.

The strength of the SME sector was apparent with almost half of this year's winners employing less than 50 people. As many as 90 per cent of previous winners said the Award had commercial benefits and significantly boosted staff morale.

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