Three companies in the Newport and Gwent area have received a 2017 Queen’s Award. Newport-based SPTS Technologies Group won in the international trade category; its products are used to process wafers for the manufacture of semiconductor and micro-electronic devices.

Company president Kevin Crofton said: “This award belongs to the entire organisation — from those involved in the development and manufacture of our industry-leading wafer-processing solutions to those outside the UK who sell and install our products and support our customers.

“Our growth is a testament to the quality and competitiveness of UK-developed technologies and products in global markets.”

The other winners are HWM-Water in Cwmbran and Monmouth-based Siltbuster, both in the innovation category. HWM was recognised for PermaNET+, its water-leak monitoring system for the mobile-phone network; Siltbuster has developed a range of technologies for the rapid treatment of waste water.

Queen’s Award winners are visited by a royal representative and presented with a commemorative trophy. They are also invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace in July, and they can use the Queen’s Award emblem in their marketing and on packaging for the next five years.