TWO Northern Ireland companies, including a subsidiary of the Cork based Golden Vale Co-op, were among this year's winners of the Queen's Award for Export Achievement.

Dairy Produce Packers of Coleraine, which employs 250, makes a range of branded and own label processed cheese slices for the catering, fast food, retail and wholesale sectors.

Its parent company is Golden Vale, ranked as the fourth largest in Europe.

The second Northern Ireland company to win the award was the construction, engineering, and outfitting company Mivan which won more than £100 million of new business last year. The firm generating more than 80 per cent of its revenue from contracts outside the UK.