An integrated design and engineering consultancy for the built and natural environments is enjoying a major accolade this week.

Scott Wilson, with offices in Belfast and Londonderry, has been awarded the prestigious Queen's Award for International Trade 2010.

This achievement recognises the company's exceptional geographic reach and a highly skilled work force around the world which has led to international revenue growth more than doubling over the last six years.

With its headquarters in the UK, the overall group has a worldwide network of 80 offices and 6,000 employees and offers strategic consultancy and multi-disciplinary professional services in the railways, buildings and infrastructure, environment and natural resources and roads sectors.

Scott Wilson has 170 local staff members working in Northern Ireland on projects as varied as the A1 Beech Hill to Cloghogue improvements in Newry, Solitude Park redevelopment in Banbridge and the Critical Care Centre, currently being constructed at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Belfast staff have also been involved in numerous overseas projects such as Khalifa Port in Dubai and a waste incineration scheme in Hong Kong.

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Scott Wilson has operated internationally for 85 years. Through the decades, international projects include Kai Tak Airport Hong Kong, Blantyre Airport Malawi, Safi - Aqaba Road Jordan, Sokoto Power Station Nigeria, Asian Institute of Technology Thailand, Cross Harbour Tunnel Hong Kong, National Transport Study Bangladesh, Mombasa Water Supply Scheme Kenya, Mutrah Corniche Oman and motorways in Turkey.

Scott Wilson has a worldwide network of 80 offices and 6,000 employees. It works with some 2,800 clients in over 80 countries.

Recent contract wins include MTR South Island Line Hong Kong, Haramain High Speed Rail Saudi Arabia, S69 Expressway Poland, Dedicated Freight Corridors India, China Sichuan Post Quake Reconstruction, Australia Pilbara Trackbed Investigation, Dubai Metro Stations and Viaducts, Colombo Port Expansion Sri Lanka and Zambia Hydropower Stations.

Commenting on the award, Hugh Blackwood, Group Chief Executive, said: "It is an honour to receive the highly prestigious and internationally recognised Queen's Award.

"It is testimony to the talent and dedication of our staff and the breadth and depth of our business around the world.

"In 2006 we made a conscious decision to grow, build and strengthen our unified international business and each year we continue to increase the proportion of our revenue earned outside the UK.

"We are now well established in some of the world's highest growth areas and our global diversity has helped us to respond to the current economic climate," he said, noting that they are delighted that "their achievements have been recognised by the UK Government and Her Majesty the Queen".

The Queen's Award for International Trade is the most prominent award for businesses that demonstrate substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success.

The Queen makes the awards annually on the advice of the Prime Minister who is advised by representatives of the Government, industry, commerce and trade unions. The Awards are given solely on merit and competition is fierce.

See: www.scottwilson.com

(BMcC/GK)