Bernhards & Company clinches coveted Queen's Award
Bernhard and Company, the UK blade sharpening specialist, proved to be a cut above the competition recently when it received The Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category. The Queen's Award is granted to the UK's business elite for outstanding or continuous achievement.
Bernhard and Company is the only business in the golf and turf amenity sector to have been granted a Queen's Award during the 43 year history of this prestigious Royal scheme. The Award success was based on the continuous innovation and development of their highly-regarded Express Dual and Anglemaster sharpening systems. Used by leading golf clubs and sports turf facilities worldwide, this equipment produces surgically sharp blades on lawnmowers, allowing sports providers to create first-class presentation standards.
Managing Director Stephen Bernhard said: "We all work hard with one goal in mind - customer satisfaction. Queen's Awards are not easily achieved and so I would like to pay tribute to the sheer hard work and consistency demonstrated by Bernhard's committed workforce. We can feel justifiably proud of our collective efforts. I should also like to thank our associates and customers around the world for their continuing loyalty and support."
"In top sporting competitions the TV camera, media, spectators and players are all focused on the condition of the turf. The team and I are delighted that our sharpening systems play such a vital role in producing the consistently high standards that are required in today's challenging world of sport."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "Queen's Award winning companies are standard-bearers for the best of British business. They embody the spirit of enterprise and innovation that is so vital to the future of Britain's economy. Whether large or small, every one of this year's winning organisations has achieved outstanding success in its field. I congratulate them all on their diverse and remarkable achievements."
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise consist of a business Award with three separate categories - for International Trade, Innovation & Sustainable Development. They are recognised in the UK as the most prestigious accolade for business excellence and are respected as a mark of quality and success by the business community.
Her Majesty The Queen grants this most prestigious UK Award, likened by some to a "Corporate Knighthood", for business performance. The Awards are made on the advice of the Prime Minister who is assisted by an Advisory Committee.
Representatives of the businesses that win are invited to an evening reception given by The Queen at Buckingham Palace. The formal presentation ceremony is conducted at the winners' premises by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County as The Queen's representative.
Bernhard's specialist expertise is much in demand, supporting the preparation of notable golf tournaments around the globe such as: The US Open, Ryder Cup, Open Championship, PGA Championship together with major tour events.
This is not the first time Bernhard has been recognized for outstanding performance. In 1997 it won the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) Exporter of the Year Award for medium-sized business.
The company has a very loyal customer base around the world. The company fosters the development of individual green-keeping professionals through providing educational programmes and seminars. It also promotes a dynamic industry exchange programme, which allows greenkeepers and superintendents the opportunity to travel to each other's countries to observe a variety of techniques for creating consistent golf course surfaces.
The evolution and pioneering development of the Express Dual and Anglemaster grinders dates back to the 1800's and Bernhard has a long and well-respected history in the market for manufacturing highly efficient and user-friendly machines.
An on-going dedicated research and development programme, aided by invaluable customer support and feed back, means its machines continue to meet the exacting demands of today's market.
For further information, please contact:
Bernhard and Company Limited
Gina Putnam, marketing and communications manager
gina.putnam@bernhard.co.uk
Bilton Road
Rugby
CV22 7DT
Tel: +44 (0) 1788 811600
info@bernhard.co.uk