GAMA Healthcare, a supplier of disinfectant wipes and infection prevention products to the NHS, has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in recognition of its rapid growth in overseas sales.
GAMA, which was established in 2004 by two junior doctors, Guy Braverman and Allen Hanouka, developed a single universal disinfectant wipe that was effective on a range of healthcare acquired infections, at a time when it was traditional to use a two-step approach of first cleaning then disinfecting surfaces and equipment in hospitals.
Since then, the business has grown rapidly, with more than 130 employees and a new £2.5 million R&D facility in Halifax, West Yorkshire, under development. Their products are increasingly sought overseas, now selling to 60 countries worldwide, particularly in China and Australia, where they have opened up offices.
In recognition of that growth, the company received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, specifically for Outstanding Short-Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years - from £2.4 m to £4.9 m - in Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are awarded by the Palace and last for five years from appointment. Recipients are invited to a Royal reception at Buckingham Palace for presentation of the award, given exclusive rights to fly the Queen’s Award flag at a chosen office site, given a Grant of Appointment and receive a commemorative crystal bowl. Previous winners include British Land, World First and the shirt retailer Charles Tyrwhitt.
Commenting, Dr Guy Braverman, co-founder and managing director, said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award, which is testament to the hard work of all the GAMA team and the strong international demand for GAMA’s market leading offer.”
Dr Allen Hanouka, co founder and managing director, added: “GAMA is now one of the leading suppliers of infection control solutions to the NHS, but increasingly our products are bought in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We’re proud to be flying the flag internationally for British expertise and innovation, and are grateful to the Queen’s Awards for their recognition of that success.”
