Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Merseyside visits Bootle company to present King's Award for Enterprise

28 November 2024 4 min read

Mark Blundell, the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside and Professor John Mohin OBE DL, High Sheriff of Merseyside, visited Sefton recently to present Bootle firm Richardsons Healthcare with a King's Award for Enterprise. Also present at the celebration was Max Steinburg CBE DL and Bootle MP Peter Dowd.

Exceptional growth in exporting

The King's Award for Enterprise is the UK’s most prestigious business award and recognises the company’s exceptional growth in exporting The presentation was a second for Richardsons, who were presented with a Queen's Award for Enterprise for outstanding exporting in 2019.

Richardsons manufacture specialist operating table mattresses and accessory pads for leading medical device companies worldwide. In 2023, the company gained ISO13485 accreditation for the quality management standard for medical device companies.

The company has developed a strong presence in the United States and Europe as well as in China and Australia. Its turnover grew by an impressive 80% between 2021 and 2023.

Real legitimacy

Michael Gould Executive Director of Richardsons said: “Winning the UK’s most prestigious business award gives a small company such as ours real legitimacy in the eyes of potential customers and suppliers, it’s an important ingredient in our desire to sell more overseas.

“The Invest Sefton team have assisted us with many projects over the past 10 years including advising on our application for this year’s Kings Award for Enterprise”

Prodigious award

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills said: “Congratulations to Richardsons on their receipt of this prodigious award.

“They are one of just five Liverpool City Region businesses to be presented with the King's Award for Enterprise this year and one of very few nationally to achieve such recognition twice.”

InvestSefton, the Council’s enterprise, business support and inward investment service has been working with Richardson for 10 years. Business Growth Adviser Julie Swarbrick has worked closely with Michael Gould and his team to develop initiatives aimed at encouraging other Sefton businesses to consider export.

InvestSefton business support

Cllr Lappin added: “I am delighted our InvestSefton business support service has been able to work with Richardsons to help the company developing the business’s growth and contribute to them achieving these Royal Awards.

“It is an excellent example of how our advisers can support companies in setting and meeting objectives and grow their business and turnover as a result.”

New investment and job creation

InvestSefton supports new and existing local businesses and helps attract new investment and job creation across the Borough.

Companies wanting to find out more about how the InvestSefton can help support their business, including exporting should visit www.investsefton.com or contact the team on 0151 934 3452 or by emailing investsefton@sefton.gov.uk.

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