Bonnyrigg-based holiday pod manufacturer Armadilla has won a Queen’s Award for innovation in Enterprise.
The family-owned business founded in 2010 by managing director Archie Hunter and his son Ross, the chief executive, supplies clients across the UK and overseas.
Armadilla’s products include the Hotelier Pod – a five-star quality accommodation that lets venues create outdoor bedroom space, integrating technology and a modern manufacturing approach.
Now in its 54th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are known as the most prestigious business accolades in the UK, with winning companies able to use the Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years. Previous winners have reported benefiting from worldwide recognition, increased commercial value and a boost to staff morale.
Armadilla describes the Hotelier Pod as perfect for the “fast developing experiential economy”.
The timber-clad pod is designed to provide guests with a memorable accommodation experience, with features including a wet room, air conditioning, mini bar and multiple lighting, audio and TV. The pod arrives at the destination fully assembled and can be up-and-running within an hour, has low energy demands and a lifespan of 50 years with minimum maintenance.
An advanced automation system called Pod Control has been developed by Armadilla to let guests control environmental features of their pod from their mobile phones. The app integrates with the host venue that can provide additional services, offers and booking facilities.
The Midlothian firm doubled its turnover in the last year to £2 million and continues to expand to meet the needs of clients in Scotland, other parts of the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Armadilla managing director Archie Hunter said: “We have a fantastic workforce who have all contributed so much to our success and this award is superb for morale. It also sends a strong message to all our valued customers and to the wider market that the future is in high quality innovative products such as ours.”
Temperature-controlled vehicle maker Gray & Adams has also won a Queen’s Award for Innovation in Enterprise. The Fraserburgh-based business was awarded for its double decker trailer design.
It is one of 66 businesses throughout the UK recognised with an award for innovation. Founded in 1957 in Fraserburgh by Jim Gray and Jim Adams, the company has grown to become a UK market leader in temperature controlled manufacturing.
It now has an annual turnover in excess of £150 million and employs more than 700 people.
It supplies double deck trailers to most major supermarkets, including Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, as well as blue-chip household brands like DPD, John Lewis Waitrose, M&S and Warburtons.
The business, whose family legacy lives on in its current joint managing directors James and Peter Gray, maintains its people are the key to its success, and it invests heavily in its staff to ensure their continuous improvement.
As one of Fraserburgh’s largest local employers, Gray & Adams said it is proud to have developed many young engineers and skilled tradespersons over the years and is committed to supporting young people through its apprenticeship scheme.
James and Peter said: “In these challenging times, we very much hope the recognition this prestigious award brings will bring a small amount of cheer and encouragement to our employees in the North East of Scotland, and across the UK.
“We are massively appreciative of our highly skilled engineering teams and our manufacturing operatives that allow us to produce our world-class products. We would also like to thank our very loyal customers and partners, without whose assistance and support we would be unable to enjoy such highly respected recognition.”
Edinburgh-headquartered Exterity has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade for its delivery of IP video and digital signage solutions to its clients from bases in London, New York, Paris, Johannesburg, Dubai, Riyadh, Singapore and Sydney.
Chief executive Colin Farquhar founded the business in 2001 and it has experienced 85% growth in exports over the last three years.
He said: “We are incredibly proud to receive The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2020. It is a tremendous achievement and testament to our continued investment in R&D and in the best talent, alongside our strong ties to the advisors and investors who have helped us turn our vision into a market-leading, global company. Since our inception in 2001, we have always focused on providing the best solutions, brought to the market by the best people, establishing connections across the world, whilst proudly sticking to our roots as a Scottish business.”
