Silsden firm King Cole presented with Queen's Award (From Craven Herald)

Silsden firm King Cole presented with Queen's Award

10:21am Thursday 4th October 2012 in News

Bosses of an international knitting yarn company based in Silsden have paid tribute to the hard work of their dedicated staff after collecting a royal award.

The Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire the Queen’s representative in the county presented the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade to King Cole, which has its headquarters in Elliott Street.

The Lord Lieutenant, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, was joined by Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, Bradford’s Deputy Lord Mayor Coun Mike Gibbons and Graham Percival, the Deputy International Trade Director at UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), at the presentation ceremony on Monday.

Company secretary Colin Glover said: “This is something that all the staff have been involved in.

“It is very much a tribute to all of their hard work. It wouldn’t have happened without them.”

King Cole, which sells knitting yarns, patterns and ancillary products and employs 28 staff, was honoured after achieving a 150 per cent growth in export sales since 2008.

Mr Glover said the company, which sells across Europe, Canada and the Far East, was expecting even better sales at the end of the latest financial year.

Earlier this year, it was included in the list of the Fastest 50 growing companies of Yorkshire for the second year in succession, moving up from 47th place to 36th.

King Cole director Mike Wilson said: “It is absolutely fabulous for our staff to collect the award and meet these people they would never normally get to meet. Everybody has loved it.”

And he added: “I wish to thank the staff, our customers and the knitters for their continued support.”

A total of 209 Queen's Awards were announced this year for business achievement - 151 were for international trade, 50 for innovation and eight for sustainable development.