A GROUNDBREAKING Runcorn firm has been named among Britain’s top small and medium-sized (SME) companies for achieving the fastest growing international sales.

LPW Technology is the highest ranking company in the north west in this year’s annual Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100 league table being published at the weekend.

The innovative business is listed for as a new entrant at number 29.

The flourishing Manor Park has seen exports leap by more than 300 per cent during the last three years.

The Runcorn firm makes metal powders to print 3D products, ranging from turbine blades to medical implants.

It has customers as far afield as Israel and China, and exports hit £5.5m in 2015.

In 2016 exports accounted for 80 per cent of total sales of £11.8 million.

The accolade comes months after the global market leader received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

Entrepreneur Dr Phil Carroll, a metallurgist and engineer, founded the high tech company that produces high quality metal powders for 3D printing nine years ago – from his kitchen table.

The metal powder manufacturer has increased the growth of international sales by 82 per cent over the past two years.

A £20 million investment has funded expansion to create 120 new jobs.

The company already has 70 highly skilled staff working at its head office on Manor Park, a separate R&D facility at STFC Daresbury labs, a fast growing facility in Pittsburgh, USA, an office in Germany and a network of resellers around the world from Asia to Europe.

Plans to build a new facility dedicated to manufacturing metal powders by 2018 will see the largest single investment in metal additive manufacturing in the UK.

Its powders are used to create everything from aerospace turbine components, engine parts for Formula 1 cars to implants such as artificial hips.

The company invests significantly in research and development on site and has links with universities.

LPW Technology is one of nine companies with headquarters in the north west in this year’s list.

Their international sales have grown by an average of 52 per cent over the last two years to a total of £71 million.

Together they employ almost 900 people.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said: “Companies are seizing the huge international demand for innovative UK products and services.

“We want more businesses to take advantage of this global opportunity.”

The full league table will be published in The Sunday Times on Sunday.