A BURY-based company, which has won two significant export awards, was visited by local MP Ivan Lewis.

The Bury South MP was a guest of foil top lid and drinking straw manufacturers Chadwicks when he visited their headquarters in Villiers Street.

And later, Mr Lewis said he was very impressed by the company and its achievements.

The MP was greeted by managing director Mr Stephen Crow and shown around the company's base.

During his visit, Mr Lewis saw round the production areas and met staff.

In 1992, Chadwick's was awarded a highly coveted Queen's Award for Export Achievement.

And earlier this year, the firm scooped the "Exporting Company of the Year" title at the Bolton and Business Business Awards show.

Chadwicks buy large quantities of aluminium foil which they print and punch into lids for some of the world's best known dairy and pharmaceutical companies.

Founded in 1933, the comany was run as a locally-owned manufacturing unit by Tom Chadwick.

It was sold in 1982 to Sapa Holdings, a Swedish-owned company which invested large sums of money in plant and buildings, enabling Chadwicks to grow from a turnover of £1 million in 1980 to £15 million last year.

Sapa Holdings sold the company to the Dublin-based Clondalkin Group in 1997.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.