Tests across Europe revealed a particular need to achieve quieter exhausts on marine engines of 740hp upwards and it was in this area which Halyard concentrated its new exhaust development work over a three year period.

Halyard's new silencers produced on average 85% less sound pressure than previous devices, putting the company's products ahead of the competition and enabling its customers - which includes many of Europe's leading builders of large yachts and powerboats - to build significantly quieter boats to comply with the new legislation.

The design of the new silencers also led to the company being given the Supplier of the Year Award for Best Technical Support from Sunseeker.

"We are delighted to have been awarded The Queen's Award for Enterprise, in the Innovation category, " said Halyard's MD, James Grazebrook. "Our company has worked for three years to create two completely new and unique designs which would meet the revised industry standards, and simultaneously, we have supported every customer, with each model of boat they produce, to redesign, prototype and standardise on new exhausts. It has been a massive project, and as a team, we have put in an enormous amount of extra hours to ensure this has been on time and without interruption to our supply chain."

One other marine company received a Queen's Award - Allam Marine, of Hull produces gensets, but the company told BBits core business is actually industrial land generating sets.

Spokesman Paul Thorpe admitted the company name is somewhat misleading, although historically the Tempest Diesels division of the company was formerly known as Newage Marine and was heavily involved in marine leisure and marine commercial business - both propulsion and generator.

"Your readers may well recognise some of our marine engine models - the Captain, Commander, Commodore and Sealord, " said Thorpe. "We still manufacture marine generating sets, but only on a case by case basis."