Western Morning News

High-Tech Firms Meet The Queen - 16/07/2003

The Queen will be meeting staff from two innovative West-country businesses at Buckingham Palace tonight after both company’s won a prestigious award for enterprise.
Representatives fro Tripos Receptor Research in Bude and Plymouth-based BAe Systems have been invited to this evening’s palace reception as winners of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2003. Both firms received the endorsement in the innovation category.
The awards were announced in April as part of celebrations to mark the Queen’s birthday.
BAe Systems was recognised for its cutting-edge silicon gryoscope technology and Tripos Receptor Research for its leading drug compound work.
Tripos Receptor Research received its award for the way it has developed a service for the way it has developed a service for pharmaceutical companies which speeds up and improves the efficiency of finding potential drug compounds.
At Tripos, employees were asked if they would like to represent the company at the reception and names were put into an envelope and drawn at random. Philip Small, vice president of high throughput chemistry, Stephanie Clark a computational chemist, and John Greening, high throughput chemistry team leader were picked out of the hat.
Jane Heenan, vice president of human resources and facilities, said: “We are delighted that Phil, Stephanie, and John will be attending the reception, each represents a different department within the company and they have been with Tripos receptor Research almost since its creation in 1997 so have seen our success and rapid growth.”
Dr Peter Hecht, managing director of TRR, added there is an “exceptional” team of chemists and research scientists at the firm. He said: “They have skilfully blended medicinal chemistry operations with Tripos’ proprietary informatics and knowledge management capabilities.”
For BAe systems, Colin Fancourt, director of solid state sensors automotive and commercial, Richard Windemer, sales executive, and Lenny Davis, senior administration officer will be attending the reception.
The firm won the award for developing a tiny silicon gyroscope which is used in the control of rotational movement in the commercial and defence sectors.
Smaller and cheaper than previous gyroscopes, they are used in “smart” missiles, in anti-ski braking and navigation systems in cards and in the self-balancing two-wheeled Segway human transporter.
Running since 1965, the awards are valid for five years and winners can fly the award flag and display the emblem on their letterheads and in advertising material, Jacqui Smith, Minister for State for Industry and the Regions, said: “This accolade is not given lightly.”

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