Burton Mail

Staff at a Burton firm were celebrating today after receiving the highest honour a business can achieve – being chosen for a Queen’s Award.
Activa Healthcare has been selected by Buckingham Palace to receive an award for innovation in the field of compression hosiery and bandages.
The business was set up four years ago on the Imex Business Park off Shobnall Road to develop “compression therapy” products for venous diseases such as varicose veins, and leg ulcers.
The company’s marketing director Rob Holder told the Mail the firm’s unique and modern designs have made the image of TVs Nora Batty’s surgical stockings a thing of the past.
Since it was formed the firm has already established a 28 per cent market share of all compression hosiery being sold in the UK and a six per cent share of the bandages market.
The firm’s success story led to it being invited to submit a bid for the prestigious Queen’s Award and this week it was announced that the firm had been chosen for an award for innovation.
It is one of 123 outstanding companies across the country which have been chosen for an Award and one of just eight from the West Midlands.
Three members of staff will now be travelling down to Buckingham Palace for a winner’s reception which will be hosted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Marketing Director Rob Holder said: “There has not really been any innovation in our field since 1988 and 40 per cent of us will suffer from venous problems at some stage in our lives. It is a really serious problem.”
Activa has been given the Queen’s Award for outstanding innovation for its unique design and use of materials which have produced “a new generation” of medical compression hosiery.
Mr Holder told the Mail the firm had designed products which were intended to be easy and comfortable to wear and also look good. The firm has also made technological innovation in bandaging with the creation of Actico, the first ever two layer cohesive short stretch bandage system which reduces the cost and time of treating leg ulcers which used to be treated with four-layer bandages.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise differ from personal honours because they recognise the achievement of the successful business unit as a whole management and employees working as a team. Activa Healthcare can now benefit from the prestige associated with The Queen’s Award. The firm is entitled to fly the award flag from its base on the Imex Business Park and to display the emblem on their letter headings, in advertising, or, on the packaging of goods produced in this country.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have taken a close interest in the Award and will be hosting a reception with three representative from each of the 123 winners across the country.
The Awards will be presented to staff on behalf of the Queen by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire during the coming months.
The Queen’s Award to Industry, the Scheme’s original title, was instituted by Royal Warrant in 1966 as recommended by a committee chaired by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
The 2003 Awards have been made by The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, who was assisted by an Advisory Committee.

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