Lord Lieutenant Presents Queen’s Award And Opens New Plant

There were multiple reasons for celebration when staff and distinguished guests gathered for the official presentation of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, at the Skipton headquarters of vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements producer Principle Healthcare International. In addition to receiving the Grant of Appointment and engraved crystal bowl from the Queen’s representative, Lord Crathorne, the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, the group opened its new UK tablet manufacturing plant, Health Innovations, and marked the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

Lord Crathorne also presented the North Yorkshire enterprise with the highly prized Investors in People Gold Award, as one of just 2% of employers to achieve this standard and announced that Principle’s CEO and founder, Mike Davies, hasdbeen invited to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty the Queen.

“It was a splendid day for Principle Healthcare International and a testament to the commitment of our entire workforce and valued customers at home and overseas,” says Mike Davies. “We were awarded our Queen’s Award for outstanding achievement in overseas trade and it shows just how far we have come in a few short years, especially as we are also making a multi-million pound investment in new manufacturing plant. The award is valid for five years and we shall proudly display the Queen’s Award emblem on all packaging and marketing material, since the scheme is highly respected abroad and should help us secure yet more export business.”

As well as Lord Crathorne, who commented that it was ‘wonderful coming to a company in these difficult times that was on the up’, Principle played host to the newly-elected Mayor of Skipton, Councillor Wendy Clark, Stephen Knight of North Yorkshire CC and senior directors of UK grocery multiples, Asda and Morrisons. Overseas representatives from the group’s tablet manufacturing and packing facility in Slovakia, Innopharma, were also among over 100 guests who attended the celebrations.