Two NI companies honoured in 2003 Queen’s Awards

Two Northern Ireland companies have received Queen’s Awards.

Antrim-based transport and logistics firm, IFS Global Logistics, and medical device manufacturer Meridian Medical Technologies based in Belfast are to receive two of the highest business accolades awarded in the UK.

IFS Global Logistics, no stranger to success, have picked up several awards in recent years, but this is the company’s top awards to date.

Commenting on winning the Queen’s Award for Innovation, IFS Global Logistics Managing Director Graeme Hanna said: “We are delighted with the award, especially with all the difficulties providing global transportation solutions in the ever changing world market over the past two years, it definitely makes our teams hard work worthwhile.”

IFS Global Logistics have made high tech advances that have revolutionised the firm’s core business area of supply chain management. The award was bestowed in recognition of the company’s innovations that have helped companies compete favourably on the global stage.

In this year’s awards a medical diagnostic and monitoring devices manufacturer, Meridian Medical Technologies, based in Belfast also received a Queen's Awards for Enterprise for International Trade.

Meridian is a global leader in the medical device industry, for the emergency and early intervention healthcare markets.

Meridian is comprised of two business units: Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics and Specialty Pharmaceuticals.

The Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics division’s latest product is the Prime ECG electrocardiac mapping system. This non-invasive device is designed to detect a heart attack earlier and more effectively than current technology.

Meridian's Specialty Pharmaceuticals' division manufactures the life-saving EpiPen auto-injector, is the sole supplier of auto-injectors for nerve agent antidotes to the U.S. government and other NATO allies, states and local municipalities, and manages a large commercial drug delivery business.

(SP)