PRESS RELEASE:  Kestrel Liner Agencies has received the United Kingdom’s most prestigious award for business performance. On her birthday (April 21), Queen Elizabeth II, acting on the recommendation of the UK’s prime minister, bestowed the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2010 on the company.

According to the Queen’s Awards Office, “The Award is for Continuous Achievement in International Trade, resulting in substantial overseas earnings with growth and commercial success, (more than doubling of export earnings) sustained over not less than six years, with extremely high export percentages through a robust marketing plan against strong international competition to levels which are outstanding for the services concerned and the size of the applicant’s operations.”

Kestrel chief Andy Thorne was delighted by the news.

Company head Andy Thorne welcomed the recognition of the company’s performance.

“The Awards are only granted to business units that maintain the highest standards of propriety and we feel that the Award echoes all the sentiments that Kestrel values in terms of Quality of Service. I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award on behalf of everyone at Kestrel who has worked so hard to achieve these very high standards,” he said. “To our Suppliers, Principals, Customers and of course The Prime Minister and Her Majesty’s Office thank you for making this momentous occasion possible.”

Kestrel employees celebrate the award on April 21.

Kestrel began as a two-person operation 16 years ago, opening its first office on April 30, 1994. Nearly exactly 16 years on, the company celebrates the Queen’s Award.

Andy Thorne left school at 16 with no qualifications, and his mother lined him up as toolmakers apprentice at Fords.  Absolutely hating the role, he left but never one to let people down he continued to leave the house each day in his overalls, off for “work”, only to spend the day at the nearby job centres.  In the nick of time a job came up that instantly appealed to his love of sailing and geography.  He learnt to sail at young age, courtesy of his step father who had sailed around the world not once, but twice.  Once in each direction.  Andy skippered the yacht “Crazy Horse” into Ostend Harbour at the tender age of 14.   So a job interview at a shipping company dealing with the Caribbean presented an opportunity not to be missed.

He was always guaranteed to do well within shipping, but he rose through the ranks dramatically quickly.  First travelling to the Caribbean just before his 18th birthday to handle ships in Trinidad, Andy Thorne has an innate understanding and love of the islands, and has made his core business the niche market of the Caribbean Islands.

Originally Kestrel offered shipping from the UK.  Now the company offers shipping from anywhere in the world and is able to provide a truly global service, to the Caribbean.  Being flexible and reactive are also hallmarks of Kestrel’s success.

The company is much more than “just a shipping line” offering many other ancillary services and above all else with superlative customer service, and the one on one relationships that Kestrel is renowned for.  Andy Thorne is still hands on in the business to this day and will be found travelling his way across the island and meeting with All customers, no matter how small or large, and no matter how frequently they ship.  This philosophy of truly understanding what the customer needs has driven the success of the company, and enabled the company to grow to its current size.  With agents around the world, and offices in the UK, Miami, Nassau, Curacao and Trinidad, there is more expansion to come and 2010 is proving to be a very exciting year.

One of the most rewarding aspects has been the ability for the company to continue to grow despite the economic down turn and achieving the required amount of growth over the 6 year period shows phenomenal market strength.

The criteria for the award are exceptionally stringent, not just proving the pattern of growth of earnings amounting to commercial success, but all in terms of their international trading strategies and marketing plans.  Being able to succeed in the shipping business in the face of the “mega-carriers” is an achievement indeed.

The values of the company must also be impeccable, and they must show strong and proven customer service, as well ethical values beyond reproach.  Kestrel has done much to have an impact on the Islands, and is heavily involved in aid missions, sponsoring a team in Grenada and the minute the news broke of the tragedy in Haiti the Kestrel team agreed to help all the aid agencies with free logistical support.  Andy said “Working with Samaritans Purse, we sent the first NGO private relief vessel into Port Au Prince, Haiti, after the earthquake.  People said ships could not get in there but we found a way – it is the nature of our business.”    Kestrel used it’s specialist knowledge of shipping and the islands to charter the right vessels to get aid where it was needed most.  Kestrel continues to support this aid effort with regular ships even now.

So whether you are a store importing stock, or a hotel construction project, or simply buying furniture for your home from overseas, there is no better reference than the Royal seal of approval.  Andy also expressed his thanks to all customers for their support, “The success of our business has been due to the wonderful relationships we have with our customers, old and new, big and small.  We feel that understanding our customer’s business and building long term relationships with them, is key to our success, and I personally thank everybody we have worked with over the years for their support”.

The announcement of the Queen’s Award was celebrated in Kestrel’s UK office on April 21. A reception is planned at the Palace of Westminster on May 24, 2010, and then in July , Andrew Thorne will meet the Queen – the final Honour.