Region's exporters up for recognition

Hawke's Bay innovation and strategy are being rewarded in the region's first ExportNZ ASB Awards.

Hawke's Bay innovation and strategy are being rewarded in the region's first ExportNZ ASB Awards.

Designers and manufacturers dominate the QBE Innovation in Export Award with classroom furnisher Furnware, polo and croquet mallet-maker Wood Mallets, homeware designer David Trubridge, energy plant-maker RCR Energy and automated handling equipment-maker Haden and Custance. Also a finalist is apple grower Rockit.

RCR and Haden and Custance are also finalists for the Napier Port Most Compelling Strategy in Export Award. Joining them is Agri Lab Co-Products, a supplier of raw animal material for industry.

Finalists in the DHL Collaboration in Export Award are Hawke's Bay Wine Growers and winemakers Maimai Creek.

The Icehouse Award for Most Promising Business and the supreme award, the ASB Exporter of the Year Award, will be chosen from the winners.

To enter the awards, businesses had to be generating export earnings of more than $100,000 for more than three consecutive years.

The sold-out July 30 awards ceremony is at The Old Church in Meeanee and delivered by ExportNZ, a division of employer organisation Business Central.

Chief executive John Milford said the calibre of award entries was high.

"These awards are a great opportunity to acknowledge businesses that are winning on a global level and contribute so much in export receipts and jobs to the local and national economies by way of their skill and innovation," he said.

"Exporters are the lifeblood of our country and we need to take the time to acknowledge their contribution."

Lead Judge and ExportNZ Hawke's Bay chairman Alasdair MacLeod said judges felt "a huge sense of pride" because of the many "fabulous exporters in our region".