New Zealand Trade And Enterprise Export Awards

2005 New Zealand Trade And Enterprise Export Awards
- Finalists Announced Today

16 June 2005 - Twenty-one outstanding companies across the industry spectrum and ranging from enterprises earning more than $200 million annually in exports to small, entrepreneurial software developers have today been named as finalists in the 2005 New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards.

The finalists, listed below, are contesting eight sector-based Export Awards, with the winners to be announced at a gala dinner in Christchurch on 11 August. One of the sector winners will also be named the 2005 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise CEO Tim Gibson congratulated the finalists and said they were doing an outstanding job helping to improve New Zealand’s economy.

“Export success is critical to lifting New Zealand into the top half of the OECD rankings. The finalists are also helping to build a culture of business enterprise in New Zealand, and helping to position New Zealand as a source of innovation.”

Mr Gibson said the annual NZTE Export Awards are New Zealand’s opportunity to applaud its exporting heroes and give them the recognition they deserve.

“The Export Awards also have a broader purpose - showcasing inspirational exporters both large and small and helping to generate others in their league.”

He thanked DHL, the major sponsor of the Export Awards and a long time partner of the event.

DHL Express General Manager, Phil Rountree, said DHL has a long and proud tradition in helping acknowledge the top echelon of exporting and entrepreneurial talent since first beginning our sponsorship of the Awards nearly a decade ago. Given that over two thirds of this year's finalists are also DHL customers, this also provides us with an ideal opportunity to formally recognise the accomplishments of those organisations who we assist on a daily basis. We would like to congratulate all finalists for their outstanding successes which have benefited not only their organisations but also the export industry in its entirety.

In addition to the NZTE Export Awards, event partners Export New Zealand will present their National Emerging Exporter of the Year and the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology will present their Technology Commendations for 2005.

FINALISTS - 2005 NEW ZEALAND TRADE AND ENTERPRISE EXPORT AWARDS

Profiles of each of the 2005 NZTE Export Awards’ finalists are at www.exportawards.co.nz

42 BELOW (Auckland)

New Zealand’s only super premium vodka 42 BELOW is sold in some of the hippest bars in the world, winning international awards, skyrocketing sales and worldwide publicity - achieved in just two years exporting and on a shoestring budget. The publicly listed company now sells 10,000 cases of super premium 42 BELOW vodka a month, up from 50 cases three years ago with foreign exchange earnings increasing from $14,000 to almost $2 million over the same period.

Auckland International, University of Auckland (Auckland)
Ranked amongst the best universities in the world, The University of Auckland has almost doubled income generated from international students over the past two years to $71.7 million in 2004. The University says it is not only regarded as New Zealand’s leading research university, but has also been the country’s most successful exporter of education services. It made a big investment in physical infrastructure improvements last year to improve the student experience.

Canesis Network Ltd (Canterbury)

Adopting an international focus has seen science and technology company Canesis Network Ltd grow annual export earnings to $12 million, pioneering everything from intelligent textiles to high value keratin materials used in the global personal care and medical materials industries. Canesis Network is one of New Zealand’s largest private research and development providers.

Canterbury Leather International (Canterbury)
Rampant demand for its high quality sheepskin products, including assisting to fill the “UGG” boot fashion craze, saw Canterbury Leather International almost double annual exports in 2004 and increase staff from 85 to a peak of 250. The Christchurch manufacturer of sheepskin footwear, garments, hats and accessories has been in business for 30 years, manufacturing under its client’s labels or under its own house brand “Canterbury Sheepskin”.

Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (Canterbury)
Adopting an internationalisation strategy at a time when its overseas students were in decline has been challenging, but Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology’s commitment has seen it grow annual foreign exchange earnings to $11 million in 2004. CPIT is working to not only grow international student numbers and diversify its markets, but to establish a culture of internationalisation. It says all students are treated alike and unlike many other institutions, you won’t find an international office at CPIT.

CMS Alphatech Ltd (Auckland)

Strategic alliances with technology innovators has seen CMS Alphatech Ltd create a multi million dollar sales and marketing export business, with expertise in radiation therapy equipment for cancer treatment and electromagnets used in applications from carbon dating to medical research. Employing just seven staff, it earned $4 million in export revenue in 2004 and expects to more than double that in 2006.

Comvita Ltd (Bay of Plenty)

Te Puke enterprise Comvita increased annual export earnings by 47% in 2004 to $14.6 million, fuelled by an ambitious growth plan that has seen the company expand beyond its traditional bee products and embark on an internationalisation strategy. In six years Comvita’s gone from being a small private entity with two shareholders to a profitable, publicly listed company with 700 shareholders and annual sales of nearly $30 million.

Cuddon Ltd (Marlborough)

One of Blenheim’s biggest employers with a history dating back 143 years, general engineering business Cuddon Ltd is a world leader in the design and manufacture of freeze dry technology, used for everything from food processing to disaster recovery. Cuddon is in the process of perfecting a new Continuous Belt Freeze Dryer which it says is a technology-leap ahead of anything else currently available on the international market.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (Auckland)

A technology leader whose respiratory humidifiers and obstructive sleep apnea devices bring relief to millions of people all over the world, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has built a large profitable enterprise, achieving annual sales of $241 million in 2005, 98% in exports. The tenth biggest company on the New Zealand stock exchange, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare exports to 90 countries and employs more than 1000 staff in its Auckland operation and offices around the world.

Fletcher Construction South Pacific Division (Auckland)
Walk down almost any main street in the Pacific Islands and you’ll see buildings constructed by Fletcher Construction South Pacific Division, the region's leading general contractor, earning almost $60 million in foreign exchange in 2004, up 47% on the previous year. It has unrivalled depth and breadth of experience across all facets of the construction industry in the region, employing about 50-60 expatriate staff to manage and supervise projects and 1500 local employees.

Interactive Technologies Ltd (Auckland)

Two old tertiary mates who’d topped their IT class joined forces in 1998 to create Interactive Technologies Ltd, a travel software development company that has had 557% growth in the past three years, mainly in exports and was rated as the 62nd fastest growing company in Asia/Pacific by DeLoittes last year. Its range of SERKO* travel management products covers the full cycle of travel-based transactions, including air, accommodation, car, insurance, services, and other transaction types.

Les Mills International (Auckland)

Les Mills International (LMI) is exporting its own brand of group fitness programmes to the world, with sales to almost 10,000 fitness clubs from Brazil to Scandinavia and 4 million people pumping, stepping and dancing to the beat of its music weekly. LMI creates and exports a range of seven pre-choreographed group exercise-to-music programmes for use in fitness clubs, licensed on its behalf by a network of international agents.

New Zealand King Salmon Company Ltd (Nelson)

Adding value through aggressive market development and competing on quality and service not just price saw New Zealand King Salmon Company grow exports to about $45 million last year and increase profitability, despite the negative impact of a high Kiwi dollar. One of the biggest employers in the Nelson region with 380 staff, King Salmon is continually developing new products.

New Zealand Nature Co (Nelson)

An entrepreneurial attitude to marketing and selling over the internet has seen on-line retailer New Zealand Nature Co grow annual sales from $1.2million in 2001 to $4.6 million in year ending March 2004, about 50% in exports. The company retails several thousand products direct to consumers in about 70 countries with sheepskin slippers and boots amongst its best sellers. The internet is its shop front window and key marketing tool

Nobilo Wine Group Ltd (Auckland)

Nobilo Wine Group Ltd has had an exciting ride over the past few years, with sales, mergers and acquisitions, a $100 million development plan and a 71% jump in annual exports in 2004 to $47.4 million. A pioneer of New Zealand’s wine industry, Nobilo Wine Group is today part of Constellation Brand Inc of the USA, the largest wine business in the world. Over the past few years Nobilo Wine Group has implemented a $100 million development plan to take it up the value chain.

Noske-Kaeser New Zealand Ltd (Manawatu)

Noske-Kaeser has created a multi-million dollar export business providing a range of specialised air conditioning systems for harsh conditions, including naval vessels and trains. The Palmerston North company has identified and targeted markets that call for specialised equipment requiring a high level of technical expertise and a high level of workmanship during construction. Sustained and rapid growth saw Noske-Kaeser’s export earnings reach $15 million in 2004.

Rakon Ltd (Auckland)

Rakon Ltd is a world leader in the design and manufacturer of crystals and oscillators used in wireless communications, earning over $60 million in exports last year. Its products are found in the world’s leading mobile phones and global positioning systems (GPS). Rakon sales increased a staggering 762% between January 2002 and December 2004. Almost all sales are export. Rakon is a visionary business that’s predicted and responded to market trends, surviving some radical changes in direction. It employs about 500 staff.

SLI Systems (Canterbury)
SLI Systems’ intelligent search engine software products are drumming up business for clients by directing more traffic to their websites and ensuring that when they get there they can find what they want quickly and easily. The Christchurch company increased revenue by over 1000% between 2002 and 2004 and is on target to achieve several million dollars in sales this year, almost all generated from exports.

The Sweet Shop (Auckland)

Exporting top directors and production crews to make TV commercials for international advertising agencies is proving to be a profitable business for high-end boutique production house The Sweet Shop. Business has rocketed since the company launched itself on the world three years ago. Staff numbers have increased from 3 to 22 and it’s achieving multi-million dollar export earnings annually. In January it was named one of the top 20 production houses in the world by a leading international advertising industry publication.

Universal College of Learning (Manawatu)
Earning almost $4 million in foreign exchange in 2004, the Universal College of Learning’s (UCOL) approach to increasing international student numbers has been to seek out strategic partnerships with other organisations, as well as using the more traditional methods of marketing education. UCOL’s design and nursing programmes are particularly popular with international and domestic students because they are “employment rich”, with graduates eagerly sought by employers. UCOL has campuses in Palmerston North, Wanganui, Masterton and Levin.

Wyma Engineering (NZ) Ltd (Canterbury)

Designing and manufacturing a state of the art machine which washes and polishes vegetables has provided the catalyst for a successful export business for Wyma Engineering, a Christchurch company owned and managed by husband and wife team Andrew and Angela Barclay. In the past four years the export side of Wyma’s business has grown 400%, with the Vege-Polisher critical to its international success.

Editors Note:

About the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards:
The New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards, featuring the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year, recognise outstanding achievement and growth by New Zealand exporters across a range of sectors. Finalists become contenders for each category Export Award and they then vie for the 2005 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year.

About New Zealand Trade and Enterprise:

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand government’s national economic development agency. Through its network of 48 offices worldwide, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise aims to grow New Zealand’s economy by boosting the capability of businesses and regions and facilitating their sustained and profitable participation in overseas markets.

www.nzte.govt.nz or www.exportawards.co.nz 0800 555 888

About DHL:
With annual revenues of nearly ˆ22 billion in 2003, DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specialising in providing innovative and customised solutions from a single source.
DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport and logistics solutions, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL's international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. Over 160,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers' expectations.

DHL is 100% owned by Deutsche Post World Net.

About DHL in New Zealand:
DHL New Zealand employs 450 staff at ten locations. DHL's New Zealand operation is committed to customer value, service excellence and shipment visibility. In 2004, DHL was awarded the Contact Centre Manager of the Year by TUANZ and is Services sector winner of the CRM Contact Centre awards. DHL is also a corporate sponsor of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, business partner of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and supporter of Fashion Industry New Zealand.

ENDS

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