by business editor Trevor Sturgess

An award-winning shower design and manufacturing firm has made a royal splash.

The Duke of Kent visited Aqualisa at Westerham just under a year after the business won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The award in the innovation category recognised Aqualisa’s revolutionary digital showering technology.

The royal visitor was given a guided tour of Aqualisa’s premises, introduced to some of the company’s 250 employees and given a close-up view of Aqualisa’s digital bathroom technology.

Aqualisa’s chief executive George Letman said the company was honoured by the visit.

He said: "Earning the recognition of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise was a huge triumph for the many people at Aqualisa, who have been committed to developing digital bathroom technology over the last decade," he said.

"At present, British businesses – and particularly those involved with innovation – need as much support and encouragement as possible and accordingly, we are honoured and delighted to welcome such an important visitor."

Aqualisa, founded in Kent more than 30 years ago and with annual sales of £40m, launched the Quartz Digital system in 2001 and it has proved a bestseller ever since, with the Kent firm setting a new industry standard for shower technology.