Premier's NSW Exporter of the Year Awards

Cochlear wins 2007 Premier’s NSW Exporter of the Year Award

Sydney company Cochlear Limited has won this year’s NSW Exporter of the Year Award.

The winners of the prestigious 2007 Premier’s NSW Export Awards were announced in Sydney by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

“Cochlear, based in Lane Cove, is an outstanding choice as Exporter of the Year – the company has been highly successful in the competitive global marketplace,” Mr Iemma said.

“Cochlear is the global leader in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of implantable hearing solutions.

“The innovative company employs more than 1600 people worldwide, exports to more than 90 countries and has a 70 per cent share of the global market for its product.

“The company also won the category award for Large Advanced Manufacturer.”

Mr Iemma said the NSW Government was proud to be the principal sponsor and supporter of the awards.

“These awards highlight what makes NSW a leading business location in the Asia Pacific,” Mr Iemma said.

“Innovative NSW companies, from different industry sectors, are taking on the world and succeeding.”

Cochlear and the other winners in national award categories will represent NSW in the Australian export awards to be announced in Brisbane on November 22.

The Premier’s NSW Export Awards are organised by the Australian Institute of Export (NSW).

2007 Premier’s NSW Export Award Winners

NSW Exporter of the Year and category winner Large Advanced Manufacturer:
COCHLEAR, LANE COVE
Cochlear is the global leader in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of implantable hearing solutions. Cochlear exports to more than 90 countries and has a 70 per cent share of the global market.

Large advanced manufacturer: Highly commended: CHADWICK TECHNOLOGY, KILLARNEY HEIGHTS

NATIONAL AWARD CATEGORIES
Agribusiness: NAMOI COTTON CO-OPERATIVE, WEE WAA
Namoi Cotton Co-operative is the only Australian owned company in the cotton industry and was the first company to export Australian cotton. Namoi Cotton’s top export market is Indonesia, but it also targeting the emerging Chinese market.

Arts, entertainment and design: LASERVISION, DURAL
Laservision provides specialty products and services for the special events and permanent attractions market. The company has developed proprietary hardware and software products to control all elements of its events. Laservision’s primary target market is the Asia Pacific. In the past five years, more than 90 per cent of the company’s turnover has come from exporting its products and services.

Arts, entertainment and design: Highly commended: DESIGN & INDUSTRY, BALMAIN

Education: MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY, NORTH RYDE
International students comprise 30 per cent of Macquarie University’s total enrolments. Programs are available at four locations in Sydney and several off-shore including Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, France, Japan and China.

Education: Highly commended: AEROSPACE AVIATION, BANKSTOWN

Emerging Exporter: UNISTRAW INTERNATIONAL, CHIPPENDALE
Unistraw developed the Unistraw Delivery System – a patented drinking straw that can deliver flavour, functionality and vitamins and minerals to liquids sipped through a straw. In just 18 months, Unistraw has signed distribution contracts for 100 countries for its launch product Sipahh Milk Flavouring Straws.

Information and Communication Technology: BRAVURA SOLUTIONS, SYDNEY
Established in 2004, Bravura Solutions supplies superannuation and pension, life insurance, investment, transfer agency, STP financial messaging and portfolio management software for financial institutions. Bravura Solutions supports more than 175 financial institutions worldwide, with corporate clients in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and South Africa.

Minerals and Energy: XSTRATA COAL, BROKE
Xstrata Coal is the world’s largest exporter of thermal coal and the fifth largest producer of hard coking coal. The company employs more than 2,000 people in NSW, in underground and open cut mines, most of which are in the Hunter Valley. Its NSW operations contribute about 40 per cent of the company’s global production. Most of Xstrata’s NSW production is sold to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Regional Exporter: DE BORTOLI WINES, BILBUL
De Bortoli is a family-owned company, established in 1928. Now the sixth largest wine company in Australia, De Bortoli began exporting in the 1980s following the success of Noble One. The company now exports to more than 60 countries, including Japan, the European Union, North America, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

Regional Exporter: Highly commended: ANGUS AUSTRALIA, ARMIDALE

Services: MACQUARIE BANK, SYDNEY
Macquarie Bank, established in 1969, provides specialist investment banking and financial services. Macquarie is the largest exporter of financial services in Australia and employs more than 10,800 people in 24 countries.

Small to Medium Manufacturer: CORBETT RESEARCH, CONCORD
Corbett Research has achieved international success with its Rotor-Gene, the first rotary analyser for genetic analysis, released in 2000. Almost 3000 of the machines have been sold in 69 countries.

Small Business: THE FIRE COMPANY, WARRIEWOOD
The Fire Company manufactures the EcoSmart Fire, an innovative, environmentally-friendly fireplace which was launched in Australia in 2004. EcoSmart Fires are now sold in 29 countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Sport, Events and Tourism: BRIDGECLIMB, THE ROCKS
When BridgeClimb opened in 1998 it was the first tourism operator on a bridge anywhere in the world. Since then, more than two million people have scaled the Bridge, 62 per cent of them international tourists.

NSW award categories
Exporter to Asia: BRADKEN RESOURCES, MAYFIELD WEST
Established in the 1920s, Bradken Resources designs, manufactures and supplies mining, mineral processing and quarrying products in Australia and internationally. Its main export markets are Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea, North and South America and Africa. The company employs more than 2,800 people worldwide.

Western Sydney: GLORIA JEAN’S COFFEES, CASTLE HILL
Gloria Jean’s Coffees is a specialty coffee retailer and master franchise operator. The company has 765 stores in 26 countries, with master franchise agreements signed in a further 24 countries.

Young Exporter: STEPHANE THOMAS, THE FIRE COMPANY
Stephane Thomas, aged 34, is a director of the Fire Company which developed the EcoSmart Fire. Originally from France, he has contributed to the company’s worldwide growth.