TAUNTON firm LEW Techniques has been presented with the Queen's Award for Enterprise by Annie Maw, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.

A total of 130 staff, family and friends attended the ceremony at the company, a custom manufacturer of precision miniature package components for the mounting and interconnect of specialist semi-conductors devices.

Mrs Maw described LEW, which supplies products for use in telecommunications, commercial optronics, defence, automotive and space applications, as "magic in our midst".

Andrew Walker, technical director of LEW, which is celebrating its 50th year, said: “The award is recognition of the talent, expertise, hard work and dedication of all the staff in the company.

“The specific award is for exceptional growth over a three-year period during which we successfully increased our exports by more than 60 per cent, with our largest export market being China and other parts of Asia, followed closely by Germany and France.

"We have grown these markets sometimes by luck and chance but mostly by the determination to succeed and prosper.

"And we have been successful where many others have faltered, continuing to manufacture highly technical components here in the UK.

“This has been the result of a whole company effort, the high level of commitment and enthusiasm that everyone puts in week in, week out makes this company a truly nice place to work.

“We have not been resting on our laurels. We have continued to grow and have expanded our staff by more than 50 per cent, with strong export growth continuing across the globe in all markets."