Member Article

Diamond Dispersions wins Queen's Award for International Trade

Diamond Dispersions business has won the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding short-term growth. The award was presented for growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

Since 1966, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise has recognised British businesses that excel in four categories, including International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity. It is the highest official UK awards programme.

Diamond Dispersions, which manufactures water-based pigment dispersions and disperse dye dispersions for the global inkjet ink market, mainly for the digital printing of textiles, is no stranger to this accolade having previously won the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2012. Overseas sales have more than doubled over the past three years, and the proportion of sales exported has increased to over 80% of total sales.

“We couldn’t be prouder to receive recognition for our continued efforts and commitment to grow the company in such a prestigious way”, says Keith Malone, commercial manager, Diamond Dispersions. “The Queen’s Award is an honor that is admired across the globe, not just here in the UK – and it deeply matters to every one of us here at Diamond Dispersions.”

“Over the last few years, our strategic planning has driven us to work more closely with print machine manufacturers (OEMS), enabling them to develop bespoke ink products,” shares Andrew Grantham, marketing manager, Diamond Dispersions. “The closer relationships we’ve built have been a key driver to our sales growth, delivering 300 metric tons in volume growth over the last three years.”

Diamond Dispersions has responded effectively to the rapidly growing digital print market by supporting customers as they seek to deliver customisation, shorter print runs, just-in-time manufacturing and a desire for reduced stocks and wastage.

“We’ve also developed specific products for use in the pigmented digital textile printing market, which has huge potential for growth, “adds Grantham. “Pigment-based digital printing of cotton textiles, in particular, is much more environmentally friendly than dye-based printing as it requires less energy and water and eliminates waste-water effluent.”

“Ever since Diamond Dispersions was established in 2007, we have taken every opportunity to further improve and enhance our customer service,” concludes Grantham. “For example, to better serve customers locally and achieve the response times demanded by those customers, last year we made the decision to hold stock in several different countries including China, the US, India and Brazil.”

“The Queen’s Award is a great achievement and our whole team is justifiably very proud of the award,” shares Charles Nelson, general manager, Diamond Dispersions. “Lubrizol is planning further investments in the business to ensure we keep pace with growing demand.”

Diamond Dispersions will celebrate the award during a royal reception for Queen’s Awards’ winners in Summer 2019 and will host its own celebration in Sheffield in Autumn.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kirsten Howells .