FOR Question of Sport read Question of Export...
Former England Rugby Union captain Bill Beaumont heads one of nine North-west companies to win this year's Queen's Awards for Export, Technological and Environmental Achievement.
He is managing director of J.Blackledge and Sons Ltd of Chorley, a textile merchant converter which supplies waterproofed fabrics.
During the period of the application it quadrupled its exports, which go mainly to Australia, North America, the Far East and Europe.
The company was established in 1888 and it has remained a family business.
Hoover, which has a national spares centre in Bolton, has been awarded the Queen's Award for Environmental Achievement for its range of innovative washing machines.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article