LESS than a fortnight after the morale-boosting Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards, a past winner has provided another reason to be positive.

The mood at our ceremony was one of optimism due to the incredible entrepreneurial spirit and innovation creating success in East Lancashire despite the recession.

No firm typifies this more than Promethean, with its amazing rise to becoming a world leader in interactive whiteboards used in classrooms around the world.

Last year Whitebirk-based Promethean won an inter-national trade award for its exploits. The firm has gone from strength to strength and is now bidding to float on the stock exchange in the New Year. Promethean is expected to be valued at £500million, meaning founder Tony Cann could be in line for £250m windfall.

Business leaders say the firm is the ‘pride of East Lancashire’. They believe its success proves that the area can produce successful, global companies.

The firm has offices in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Bahrain, France and Germany.

But its heart is the Whitebirk headquarters where 250 people work. Going onto the Stock market will bring huge benefits. Let’s hope these are felt keenly in East Lancashire.