Tommy Sharples, managing director of
Hurst Green Plastics Ltd - a family-owned business based in Whalley, Lancashire, which has been trading for over 45 years, attended a Royal reception at Windsor Castle recently held by HRH King Charles III to celebrate the company winning a 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category.
This national accolade recognises the company’s sustained commitment to innovation, which has had a transformative impact across multiple global industries, including aerospace, rail, electronics, engineering and healthcare. This is a result of its development of TwinBin Live, a unique patented storage system designed to simplify stock control and inventory management in the manufacturing sector.
TwinBin Live works by holding a ‘live’ stock of materials or fasteners, which, when depleted, allows a second restock batch to be immediately released for use while an automatic flag raises and sends a cloud-based signal to indicate that new stock is required. It also provides fully traceable restocking to the correct location improving efficiency and reducing downtime.
Proud momentMr Sharples said: “Being invited to a Royal reception at Windsor Castle, alongside other King’s Award winners was a really proud moment. Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do and this has enabled our business to become a globally trusted supplier to some of the world’s most renowned organisations.”
The original TwinBin — a mechanical system designed to simplify component tracking was first manufactured at the turn of the millenium and, over the last 25 years, that initial concept has evolved into TwinBin Live, a digital, data-driven solution that enables real-time, vendor-managed inventory.
Now being utilised by major organisations throughout the world, TwinBin Live represents a major breakthrough in real time tracking and management of high value, safety critical components. This innovation has had a transformative impact across many industries, which led to the company winning The Queen’s award for Innovation in 2012.
Since then, Hurst Green Plastic’s internationally patented systems have further developed to now include Kitting Solutions; Spin Flags; Bin Flags; and Stock Control Carts. All the company’s products are proudly designed and manufactured in the Lancashire area, providing ongoing support to local businesses and always ensuring exceptional quality.