Leicester Mercury

A company that manufactures vending machines which re-order products they're running low on has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Supply Point Systems, of Fleckney, picked up the prestigious honour in the innovation category for its Supply Point dispensing system.

The award was announced today on the birthday of the Queen.

The company is the only Queen's Award winner in Leicestershire this year and one of only four East Midlands which were honoured.

Supply Point, which also designs vending machines, created the state-of-the-art system to dispense tools and safety equipment in factories.

The machine also keeps a record of what's been used and automatically orders new products via e-mail when supplies are running low.

The company supplies machines to more than 20 countries world wide and customers include GlaxoSmithKline, Coca-Cola, and Rolls-Royce.

The firm has expanded into Germany and the United States and is also expecting further growth in Leicestershire.

Supply Point was established in 1998 and reached a turnover of £1.6 million in 2003. It employs 10 people at its head office in Churchill Way.

As well as a hand-made crystal bowl, the award comes with an invitation for three employees to join the Queen at a Buckingham Palace evening reception at July 14.

The Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Lady Gretton, will present the award to the firm in June.

Also celebrating today is Ingarsby businessman Adrian Peryer.

His Yorkshire-based company Salamander Organization also won the innovation category of the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Mr Peryer, who works out of Leicestershire, set up the firm four years ago and now employs 33 people.

It provides software and services to some of the world's largest companies.

The winners are able to fly the Queen's Award flag and to display the emblem on their letter headings and in advertising. The award is held for five years, so the companies can enjoy their success until April 2009.

Past winners from Leicestershire have included Alstom, of Whetsone, BL-Pegson, of Coalville, Brush Electrical Machines, of Loughborough, Cooke Optics, of Thurmaston, British United Shoe Machinery, Druck, of Groby, Desford-based Caterpillar (UK) and Bridgeport Machines, of Forest Road, Leicester.

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