John Pipe International Wins International Trade Award – Manufacturing Impact

Nathan and Sarah set off by train for the House of Lords on one of the hottest days of the year. With train cancellations, delays, and temperatures soaring to 38°C across the capital, the journey was challenging to say the least. But they were determined to find out whether we had been successful in winning the International Trade Award for Manufacturing Impact.

Arriving at the Houses of Parliament with time to spare, the significance of the occasion quickly became clear. Whatever the outcome, being shortlisted as finalists was an achievement in itself. As they passed through airport-style security and were escorted onto the terraces of the House of Lords, there was a real sense of occasion. It all felt remarkably familiar – they had seen these surroundings countless times on television.

The event was hosted by the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade’s Director General, Marco Forgione MCIEX. Guests also heard keynote speeches from Minister for Trade Sir Chris Bryant and Lord Khan of Burnley, both of whom delivered inspiring and thought-provoking addresses.

As the winners of each category were announced, Sarah clutched the speech she had prepared “just in case” and began to feel increasingly hopeful. Noreen Burroughes Cesareo MBE, FRSA, who presented the category, spoke about the exceptionally high standard of entries and the significant contribution the shortlisted businesses were making to international trade.

Then came the moment.

“And the winners are… John Pipe International!”

Sarah and Nathan proudly made their way to the stage to accept the award and deliver their acceptance speech. What followed was a whirlwind of photographs, interviews, and celebrations.

Nathan reflected on the achievement, saying that in the company’s 65-year history it had never received “such a high accolade,” and that it was wonderful to receive recognition for everything the business has accomplished over the decades.

The significance of the award truly sank in, and Nathan and Sarah felt immensely proud of what had been achieved.

At that moment, it didn’t matter that their return train had been cancelled because of the extreme heat, or that they had no idea how they were going to get home. They were bringing back an award that recognised 65 years of dedication, innovation, and international success – and that made every challenge worthwhile.

What the award was for

So what exactly did we win? The 2026 Manufacturing – Trade Impact Award recognises manufacturers that use exporting to drive real business growth, resilience and operational excellence. In other words, it celebrates the firms making a genuine, measurable difference through international trade – and we were proud to be named among them.

The institute hasn’t published the judges’ detailed scoring, but the award criteria line up closely with the things we’ve worked hard at for more than six decades:

• Export expertise – Over 65 years, we’ve built a reputation for helping UK manufacturers send complex, high-value and often mission-critical equipment safely and compliantly to destinations all over the world.
• Real trade impact – We don’t just build export packing cases. We provide complete export packing and logistics solutions that help UK manufacturers reach overseas markets, lower their risk and deliver projects successfully across the globe.
• Operational excellence – We bring specialist export packing, freight forwarding, dangerous goods handling and project logistics together into one joined-up service, so customers can move oversized, sensitive and defence-related cargo with total confidence.
• Innovation and resilience – We’ve kept investing in our facilities, processes and people while adapting to a fast-changing world, helping our customers find their way through increasingly complex international supply chains.
• Quality and compliance – We’ve consistently held high standards in export compliance, quality management and customer service – all of which are essential to getting goods across borders without a hitch.

It means a great deal that the winners were chosen by a panel of senior policymakers, business leaders and academics from across the UK trade sector. Recognition from people who know the industry inside out makes this one feel especially special.

What this award means

Speaking at the ceremony, Marco Forgione described international trade as a driving force for economic growth, and pointed to the winners as proof that UK businesses can still succeed overseas in challenging conditions. It is a message that means a great deal to us. Only around 12% of UK businesses export, yet they drive a hugely significant share of the country’s growth. To be recognised among them, as an example of how a UK manufacturing-support business can achieve international success through innovation and resilience, is a real honour.

Here’s the full quote:

“The political instability and economic uncertainty of the last ten years have been challenging for businesses and trade professionals alike, but this year’s award winners show that international trade can still be a driving force for economic growth for the UK.

Congratulations to all of the seven winners – their achievements are an inspiration to everyone working in international trade.”

Helping exporters is what we do every day. If your business sells overseas, or is thinking about it, take a look at our export packing and freight services – we would love to help you get your products where they need to be, safely.

Find out more

You can read the full announcement of the winners from the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade here.

Photos from the event can be viewed here: CIOE International Trade Awards 2026 by Photoperspective. We will also be sharing further video content on our website shortly – see the International Trade Awards page for details.

Join us to Celebrate

To mark our award win and to support UK manufacturers looking to sell their goods overseas, we’re hosting a special event.

• Tuesday 13th October, 2-4pm
• Halo Hospitality Suite, St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton

Following our recent success at the House of Lords, this event is all about helping British manufacturers export with confidence and showing what our freight team can do. You’ll have the chance to meet Marco Forgione and Sir Chris Bryant, and there’ll even be a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium.

If you’re a UK manufacturer who’d like help shipping your goods around the globe, this is the event for you.

Places are limited, so if you’d like to attend please get in touch at sales@johnpipe.co.uk.