Awards
South London Business Awards 2011
The South London Business Awards for 2011 were announced on Thursday 23rd June 2011 at Park Plaza, Riverbank, London.
International manufacturers of specialist medical equipment, SLE Ltd, won "Best International Business" which were held in association with HSBC and organised by South London Business.
The awards were presented in front of an invited audience of 500 business men and women. Bernard Nelligan from SLE thanked his entire team, adding: "I am so pleased we won this. It's great that international manufacturing in the UK can get recognition for this."
Presenting the award was Julian Hayes from category sponsor DHL International who said: "SLE helps dispel the myth that we don't make things in this country or indeed South London anymore. This company exports to over 70 countries and is looking to break into Brazil and the US. They also work with local schools to enthuse young people about manufacturing and engineering."
SLE Ltd, which won the Queen's Award for international trade in 2009 (see below), designs and manufactures the neonatal ventilators used to help breathing in Special care baby units worldwide.
South London Business Awards 2010
The South London Business Awards for 2010 were announced at a Gala evening on 18th May 2010 at Selhurst Park Football Ground (home of South London football club ‘Crystal Palace’).
Chosen from 250 nominations and submissions 73 companies were shortlisted as finalists across 11 categories from all 12 London boroughs. The competition, organised by South London Business, with HSBC as its principal sponsor, covers a comprehensive range of business types and sizes from the South London area.
SLE was surprised and delighted to win the Award for International Trade. Managing Director Bernard Nelligan on accepting the award said ‘Thanks to all the judges but my biggest thanks goes to the staff of SLE Ltd, who have worked so hard for so long to make the success that we have achieved and it is all credit to them’.
Queen’s Award for SLE Ltd – a Company dedicated to saving the lives of babies.
France, Italy, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Mexico, Argentina… quite an international roll call – and just some of the 70 or so countries where SLE Ltd’s products have found their way in the past few years.
For the South Croydon-based company has been actively building an extensive export business that has just been recognised by a Queen’s Award for Export Achievement. Employing some 70 people, during the period 2003 to 2008, SLE increased their export turnover from £2.1m to £7.7m with significant successful orders from Kazakhstan, Japan, Iran and Russia.
Specialising in designing and manufacturing intensive care life-support equipment for premature babies and infants with breathing difficulties, SLE’s products have pioneered new technologies for over 30 years. From being the pioneers of neonatal Patient Triggered Ventilation (PTV) in the early 1980’s, to the introduction of combined HFO (High Frequency Oscillation) in the 1990’s, SLE has maintained its position of leadership in neonatal ventilation.
The company’s guiding principle has always been to support clinical and nursing staff in their everyday work. A baby’s lungs are the last organ to develop so problems with underdeveloped lungs are a feature of a high percentage of premature babies. Caring for these babies is a job that demands very high precision products that work reliably round the clock: something of which SLE is very proud.
The SLE team is delighted with the achievement of the Queen’s Award, and it is seen as recognition after years of hard work developing innovative new products and a network of professional distributors throughout the world.
“We have invested heavily in finding and training specialist distributors throughout the world,” said Bernard Nelligan, Managing Director of SLE Ltd. “Selling an item of life-support equipment puts a special responsibility on everybody in the company to develop and produce only the best quality products. It has to be right every time. Every one of our employees has contributed in some way to us achieving this award.”
Martin Pearcy, Director of Sales added, “SLE was the only UK manufacturer of neonatal ventilators and with over 70% of the UK market the only direction for expansion was abroad. Our growth has meant that this year we are launching two new major products that we expect will give our customers something to be very excited about.”
