Steelbro received an accolade at the Commercial Motor Trailer of the Year awards in the UK last month.

The Steelbro MK6 Sidelifter, distributed in the UK by Containerlift UK Ltd, beat 13 other finalists to win the special purposes award, the judges commending its design, production and intermodal capacity.

Steelbro managing director Peter Batcheler said the award was a huge boost for the company as it expanded its business in the UK and Europe.

"This award is extremely significant for Steelbro. It gives us a huge profile in a very lucrative market and positions the Steelbro Sidelifter as a market leader," he said.

"Although Sidelifter technology has been in New Zealand since 1973, it is a relatively new concept in the UK and Europe. There is huge potential (and) this is a real springboard for us."

The award was presented in front of 500 guests at the Renaissance centre in Birmingham.