Fuel security firm TISS Ltd has been presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise at a ceremony in Blackpool.
Hauliers Brian and Ryan Wholey founded TISS in 2001. The firm’s best-known product, an anti-siphoning device known as Tank Safe, proved to be so successful with haulage fleets in the UK that in 2009 the firm decided to take the product overseas.
With the help of SMMT, the firm took its range to a number of trade shows around the world, where it proved to be a success despite the global economic downturn. The firm now has over 1,000 clients on its order books on six continents
Lord Shuttleworth, 5th Baron, presented the award on behalf of the Queen. Speaking at the ceremony he said, “I really wanted to congratulate the company on growing its overseas earnings by 400% in the past three years. That is a truly remarkable performance and it makes everyone in Lancashire very proud.”
Accepting the award, Ryan Wholey, TISS’ Managing Director said, “This is indeed one of the greatest days in TISS’ history and a celebration for everyone involved, both past and present who has made, and will continue to make an important contribution to the company.”
Also speaking at the event, David Croxson, recently-retired SMMT Head of International said, “I’m a great believer in opportunity, but it does take an entrepreneurial attitude to recognise opportunity when it comes along and it needs forward vision to react.
“I think of Automechanika Dubai in 2011 where TISS came to the show with us. One of the contacts they made at the show ended up becoming a major source of business and a successful revenue stream. It is not just making the contact that shows the success of the company – it is making a relationship with that contact and doing business with them.”
The award, which was announced in April and presented this week, is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a UK company. It is valid for five years.
