Dannevirke company Metalform's recognition as one of the top 10, hot, emerging companies in New Zealand is exciting, its general manager says.
At an event in Auckland attended by Government ministers and business leaders, Metalform was named as one of New Zealand's top 10, hot, emerging companies in the The Technology Investment Network (TIN) annual report, which provides a snapshot of the industry, including trends and analysis.
"To get into the top 10 is something we're pretty excited about," Metalform's general manager Alan Benbow said. "The ranking is based on information on public record, around revenue and growth and with the majority of growth companies coming predominantly from Auckland, to be one of this country's hot, emerging companies and coming from Dannevirke is unique."
And it was that unique quality of a small-town company making it big that saw Mr Benbow fronting on TV3's Firstline programme.
"The award will give our company a stronger profile, not just with markets and customers, but Government agencies as we try to establish export markets," Mr Benbow told the Dannevirke News.
The key to Metalform's continuing success is the use of design and technology.
"We're working pretty hard on developing export markets and selling into Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA and now we've moved into Japan and Chile," Mr Benbow said.
Greg Shanahan's Technology Investment Network (TIN) produces the report, now in its 10th year, which ranks the top 200 technology companies, into the top high growth companies and the top 10 emerging companies in New Zealand.
The report is used as a key reference for Government ministers looking at the industry and deciding where further funding needs to be allocated.
"Established companies are getting more grants, they're on the radar of Government agencies and more recently, the TIN100 report is being used internationally," Mr Shanahan said.
"We can record what contribution those companies are making to our country, the economic impact and who is coming through," he told the Dannevirke News. "It's exciting to see Metalform with its very good economic record. It's an example of manufacturing companies growth in that group - the hot, emerging companies. This year that group has the highest growth since the report began."
And despite issues around currency movement, especially since the global financial crisis, top companies are still able to make it in the export market, Mr Shanahan said.
"Companies are finding innovate business models and Metalform is one of those," he said. "Speaking with Alan (Benbow) and his team they have a sophisticated approach to business, with clear thinking and innovation.
"It's pleasing to see growth in the sector returning to pre-global financial crisis figures and I'm particularly buoyed by the re-emergence of companies manufacturing highly sophisticated products, such as Metalform in Dannevirke and Hamilton-based RML Engineering."
Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis said in the past 10 years Metalform had come of age.
"The team has been exceptional and have gone out to the world exporting and it's been a great success. This is a team effort which has to be congratulated because all the workforce hung in their through the tough times and Metalform's success just shows a rural town like Dannevirke is capable of pulling together a successful business. Along the way they've used that No8 wire mentality, but the company has grown way beyond that now."