Oxford-based Seacourt got a hat-trick of Sustainable Development awards, after being honoured in 2007 and 2011, following 20 years of dedication to low environmental-impact printing.

It became a zero-waste-to-landfill company in 2009 and has driven the development of the LightTouch process, which combines waterless printing with LED drying.

Managing director Gareth Dinnage said: “We are absolutely thrilled, this is testament to the team here at Seacourt, our commitment to challenge the accepted status quo and, of course, our clients who believe in us and support our approach.

“Of course it’s a tough industry, and we carry greater costs due to how we choose to run our business. However our focus is on delivering best value to our clients, and delivering best value has ensured we are celebrating our 70th anniversary this year.”   

Anglia Print, based in Norwich, was also honoured for Sustainable Development.

It is powered by 100% renewable energy, is carbon neutral, uses waterless printing presses, non soya vegetable oil-based inks and has had a zero-waste-to-landfill policy since 2005. It also supports local charities, sticks to a 35-hour week and gives staff an extra day’s holiday on their birthdays.

Owner John Popely, whose father Fred started the business in 1978, said its sustainable success had been “a whole team effort”.

He said he hoped the award would help grow its £300,000 turnover, which would allow it to add a second waterless Presstek 34 DI press.

“Some people put a lot of stock in having royal recognition. Hopefully that will raise our profile. We’re always up against commercial printing, since the recession the interest in environmentally friendly print has gone down, so we compete on price and service.

"It costs us more to do it but we’re still making a profit and we’re happy. You can’t pass the additional cost on to the customer."

Global marketing services business Adare International, printer manufacturer British Converting Solutions, manufacturer of flexo sleeves and rolls and gravure cylinders Sandon Global Engraving Technology, and handmade greetings card company Blue Eyed Sun, all won awards for success in International Trade. 

Adare's overseas sales have grown by 990% and exports from 8.8% to 49.5% since 2010. Meanwhile international sales at Sandon Global have risen by over 650% to over 50% of total turnover. British Converting Solutions has seen a 324% increase in three years, with the proportion of turnover as export sales up from 31% to 60%.

Blue Eyed Sun established in 2000 and run by designer Jo Corner and her husband Jeremy Corner has grown overseas sales by 97% in three years and exports to 17 countries. The West Sussex company runs an OKI printer in-house and both semi-automatic and manual foiling machines and works with printers Graphite Creatives and The Imaging Centre.

Jeremy Corner said he hoped the prestige of the award would help the company meet its target of adding at least three new export countries a year.

“It’s early days for us to know the full implications of it, it’s like any other award. You’re still the same company the day after but it will help to take people more notice. And it will be really fun to meet the Queen."

Compostable packaging manufacturer Vegware and photopolymer manufacturer Photocentric won Innovation Awards. Vegware was recognised for its biodegradable cutlery and plates designed to be recycled together with food waste and Photocentric for the development of Imagepac, a patented liquid photopolymer in a pouch that makes flexo platemaking faster and easier.

The 45-staff Peterborough company has recently moved into 3D printing, launching its own machines late last year.

Sales director Sally Tipping said: “We’re delighted to win it and get recognition. Paul [Holt, managing director] loves to do think differently and upset the apple cart. This will encourage us to continue to think differently.”

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the awards with 243 companies honoured. The winning businesses can use the Queen’s Awards emblem in their marketing and on packaging for the next five years and are invited to attend a royal reception in July. Visit the government's website for more information.