As the monarch celebrates her 80th birthday today three Bradford companies will also be raising their glasses after being crowned winners of the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The awards, announced by the Queen on her birthday, celebrate innovative UK companies.

Both Fastalloys Ltd, at Upper Castle Street in Bradford, and John Foster of England Ltd, at Black Dyke Mills in Queensbury, were recognised for their contribution to international trade.

And Bradley Doublelock Ltd, at Victoria Works in Bingley, was given an award for innovation. John Dunn, chairman of trailer equipment supplier Bradley Doublelock, was thrilled the company had been named by the Queen in such a monumental year.

"From our point of view, that could not be better timing. Everybody here is delighted," he said.

Mr Dunn said the company, which is more than 50 years old, had been subject to a management buy-out five years ago which resulted in focusing production on more specialist systems.

And a new patented design was quickly snapped up by users with specialist needs, such as the Ministry of Defence.

The auto-reverse hydraulic brake system allows trailers to move backwards easily, overcoming a previous problem of brakes automatically locking when put into reverse. Bradley Doublelock, which employs 125 people, is now coming to the end of a contract applying the system to 6,500 trailers for the military.

Mr Dunn said the company's turnover had almost doubled from £6 million to £11 million in five years.

David Wood, co-director of Fastalloys, said the company was turning over £5 million after exports had trebled in three years to one-and-a-half-million-pounds-worth of goods.

The business, which Mr Wood runs with his wife Lynne, produces alloy joints for use in the oil and gas industry world-wide.

"We are one of the biggest players in the oil industry, hidden away in Bradford," he said. Mr Wood said the business, which employs ten staff, had sent the Queen a birthday card.

John Foster of England had an increase of 67 per cent in overseas sales of fabric for suits between 2003 and 2005.

The company, which employs 14 people, now exports £3.6million of fabric to more than 30 countries, with exports accounting for 97 per cent of turnover.

Managing director David Gallimore said: "The award is a tremendous achievement and a result of a great deal of hard work from all the employees."