PCE is honoured with the UK’s most prestigious commercial award for innovation.
PCE Automation Ltd specialises in bespoke automation, repeat automation, and value-added services, including pre-automation and aftercare services to address the varying needs of customers across a range of industry sectors including ocular, medical and pharmaceutical. Its product handling, assembling, and testing systems have a global reputation for innovation and quality. Founded in 1961 by Ernest James Cook, the company was previously awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2020 for international trade putting it in a select group of companies who have won both the Queens and Kings Awards for Enterprise. PCE is a trusted partner to many blue-chip, industry-leading life science organisations worldwide.
The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Rishi Sunak MP recommended that the company should receive one of the inaugural King’s Awards for Enterprise, in recognition of a key innovative project in the ocular sector – which it delivered for a major global manufacturer of contact lenses. The project enabled the manufacturer of ‘made to order’ on demand (MTO) silicone hydro lenses to reduce its lead times to the end-user and greatly enhance the efficiency, flexibility and scalability of the manufacturing process. In doing so, the company has uncovered major commercial opportunities and an increase in market share. Not only was the manufacturing time cut but the productivity output was increased by circa 360%.
CEO, James Cook commented “The King’s Award for Enterprise is the most prestigious British business award because of its provenance as the Queen’s Award. To be recognised for our contribution to innovation reflects the huge team effort made by each member of our staff to develop a range of world-leading solutions with innovation incorporated across the board – in design, project management, engineering and software programming.”
Employing 140 staff across its Beccles headquarters and Lutterworth site, PCE is focused on staff empowerment, achievements and well-being and has exciting expansion plans to develop its site, recruit more staff and expand its presence within Europe. In 2022 PCE announced an ongoing acquisition of an Irish organisation which will see them become a multinational corporation, helping to expand their geographical presence and diversification into numerous automation growth sectors.
MP for Waveney, Peter Aldous MP, supported the application for the King’s Award for Enterprise and has taken an active interest in the company. He commented, “Congratulations to the team at PCE Automation on this prestigious accolade. With a focus on empowering employees, PCE is a business of which East Anglia and Suffolk can be proud”.
After 57 years of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the King’s Award for Enterprise was launched in its inaugural year. As a result, PCE was recognized as one of the winners and was featured in a special edition of the London Gazette, the oldest English newspaper and an official journal of record of the British Government. In June, CEO James Cook attended a celebratory reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by His Majesty King Charles III. The next step for PCE is the Grant of Appointment ceremony, which will take place at their office with the county’s Lord Lieutenant and local VIPs. The Lord Lieutenant, who represents His Majesty The King locally, will personally present a crystal trophy to the PCE team.
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