Glamorgan-based Markes International — a manufacturer of world-leading instrumentation for detecting trace-level organic compounds — has received Queen’s Awards in both the ‘innovation’ and ‘international trade’ categories.

It is one of only 10 Welsh companies to receive an award and one of only six British companies to be recognised in two categories. This follows its success in 2015, when similar business growth led to a Queen’s Award in the ‘international trade’ category.

The switch valve that is the subject of the innovation award allows routine monitoring of a wide range of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, by virtue of its tolerance of temperature extremes, small size, quick operation and construction from inert materials.

Alun Cole, founding director of Markes International (www.markes.com), said: “Precise, reproducible control of gas flows is vital for the successful operation of any thermal desorption instrument.

“The switch-based valve design offered exactly this, at precisely the time when analysts were looking to expand the use of TD to different sample types and a wider analyte range.

"Looking back at the 20 years Markes has been in business, it’s fair to say that innovations like our switch valve have been central to our achievements.”