In a moment of industrial glory not seen since someone first put a pie on a conveyor belt, Rochdale-based manufacturer Dunphy Combustion has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Innovation, their third royal nod, making them officially more decorated than most Buckingham Palace mantelpieces.
The award was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Diane Hawkins, who was joined by local MP Paul Waugh on what was presumably the only tour of a burner factory this week that ended with handshakes rather than fire extinguishers.
Dunphy’s latest innovation? A world-first hydrogen/natural gas burner capable of operating on either fuel or both at once, in any blend, a feat which sounds impressive, though also like the start of a very niche sci-fi disaster film.
Founded in 1964 by Malcolm Dunphy and now run by his daughter Sharon and son-in-law Eddie Kuligowski, the Queensway-based firm has made a name for itself by setting fire to things in smarter, greener ways. The company also boasts an enviable staff retention rate, with some employees staying longer than most marriages. Notably, Ste Ash just celebrated 50 years at the company, presumably fuelled by loyalty, technical curiosity, and a healthy fear of LinkedIn.
MP Waugh praised Dunphy for being “everything that’s great about our town,” including investment in apprenticeships, innovative exports, and an unusually low number of HR complaints for a place that literally plays with fire.
He also took the opportunity to remind the government that hydrogen needs more love, and more funding, unless we want to rely on candlelight and collective optimism come winter.
Dunphy previously scooped Queen’s Awards in 1998 and 2010, proving that royal recognition is just part of the work uniform at this point. The company insists it will keep pushing sustainable engineering boundaries, even if it means explaining to the public, yet again, that “hydrogen” isn’t code for “explosive mayhem.”
From down the M62, we offer our congratulations, and recommend Dunphy update its slogan to: “Still setting the standard. Still not blowing up Middleton.”
