Media Statement
17 October 2008
Martinborough Company Takes Top Export Award
A commitment to quality and a pricing strategy aimed at the top 5 percent of the global market, has seen Martinborough’s
Palliser Estate Winery take out the prestigious Exporter of the Year Award at the NZ Post Wellington Export Awards,
2008.
Palliser Estate makes ultra premium wines under the Palliser and Pencarrow labels and exports to 23 different countries.
The winery headed off finalists Integrow Marketing Limited and RJ’s Licorice Limited to receive the top award at a gala
dinner at the Beehive, organised by Export New Zealand and hosted by Hon. Pete Hodgson.
There were eight finalists in the running for three category awards. Chief Judge, Nigel Stirling of Gibson Sheat Lawyers
said the finalists scored well in each area.
“The final decisions were difficult, however, the judges agreed that the winners were exceptional and merited the
Awards”
The Opus International Consultants Limited, Services Exporter of The Year award was won by GNS Science a Crown Research
Institute, a standalone research and consultancy company whose commercial work has increasingly included exporting.
Magritek, winner of the Gibson Sheat Lawyers Emerging Exporter of The Year Award, was established to commercialise
research work carried out at Victoria University and Massey University. It exports products for industry, research and
education to 80 customers, primarily in the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East.
During the evening a special award was made to Victor Percival a pioneer of the current two way China/New Zealand trade.
This Award was an acknowledgement by fellow exporters of the great work Victor has done over 50 years in helping New
Zealand recognise the potential of trading with China, which has resulted in the recent signing of the free trade
agreement.
ENDS