Media Release – 14 March 2005
ensis wins major Trans-Tasman business award
Forest Research and CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products (FFP) are proud to announce that their new joint venture, ensis,
has won the Trans-Tasman Business Awards sponsored by Telstra in Australia and Telstra Clear in New Zealand.
The award was announced on Friday in a ceremony held concurrently in Auckland and Sydney with hundreds of major business
leaders in attendance.
Forest Research CEO Bryce Heard says that this is fantastic recognition for a joint venture that has only been running
for 8 months and reflects the daring, innovative nature of this concept.
ensis was formed in July 2004 as a 50:50 partnership between the two largest Australasian forestry R providers, handling the core forestry research and development activities of both companies.
It involves 220 people in five locations throughout Australasia, working in trans-Tasman teams and a budget of AUD27
million per annum at start-up.
“This is the first major trans-Tasman (Government owned) science joint venture where commercial marketing and science
delivery capacity has been integrated into one operation,” Mr Heard explains.
“The award is a huge and justified commendation for the effort of all people involved in the joint venture.”
The prestigious awards showcase the excellence that is being achieved through the co-operation of businesses in both
countries.
ensis was the only double finalist in two categories against enormous competition, winning the Environmental, Social,
Government & Community Award.
The award recognises a public sector, statutory body or not-for-profit organisation that has successfully developed
initiatives to build stronger trans-Tasman relationships - through harmonising or integrating standards/regulations or
promoting trade relations.
The other finalists in this sector included Australian entities, Centrelink, and Food Standards Australia.
The second category in which ensis made the finals was for Best Business Collaboration.
ensis CEO, Paul Cotterill says that the formation of ensis was an active response to global trends as the forestry and
forest products industry consolidates through mergers and acquisitions.
“Global majors also now own much of the New Zealand and Australian forestry industry. Many of these multinationals have
their own significant R departments, thus national R providers are increasingly faced with offshore competition. With the combined forces of its parent companies, ensis is
among the largest independent forestry R organisations in the world, giving us the necessary scale to help the sector remain globally competitive,” Mr Cotterill
says.
ENDS