ROYAL CELEBRATIONS ACROSS WORCESTERSHIRE

HRH The Princess Royal pays visit to Redditch logistics company

The Princess Royal visited supply chain and logistics company Oakland International in Redditch to acknowledge the company’s efforts in ensuring food continued to reach the shelves throughout the pandemic.

Oakland International, a family business which has seen demand rise sharply, invested more than £700,000 in Covid prevention measures to protect employees. These included extending staff canteen facilities and installing new technology including a sanitising drymist fogging system.

The Princess Royal met Oakland team members from across the business, Oakland brand partner Mindful Chef and key customer Golden Acre.

Royal approval for Worcestershire businesses

The Earl of Wessex paid a visit to Worcestershire businesses to thank them for their work supporting the nation through the Covid crisis.

Creative communication company DRPG built a dedicated Covid testing centre at its Kidderminster site, spent more than £4 million on infrastructure and employed more than 80 extra people during the year.

His Royal Highness learned how, despite a 60 per cent drop in sales, DRPG developed its virtual event offering into a £9 million business in its own right and implemented the biggest investment programme in the company’s history.

The Earl planted a tree to mark the occasion, alongside members of DRPG’s sustainability team who are creating new borders to encourage biodiversity and increase environmental awareness on the 4.5 acre studio complex.

Dale Parmenter, Group CEO, said: “As a business we are stronger and more prepared than ever to take on the challenges and opportunities in the future.”

The Earl then headed to Malvern Panalytical to learn about its scientific and technical contribution to the development of medicines and vaccines to treat and prevent Covid-19.

Mark Fleiner President, at Malvern Panalytical, said: “Throughout 2020 and 2021 we have witnessed our analytical systems and services make a real contribution to the development of protein antigen and mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, as well as to the development of antiviral drugs. Malvern Panalytical provides the instruments and expertise to support robust and rapid vaccine development and assist pharmaceutical organisations in assuring the quality of vaccines and other treatments.”

Worcester camping equipment company wins Queen’s Award

Worcester camping equipment specialist, Olpro, has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2021.

The 10-year-old camping brand’s increased international sales helped the business nearly double its turnover and employees within the last 12 months.

Exports account for 12 per cent of Olpro’s turnover and international demand continues to rise. The company shipped to 29 di erent countries in the last year.

Daniel Walton, founder of Olpro, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be a Queen’s Award winner. The award recognises the exceptional interest in our brand and innovative products, but also represents how people across the globe have shown a growing interest in camping and enjoying the great outdoors.”