AIM-quoted Millbrook Scientific Instruments has won four orders worth £350,000 and received an award for 'outstanding achievement in international trade' from the UK Trade & Investment group, writes Robert Tyerman.

Headed by Dr Peter Stefanini, Millbrook, which designs and makes instruments for 'nano-scale' investigations of surfaces, coatings and thin films, has won an order for its MiniSIMS product from the University of Hawaii, which has also ordered the company's recently-developed large sample handling system. The Kangnung National University in South Korea has also ordered a MiniSIMS, for use in the university's Technology Innovation Centre for Fine Ceramics.

Simtech of Singapore, one of south-east Asia's leading research institutes, has ordered a NanoTest product from Millbrook's micro materials division. Meanwhile, Specsavers, the UK's largest optician, has ordered another Millbrook innovation, its Aquila nkd7000 with confocal microscope, for use at Specsavers' Vision Labs subsidiary's production unit at Kidderminster.

Stefanini says 'we are achieving increasing global recognition within the nano-metrology sector.' At 8.25p, Millbrook's so far slow-moving shares value the company at £3.1 million and must be seen as long-term prospects.