An award-winning Halesowen manufacturer is seeing its technological vision reap rewards.

Thompson Friction Welding was one of 15 firms from the region which recently received Queen's Awards honouring trade, innovation and sustainable development.

Assisted by accountants and business advisers Horwath Clark Whitehill, Thompson picked up its honour in the international trade category.

"We are thrilled about winning the international trade award," said Alan Shilton, Thompson's managing director.

"Our people are the most important part of our business. The professionalism, dedication and pride shown by our team have made the company what it is today. We continue to flourish because we listen to our customers and then produce innovative solutions based on their requirements."

The submission was put together with Horwath Clark Whitehill's help.

Partner Richard Wherton said: "It was well deserved and we congratulate Thompson on a great achievement.

"It is one manufacturer which is bucking the downturn and shows how a commitment to research and development can pay off."

Thompson has seen global sales of its friction welding machines soar.

Part of a German conglomerate it has reported an increase in overseas business of 163 per cent in the last three years, equivalent to more than £6.5 million of exports.

In the last 12 months, Thompson has generated its best-ever order income and sales enquiries to date are already up 200 per cent on 2008.

The award coincides with the launch of a new generation of machines for the manufacture of a range of components.

The E100, developed and designed at Thompson's headquarters in Hereward Rise, is claimed to be the first commercially-available linear friction welding unit in the world.

The linear process involves a welding operation that has previously been the preserve of jet-engine makers.

It is suitable for almost any type of industry, including aerospace, automotive, medical, power generation and other high-quality engineering applications, such as Formula 1.

In the aerospace sector, for instance, parts are traditionally machined down from solid billets, whereas the linear process can be used to 'build up' components, producing savings in machining times and material costs.

Previously, friction welding could only be used on joints that had at least one round part, but Thompson says the method can now be used on almost any shape. It also means that similar and dissimilar materials, such as aluminium and copper, can be completely joined.

The company believes its 'Buy British' philosophy is an important factor in its success - purchasing 90 per cent of goods and services in the UK, with two-thirds of the total placed with suppliers in the West Midlands.

"From the company's inception, we realised that to be successful, our supplier base needed to thrive too. Our vision is that of nurturing a group of businesses close to where we are based," added Mr Shilton.

Dr Mike Russell, manager of the Friction and Forge Processes Group at the Cambridge-based Welding Institute, the original developers of the linear friction welding process, said: "This is a remarkable achievement by a British manufacturer whose long-standing commitment to innovation and investment in first-class engineering continues to pay dividends."

Thompson employs 90 staff and has an annual turnover of around £20 million.