Sustainability award given to explosion preventer

Explosion prevention expert Epsilon has won a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category today for continuously achieving the highest standards in business.

Explosion prevention expert Epsilon has won a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category today for continuously achieving the highest standards in business to the benefit of its customers, staff, suppliers and the wider community.

Epsilon will attend a celebratory reception in London where guest of honour Prince Andrew, the Duke of York will make a speech congratulating the winners.

Later in the year, three members of the Epsilon team will meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

The winners are announced on the Queen's birthday this year; April 21.

Epsilon, based at Deeside Lane, Chester is now the UK's largest centre of excellence for explosion prevention, including equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX) certification, site safety services (DSEAR), general product safety CE marking and quality system registration.

Epsilon, which was founded in 1998, works with some of the largest blue chip companies in the world, including BP, Total Elf, Rolls Royce, BMW, British Sugar, Thermo and Scottish Power.

Epsilon has a particular strength in the field of oil and gas and has opened the first (and only) ATEX test laboratory in Houston, Texas to support its US customers and reduce its own need for shipping and flights.

Noteworthy in Epsilon's Queens Award submission were its steps to become a carbon neutral company, reduction in its use of paper and its achievements on the impact for its work on the environment.

Epsilon's Technical Director Stephen D'Henin said: "We are delighted to win this award as national recognition for our efforts to run an ethical and sustainable business".

"We have employed and trained 20 new explosive atmosphere engineers in the last five years to become one of the largest companies of our type".

"Everything we have achieved has been because we have the very best people in this field".

Sean Clarke, Epsilon's Business Director, added: "We have developed world leading service levels and delivery models to meet the demands of the oil and gas industry, growing by an average of 30% per year over the last five years".

"This growth is purely by 'recommendation' without sales or marketing personnel".

"We put our resources in to service as that is what is important to our customers'.

Epsilon is a European Notified Body and United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) Certification Body.

UKAS carries the Royal Crown insignia and is the only National Accreditation Body recognised by the UK government.

Epsilon has previously won a Small Business of the Year Award and Exporter of the Year Award as well as the DTI's Commitment to Innovation.

The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's top awards for business performance and are awarded in three categories; international trade, innovation and sustainable development.

The sustainable development category of the Queen's Award recognises outstanding and continuous achievement in the environmental and social impacts included in sustainable development.

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