The company's approach to the market by introducing genuinely new products to its existing customers caught the judges' imagination and its analysis of how to tackle the markets impressed.

The Isle of Man company has built a strong reputation around its thermostatic kettle switches. It proudly says these systems are part of 65% of the kettles made in the world and estimates they are used more than a billion times a day.

STRIX had a value estimated at approximately £300m when it was sold to venture capital firm ABN Amro last month.

Such a great track record, though, did not make STRIX complacent when it decided to branch out into water filters. It recognised the need for a marketing plan that adapted the existing template, which involves selling branded components to OEMs in a strategy called "STRIX Inside".

The company said to market the Aqua Optima product, it needed a more innovative strategy. Its scale-busting water filter would still be an integrated component of the kettle, but this time STRIX was up against a dominant brand in the shape of Brita.

The "Aqua Optima Inside" strategy was developed by identifying elements of its existing strategy that could be retained and adding some external marketing expertise. The initial thrust was geographically defined. Priority was given to markets where STRIX had existing strong kettle brand relationships and where Brita was absent or there was no clear dominance.

Early markets were Russia, Poland, Israel and China. Sales in these markets were then used to springboard offerings into the UK and there are plans to launch in Germany (Brita's home market) and the US.

A key element of STRIX's approach is the thorough customer support it gives as a way to add value to customers' products where Brita is an appliance competitor. The company said it proceeds a continually evolving platform of water treatment product technologies to its brand partners. Technical and sales support literature are provided to customers.

An example are Aqua Optima designer packs. These detailed design documents contain all the information needed by the manufacturer. But its support can go deeper and it has recently led work with a major kettle brand to produce a transparent kettle in polycarbonate. As well as kettles, Aqua Optima is also being used in counter top/fridge jugs.