Duke of Kent makes visit a first for royals
The company’s first royal visitor was introduced to managing director Peter Digby and was invited to present the ‘Darren Huttel Apprentice of The Year Award’ to final-year apprentice Matt Booth who is working at Xtrac as a trainee production engineer.
Mr Digby, recently named by the UK Institute of Directors as ‘Director of the Year’, said: “Xtrac celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, so we’re delighted by the Duke of Kent’s interest in our motorsport business, which means a lot to our employees who are all shareholders in the company. The visit follows our recent appearance on Top Gear. As President of the Engineering Council and President of the Royal Institution, the Duke of Kent clearly has an equal passion for science and engineering.
“We were able to discuss the transfer of our motorsport technology into the aerospace, automotive, defence and marine industries.
“The duke was particularly interested to hear about the latest hybrid and electric vehicle innovations as part of our work helping to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for international carmakers.”
During his visit, the duke was introduced to the 270 employees and heard that the company, in Gables Way, was regularly achieving 60 to 70 per cent export sales and had a turnover of £40m.
One of the duke’s major public roles for many years was vice-chairman of British Trade International – now known as UK Trade and Investment – and he still retains an interest in British business at home and overseas.
Mr Digby was able to inform the duke that since Xtrac won the Queen’s Award for Exports in 1992, it has entered many new export territories, initially in Europe, Japan and then North America – where the business has additional facilities in Indianapolis and at Mooresville in North Carolina.
The duke completed his tour by signing Xtrac’s visitor’s book.