Zone3 have won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2018, recognising the company’s outstanding growth and international expansion.
The esteemed and highly sought-after award for International Trade was earned by Zone3’s efforts to build a global brand and replicate its success achieved in the UK. This has been achieved from a deep-rooted passion for endurance sports and a company policy which always ensures the highest performance products are delivered to its customers.
The award, which was recommended by the Prime Minister, will be formally presented at Zone3’s head office following a Royal reception at Buckingham Palace this summer.
Zone3’s founder, James Lock, an elite level triathlete, started developing the business in 2006 after graduating from Loughborough University with the key focus on improving his race speed and simply trying to earn enough to cover his training and racing costs.
Due to the quality of the product and Lock’s dedication, the brand has been catapulted to reach a global audience. This has been achieved without any investment or business partners but through building a fantastic team of staff and ensuring that each product is packed with innovative designs and features. Today, Zone3 retails in over 25 countries and is the brand of choice for many athletes of all levels.
Lock said: “I am incredibly proud that Zone3 has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. As the UK’s most prestigious business award, this accolade is testament to our company mission to be the most loved and chosen specialist sports brand in the world. We are all delighted that our international growth has been recognised. My own background as a former athlete and my innate passion for triathlon and competitive nature has been the driving force behind the Zone3 brand. It has helped me to build the business up from a grassroots level to a global market player”.
The company now employs a team of more than 20 in the UK and continues to thrive despite trading through uncertain economic times including the 2008 recession and Brexit.
With both organic growth and outstanding year-on-year growth in overseas sales, and continued international product demand, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise winning company has firmly cemented its position in the global sportswear marketplace.
