Birmingham’s Tyseley Energy Park (TEP) has been honoured with the King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Sustainable Development. As part of the Webster and Horsfall Group (W&H Group), TEP has scooped the UK’s most sought after business accolade for its work in transforming clean energy innovation by stimulating new technologies and turning them into viable energy systems. Now in its 58th year, the King’s Award for Enterprise was previously known as the Queen’s Award and the annual programme reflects His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses.
W&H Group is a leading provider of specialist wire and wire rope and one of the oldest surviving manufacturing companies in the Midlands. Born out of the group’s manufacturing legacy, TEP is a leading green technology hub dedicated to advancing sustainable power, transport, heat, waste, and recycling solutions. The park focuses on generating low and zero carbon energy and fuels from waste, producing low and zero carbon transport fuels and supporting green technology businesses with direct access to world class research, testing and laboratory facilities at the University of Birmingham’s Energy Innovation Centre. In 2020, W&H Group celebrated its 300-year anniversary as a family business.
The company was responsible for the production of the high tensile wire within the first successful Trans-Atlantic Telegraph cable in 1866. Its current Directors developed TEP to regenerate 17 acres of underutilised brownfield land while upholding the social and economic sustainability embedded within the group’s proud heritage. TEP collaborates with academic institutions, industrial partners, and local authorities to drive clean growth and foster green innovation. It offers green technology start-ups access to incubation space and a network of clean technology innovators. As a hub for green energy innovation, the park is helping establish Birmingham as the epicentre of the green industrial revolution.
David Horsfall, W&H Group’s Head of Property and Sustainability said: “It is a great honour to receive this award which has come as the result of years of collaborative work with a wide variety of inspirational partners, all of whom are passionate about delivering low carbon solutions for a greener, cleaner, healthier Birmingham.”
The award recognises TEP’s leadership in sustainability as the business strives beyond its own strategy and operations, inspiring the wider community to tackle sustainable development in an integrated way.
Robert Horsfall, W&H Group’s Head of Finance and Strategic Projects commented: “Receiving the King’s Award for Sustainable Development is incredibly exciting. Together with our partners, we are now looking to use TEP as a launchpad to help drive the creation of Birmingham’s Green Innovation Quarter which will act as a living laboratory for the city and the region. Our ambition is to create an exemplary sustainable working and living environment and a neighbourhood built by and for the community.”