Midlands firm wins £11 million military medals contract
A West Midlands-based firm has landed an £11 million Ministry of Defence contract to make most of Britain's military medals.
Worcestershire Medals Service will supply medals including the George Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Queen's Gallantry Medal after beating off stiff competition to land the bumper contract.
As part of the two year deal the firm will will make every military medal, award and badge, except the Victoria Cross – the highest operational award for gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
The Bromsgrove-based family business, which employs more than 50 people, previously worked on the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Ebola Medal and the Elizabeth Cross.
The MoD says the contract underlines its push to increases the department's spending with small and medium size businesses.
Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary and South Staffordshire MP, said: “Our armed forces do extraordinary things to keep this country safe, often making incredible personal sacrifices and demonstrating a willingness to go to any length for our nation.
“Medals symbolise the bravery, courage, and dedication of our service personnel and I am delighted that we have awarded this contract to a family-run business in the West Midlands, supporting local jobs, helping to develop specialist skills and manufacturing, and boosting the local economy.”
Worcestershire Medals Service was founded in 1988 and has grown steadily over the years, gaining a reputation as a leading supplier of military medals around the world.
It has already produced the Operation Shader medal – the first operational service medal to be created since 2003 – the first batch of which were handed out by the Defence Secretary last week to British personnel from all three services who successfully tackled ISIS.
In 2011 the firm landed a £7m contract to produce the official medals to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Around 450,000 medals were manufactured at the company's site in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, before they were sent to the Bromsgrove factory to be mounted.
Over the last two years, the MOD has issued over 49,000 awards.
