April 23 1am - embargo

A FURNITURE company has scooped a major award.

Silverlining Furniture Group, the Wrexham-based luxury furniture maker, has received its second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, following winning the International Trade award in 2018. Despite the Brexit indecision, creativity, innovation and exporting has resulted in 225 per cent growth since 2015 and an increase in staff from 13 to 81.

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise scheme is highly competitive, rewarding businesses for outstanding achievements in international trade, innovation, sustainable development and for promoting opportunity through social mobility.

The innovation category awards companies that go above and beyond in their area of expertise, and is designed for those offering a unique innovation, which has been available to the market for a minimum of two years.

Winners must also show outstanding commercial success over the past two years, or continuous commercial success over five years.

Silverlining create one-of-a kind-furniture for yachts and houses worldwide and is known for innovative craftsmanship achieved by combining traditional hand skills with research, science and technology. Their clients include collectors from the world of art, film, and business, as well as many Royal families.

“It’s a huge honour to receive a second Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in consecutive years,” said CEO and Founder Mark Boddington.

He added: “This is in recognition of the talent of our designers and craftspeople and commitment to supporting technological innovation and niche manufacturing in North Wales.”

Silverlining has demonstrated its commitment to innovation through every day in-house research and development and external collaborations with Bangor University Bio-Composites Centre to achieve new, innovative and fully sustainable techniques using wood and plant fibre bleaching, bonding, dyeing and finishes.

Examples of other innovations include micro-laser etching of woods and then inlaying with ultra-thin metals to create a hieroglyphic effect, making veneer flexible to cover three-dimensional shapes and bleaching wood ultra-white and hardening through a petrifying process to look like stone.

Mr Boddington added: “We remain focused on delivering innovative products to grow our business by using, 3-D machining and printing, laser, and digital technologies with traditional craft skills and the materials and knowledge of today.

"Innovation, exporting and our investment in a PHD Level ‘Skills Academy’, for the skills of tomorrow, are key to our expansion and strategy to reach sales of 20 million within three years

"This anticipated growth is expected to generate a further 50 plus jobs.”

The latest award comes on the back of Silverlining winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, International Trade Award, being a Finalist in Lloyds Bank SME of the year and listed in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 exporters, in 2018.