REDDITCH manufacturing has been recognised for its fine innovation with an prestigious Queen's Awards for Enterprise being presented to two companies.

The annual awards honour outstanding achievement in the UK and this year, Translift Engineering, in Padgetts Lane, South Moons Moat, and Arrowvale Electronics, in Shawbank Road, Lakeside have both been come up trumps.

Translift Engineering was the company which invented the 'Bendi' articulated forklift truck.

Though the revolutionary design has been produced for 14 years now, the company has taken the Queen's award for outstanding innovation in developing it.

The design enables warehouse operators to use the truck in a confined space.

Arrowvale Electronics also scooped the innovation award with its development of a 'black box' recorder for trains.

The On Train Monitoring Recorder (OTMR) records data regardless of the potential high temperatures and huge crushing forces in a crash.

Managing director Mike Thompson said work started on the system well before a Health & Safety Commission report following the Southall and Ladbroke Grove rail disasters.

It recommended every train should have a black box like those in aeroplanes.

The company is now looking forward to winning orders and creating new jobs.