A leading manufacturer of specialist door systems based in Carlisle has been officially presented with one of the most prestigious business awards and highest honours for a UK business.

Clark Door Limited were this week presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2020. The awards celebrate the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services.

Clark Door are an independently run organisation that designs and manufactures a wide variety of doors which are then exported to more than 45 countries worldwide. Such projects include The Shed, an innovative culture centre in Manhattan, the Lyric Theatre in Hong Kong and the NEOM Film Studios in Saudi Arabia.

Initially awarded in April 2020, official presentations were put on hold due to the pandemic. Fifteen months later, with an optimistic outlook ahead and restrictions beginning to lift, the Lieutenancy Office felt now was an appropriate time to acknowledge the remarkable achievements and work by all those at Clark Door Limited.

The day saw the Lord-Lieutenant for Cumbria, Claire Hensman, joined by her deputy Bryan Gray, visit Clark Door Limited, taking a tour of the factory and the new £3 million research and development centre. The presentation provided a deserved celebration for Clark Door employees having received the award.

Presenting, Mrs Hensman said: “I congratulate Clark Door for its amazing performance. Exporting is what we need and live by, so you’re doing really important work, not just with Cumbria, not just with Clark Door but for UK peers. Thank you very much, many congratulations on your Queen’s Award.”

Managing Director of Clark Door, Andrew Ashley replied: “On behalf of the Clark Door team, I am enormously proud to receive this award. It is great timing with the UK starting to gain some sense of optimism and economic recovery. Clark Door has invested significantly in its growth plans over the years; recruiting new staff, investing in our incredibly talented people, our products, processes and facilities. This is an opportunity for the team to pause for a moment to reflect on and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.

“We have found that new customers like to ask us about our award and what it means because the Queen is so well thought of throughout the world. It gives new customers that added touch of confidence when they choose to work with us for the first time.”