'Putting Bridgnorth on the map' - Grainger & Worrall celebrates after scooping King's Award for Innovation
A Bridgnorth company says it's "thrilled and honoured" after scooping a prestigious King's Award for the fourth time.
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Grainger & Worrall, which employs 525 people at its foundry in Bridgnorth, is one of only 46 organisations to be recognised in the high-profile innovation category.
The King’s Award for Enterprise recognises outstanding achievement by UK businesses in innovation, trade, sustainable development and social value.
The company was recognised for the accolade after they pioneered a new prototyping process for developing lightweight structures for electric vehicles, the latest ‘win’ following the company's three previous Queen’s Award successes.
The new process involves ‘gigacasting’, which replaces assembled components with a single piece of pressed aluminium, reducing weight and making vehicles easier to assemble on high volume production lines.
“There is no bigger business accolade than the King’s Award for Enterprise, so we are thrilled and honoured to claim our fourth award, an achievement that puts us in an elite group of companies that have won so many,” said Duncan Eldridge, Chief Executive Officer of Grainger & Worrall.
“The King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation is revered across the world and will support our desire to push technology - born in Shropshire - to customers in existing and emerging international markets.
“This achievement reflects the dedication, creativity and expertise of our talented team, who relentlessly strive to push the boundaries of what is possible in aluminium casting technology.
“Our development of prototype gigacastings is a perfect example of this and is not just a response to industry needs, but also represents our commitment to sustainability. Innovation is the cornerstone of our success and will help drive our growth both in the UK and in the dozens of international markets we serve.
“We are putting Bridgnorth on the global map when it comes to producing components that will help drive sustainable manufacturing for years to come.”
The company traces its roots back to 1946, started by brothers-in-law Vernon Grainger and Charles Worrall as pattern makers and casting manufacturers. The company opened its foundry in Bridgnorth in 1994, having outgrown premises in Wombourne.
Following a management buyout in 2023, the company says it now has an impressive pipeline of new business in sectors keen to tap into its complex aluminium casting capabilities.
The company scooped its first Queen's Award in 2007, after being awarded the Queen's Award for Export.
