FIVE businesses from Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been crowned winners in the West Midlands heats of the British Chambers of Commerce Chamber Awards.

They will now go forward to the nationals finals at the Tower of London on Thursday, November 27.

Star of the regional awards was Herefordshire company Kingspan Insulation, based in Leominster, which took two categories, claiming both manufacturer of the year and the sustainability award. The manufacturers of innovative insulation solutions employ more than 400 people and have thrived in the face of a downturn, remaining at the competitive edge of the industry. sed security software development company Titania Ltd, whose customers include the US and UK governments, won the Small Business of the Year award for the region. Since starting up in 2009, the company has grown significantly, and now employs over 20 people and has a turnover surpassing £1 million.

Worcester based security software development company Titania Ltd of St Mary's Street, with a customer base including the governments of both America and the UK governments, won the small business of the year award for the region. Since starting up in 2009, the company has grown significantly, and now employs more than 20 people and has a turnover topping £1m.

Ruth Inglis, Titania sales and marketing manager, said: "We are honoured to have won the small business award for the West Midlands, especially considering the amount of innovative and successful small companies that exist in the region. We have worked really hard to be the best not only in terms of our product, but through providing an excellent working environment for our staff and a solid strategy for our future."

Manufacturers Pulsar Process Measurement Ltd, which operates from premises in Malvern, won the excellence in innovation award after picking up the same prize in Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce's awards earlier in 2014. Its new product the Flow Pulse, which can reliably monitor flow in pipes for the industrial and waterwaste industry, is just one example of their cutting edge innovation. Alistair MacKinnon, Pulsar's director of sales and marketing, said: "This has been an excellent year for Pulsar. We rely on bringing innovative products to the market and to be awarded with a number of innovation awards in 2014 means we are doing the right thing.”

Hannah Haffield, PR specialist at web site design and marketing agency Pepperneck Limited, which is also from Malvern, won the young person in business award. In the year that she has been working at Pepperneck, the 26-year old has achieved a considerable amount, completing the Public Relations Consultants Association online certificate and helping Pepperneck become only the third Google Partner accredited agency in Worcestershire.

She said: "I am delighted to have been named regional winner of the young person in business award – the result was announced 12 months to the day since I joined Pepperneck and is official recognition of the contribution I have made to the team. I am very excited about representing our region in the national ceremony in November and raising awareness of the business talent Malvern has to offer.”

Associated Spring Raymond, which has its headquarters in Evesham, won the West Midlands achievement in international business award. The increase in sales in Europe has led to opening satellite offices in Paris, Bilbao and Frankfurt.

Matthew Rawnsley, managing director of Associated Springs Raymond, said: “Receiving the regional award for achievement in international business from the British Chambers of Commerce is something we are very proud of. Our business is on a strategic journey to grow our footprint internationally by providing quality products and solutions through a multi-channel route to market."

Mike Ashton, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said: "We are absolutely delighted that five Chamber members have won regional Chamber awards. They are all brilliant businesses and fully deserve the recognition these awards bring. We wish them all the best as they now proceed to the national finals."