Recognising those driving our economy

Argenta chief executive Doug Cleverly is forecasting sales of $4 million to Europe alone next year. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The 40 per cent File Celebrating our exporters in their quest to boost exports from 30 to 40 per cent of GDP by 2025.

New Zealand's largely small and medium-scale businesses are the key to driving the export growth we need to sustain employment. The 40 per cent File is to recognise them.

Pharmaceutical Scientist Sir Ray Avery said recently: "We have this tall poppy syndrome where it's not good form to say you're clever at something, except of course if you're in rugby, but we've got to change that paradigm and celebrate what a huge dent we make on the global stage, and most people just don't know."

Each week over the summer months the 40 per cent File will highlight Kiwi ingenuity, innovation and export success - a snapshot of the amazing stories coming from our exporters. (For more export success stories go to www.facebook.com/hookedonexport).

Straker Translations (Auckland)
have grown their online translation revenue from nothing in January 2011 to $400k/month now with business growing at 15 per cent a month, with most bills paid via credit card.

"Knowing how to maximise Google and Bing adwords and drive organic search hits can be one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to grow an online export business," says CEO Grant Straker.

"You still need the basics of a good business model around a unique product offering, and the back-end systems to handle the growth and 24/7 customer service, but getting front-end sales without needing sales people in market can be a real bonus for New Zealand hi-tech exporters." www.strakertranslations.com

LDP
LDP hasn't registered on the publicity radar yet, though for the past five years it has been responsible for the design and supervision of all exterior lighting for the new Doha International Airport (NDIA) site due to open next year. LDP's involvement in the US$15 billion ($18 billion) project is to plan, design and specify a suite of custom-made lighting.

They are supervising quality control of this during its manufacturing and installation. Spin-off projects have included new hotels, a mosque and private palaces, earning LDP over US$500,000 in fees. All design is undertaken in New Zealand.

EasiYo Products
In November QVC, an Italian TV Home Shopping channel, sold €541,000 ($872,144) of Easiyo yoghurt to Italians, record sales for the channel. Then this month Easiyo was asked by QVC, which is the world's biggest home-shopping channel, to partner with them in Beijing where they have 43 million homes online.

Argenta
The bioscience company is forecasting sales of $4 million to Europe alone next year from from research, development and manufacture of their proprietary technology. Plus the same again on behalf of a multinational selling to global markets, and the same yet again for the world's first controlled-release pain-management drug in Europe on behalf of a further multinational.

Atrax Group
A privately owned New Zealand company exporting virtually all of their products to 115 countries, is supplying their weighing equipment into what will be the world's largest air cargo terminal - in Hong Kong being built by Cathay Pacific. Atrax has been calibrating and commissioning the first two phases of the project for the go-live on December 29. They have also supplied all the scales for a passenger terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and are the main supplier of airport scales into China.

Invivo Wines
Recognised in Deloitte's 2012 Fast50 NZ companies, Invivo has generated 250 per cent sales growth in the past 12 months. They're sending 5000 bottles of wine per month to Japan where they secured distribution to the largest nationwide Japanese karaoke bar chain.

Invivo is also the number one selling wine to Tokyo's largest bar and restaurant wholesaler.

It is also delivering full container-loads of wine to China.

Export Tip

Getting paid:
It's so important for exporters to understand global economic conditions and the risks they may face. Exporters need to manage these risks just as they manage their other operations, to understand their exposure to them, and to quantify their potential impact on profit margins and strategic objectives.

Seek professional advice and talk to your advisers, especially your banker and accountant.

If you have racked up exciting wins internationally and want to share them please contact catherine@exportnz.org.nz or text 021-636-219