A NORTH Yorkshire businesswoman who led her company from the brink of disaster has won a major award.

Sue Hunter received the best woman in international trade title at the 2004 North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

In accepting the award, she said it was on behalf of all the staff at PSI Global in Bowburn: "The company has had a torrid time over the past 18 months and managing change to address this problem has been one of the most difficult changes we have ever faced," said Mrs Hunter.

"However, we have learnt from our mistakes and are much fitter and wiser as a result."

She and her husband, George, who live in Scorton, founded the company in 1976 and Mrs Hunter has been managing director since his retirement in 1995.

The firm is an internationally recognised expert in filtration and separation technology for the compressed air and vacuum industries.

In 2003-04 it suffered major setbacks, including the loss of a £1m+ customer, and Mrs Hunter despatched her management team to assess exactly what was required from customers.

Where weaknesses were identified, measures were put in place to correct them. Internal weaknesses were solved by recruiting outside help and the result was an initial downsizing. Turnover dipped to £3.2m and staff numbers reduced from 100 to 68.

But the measures introduced saw business quickly pick up again, and PSI Global not only won the major client back, but also increased production and saw staffing levels rise to more than 100.

Turnover is now confidently expected to hit £5m this year.

An extract from Mrs Hunter's nomination read: "In an unforgiving marketplace that supplies the likes of silicon chip manufacturers, train braking systems and nuclear submarines, pharmaceutical, food and medical applications, the only entry requirements are quality, price and delivery.

"Under Sue Hunter's management, PSI Global provides that and more with a continuous improvement policy and research and development programme providing solutions to inherent industry problems."

Innovative products have resulted and more than 100 patents are held by the company worldwide. It has started to license market competitors to share in the company's filtration and separation technology.

The company gives training priority and manufacturing and output generally has improved along with health and safety awareness and reduced waste. A bonus spin-off has been more problem-solving by shop floor staff.

An on-line design system, electronic sales inquiry programme, and an on-line accounting system for head office and subsidiary companies has turned it into a virtual paper-less business.

The company is a major employer in Bowburn, an ex-mining village, and despite automation still employs more than 100 local people on a three shift system to cope with the increased business.

The company currently exports more than 75pc of its products to Europe, Australasia, The Far East, Canada and the USA. New staff have been taken on in Malaysia, Korea, China and America. PSI Global won the Queen's Award for Export in 1989 and is now striving to achieve the honour once again.

"We have learnt from our mistakes and everyone is confident we will achieve even greater success in the future," said Mrs Hunter.

She received her award from Stewart Watkins, director of County Durham Development Company, in a ceremony at The Hilton in Gateshead