The award, in the international trade category, recognises the company’s export achievements.

Based at the EcoTech business park, STG Aerospace designs and supplies safety systems for the airline industry and sells around 90 per cent of its products overseas.

Customers include all of the major airlines including British Airways and Boeing and Embrair.

“Our equipment is used by 400 operators worldwide,” said chief executive officer Peter Stokes.

“Winning the Queen’s Award is a great honour and I am delighted for the whole STG team,” he said. “Success does not just happen and this award is recognition of the hard work and effort put in by our sales partners across the globe and our staff in the UK. It is a fantastic achievement and we are thrilled.”

Fourteen people are based at the Swaffham site which is STG’s headquarters and there are four representatives at the American outlet in Miami.

While much of the manufacturing work is outsourced, some assembly work is carried out at Swaffham together with the bulk of the design, research and development operation.

STG’s products include a “no-maintenance” emergency power system with wireless diagnostics and a market-leading photoluminescent emergency exit floorpath marking system which could potentially save lives in the event of a crash.

The prestigious awards are announced annually in April on The Queen’s birthday and while there were several winners from the eastern counties, STG was the only one from West Norfolk.

The award will be formally presented later in the year but two STG staff attended a reception for winning companies held at Buckingham Palace in July. Emma Greeno, who is operations supervisor, and Ian McCutcheon, European sales manager, were chosen to represent STG and to meet The Queen and Prince Philip.