TRADING conditions may be tough at home but two local enterprises have shown they can succeed on the international stage.

The Hay Festival and ETL Systems, based in Madley, have won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for their success in the export market.

For seven years, the Hay Festival has exported its unique brand of festivals overseas.

It now hosts annual events in Europe and Latin America and is working with new partners to develop projects in Africa and Lebanon.

“What we are most thrilled about is that this is a series of international projects run out of Hay by people all local to Hay,” said director Peter Florence.

“In these hard times, there’s clearly a vital international market for imagination, intellectual enquiry and cultural adventure.”

ETL Systems has been recognised for its success in increasing export earnings by 132 per cent in three years to nearly £3 million per annum.

The company designs and manufactures radio frequency electronic equipment. It has created 15 more jobs, has a workforce of 42, and can count broadcasters, telecoms companies, satellite operators and governments as customers.

Its success has been a result of clever marketing, innovative products, promotional activities and strong customer support.

ETL previously won an International Trade Award in 2007.