FIVE businesses have been crowned the kings of commerce.

Two companies scooped awards for Innovation while three were recognised for their International Trade by the Queen’s Awards.

Acro Aircraft Seating of Crawley was one of the companies to have demonstrated substantial growth in overseas earnings and also commercial success for achievement over several years.

Established in 2006 and based near Gatwick Airport, it designs and makes economy cabin aircraft passenger seats.

It says its ergonomic designs are both comfortable as well as reducing airline operating costs.

Acro won the Queen’s Award after growth in its export earnings of 1,682% over the past three years, resulting in exports rising as a percentage of turnover from 41% to 88%.

Also in Crawley, OCS Group specialises in strategic solutions for companies running complicated facilities.

After investing in new technologies, it won the Queen’s Award for outstanding overseas sales growth over the past three years.

PpTek of Arundel, established in 2000, makes a system for cleaning gas in the biogas industry.

It had strong overseas sales growth and won its award for growing its export earnings by 317% over the past three years.

Both Elekta of Crawley and Doyle & Tratt Products of Horsham won Innovation awards, where winners must demonstrate their business has substantially improved in performance and commercial success through continued innovation.

Better known by its brand name Varilight, Doyle & Tratt Products is an electrical wiring accessory and dimmer switch manufacturer.

It picked up a Queen’s Award for the second time, this time for bringing innovation to the wiring accessory market and, in particular, for its development in dimmer switches for LED lighting.

The company completely redesigned the traditional dimmer switch to create a new model which eliminates flicker and can handle larger loads of lighting.

Company chairman Tony Doyle said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for this most prestigious of awards.”

The other Innovation Award went to Elekta for developing a device called Agility that narrows a beam of particles or waves to refine radiotherapy treatment for cancer.

Its aims to destroy tumours with minimal healthy tissue damage using the latest technology.

Surpassing previous-generation equipment, its radiation beams can be shaped precisely and speedily to fit unique tumour contours and zone in on treatment areas.

It has led to reducing treatment times by up to 60%, improving the outcome for cancer patients.

Elekta said the kit had enabled it to “thrive in a highly competitive world market”.

No Sussex businesses featured in the third category, Sustainable Development, which saw only one winner in the South East out of 12 nationally.