A DESIGN company which has shaped products used by billions of people all over the world has received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the second time.
Warwick-based product design consultancy DCA Design International, which helps design everything from aerosols to autonomous cars, and toothbrushes to trains, received the accolade for its achievements in international trade from the Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire Timothy Cox.
DCA is one of Warwick’s largest private employers and the company behind products like the SoloStar insulin pen, Stella Artois glassware, Sure and Lynx deodorant cans, the Scholl Velvet Smooth foot file and even the new IEP high speed train for Hitachi, which is set to replace the 125 trains in the UK.
DCA has recently seen the launch of its work with Elekta designing the MR Linac scanner, a world-first technology that simultaneously scans tumours inside the body while delivering highly-targeted X-ray radiation beams.
DCA also worked with Sanofi to develop the AllStar Pro re-usable pen injector – the latest generation of its award-winning drug delivery systems used by millions of diabetes sufferers across the globe.
DCA managing director Robert Woolston said: “While the person in the street will not necessarily know who we are, they will probably regularly use one of our products – whether they are brushing their teeth, administering medication or riding to work on a train.
“Since the early 60s, DCA has helped clients to design and develop market-leading products that users value every day.”
The company now employs more than 135 people, and since 2012, when it last received the award, has seen a notable increase in the digital skills required to deliver connected devices for DCA’s client base.
Mr Woolston added: “We employ mechanical engineers and industrial designers, but there has been an increase in the number of hardware electronic and software engineers, which illustrates how products and systems have developed to reflect an increased connected and digital content over the last few years.”
Internationally-focussed with consumer, mobility and pharmaceutical products in China, India, the US, France and Germany, much of the company’s growth over the last decade has come from exporting expertise in product innovation to multinational corporations, leading to the creation of a diverse range of products.
The Queen’s Award presentation took place at The Old Shire Hall in Warwick.
Presenting the award, Mr Cox, who is the Queen’s official representative in Warwickshire, said: “DCA has been successful for its significant increase in overseas sales. Only 152 awards have been given for international trade across the whole country, so many congratulations to DCA.”
Ahead of the official announcement, the directors from DCA were presented to the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in August.
Design award – DCA technical director Rob Bassil, Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire Timothy Cox, DCA creative director Nick Mival, and DCA managing director Robert Woolston.
