2009 AIMEX Awards

The inaugural 2009 Australian Marine Industry Export Awards conducted by the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX) was showcased on Sydney’s Darling Harbour last week, with a record number of 26 award entrants.

AIMEX said the judges were impressed by the high calibre and broad range of businesses that entered, spending considerable time selecting the finalists and winners as they were all so close.

AIMEX chief executive, MaryAnne Edwards said: “The number and calibre of entries and the strong sponsorship support these inaugural awards attracted is testament to the high-profile and credibility that AIMEX has achieved within the marine export sector.”

Anthony Byrne MP, the Federal Government’s Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, was a special guest speaker at the Awards presentation night and commented: “This is AIMEX’s first year organising and managing the Marine Industry
Export Awards and it has been a great success, with a strong field of entrants.

“From what began as a small group of likeminded exporters 11 years ago, AIMEX has grown to become the peak body representing the Australian marine export industry. This growth has helped to increase Australia’s marine profile internationally, opening doors in new markets and assisting new exporters.

“The past year has certainly been a period of upheaval for the industry and anyone who attended the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show can attest to how, quite literally, it has been about weathering the storm,” Byrne said.

He also mentioned how valuable the Enterprise Connect seminars run by AIMEX had been in supporting the industry through these turbulent times.

The companies entered for this year’s Australian Marine Industry Export Awards were: Aqualuma Underwater Lighting; Ark Corporation Pty Ltd; Azzura Marine; Central Coast Marine Installations; David Bentley Industrial Design; FinScan Pty Ltd; GME; HyDrive Engineering Pty Ltd; Marina Protection Systems; Marine Sanitation Pty Ltd; Marine Technologies Pty Ltd; Muir Engineering Pty Ltd; MultiPanel Pty Ltd; OCEAN Media Pty Ltd; Outboard Covers Australia Pty Ltd; Poly Flex Group Pty Ltd; Ronstan International Pty Ltd; Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show; Seawind Catamarans; Southern Stainless Pty Ltd; Spear Green Design; Stebercraft Pty Ltd; Stress Free Marine Pty Ltd; Superior Jetties; VEEM Limited; and, Wright Innovation.

The results from the 2009 Australian Marine Industry Export Awards are:

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR
Winner – Ronstan International Pty Ltd

MOST INNOVATIVE MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORTED PRODUCT
Winner – VEEM Limited
Highly Commended – MultiPanel Pty Ltd

BEST MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORT MARKETING STRATEGY
Winner – Ronstan International Pty Ltd
Highly Commended – Seawind Catamarans
Highly Commended – GME
Highly Commended – Aqualuma Underwater Lighting

BEST MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORT PERFORMANCE
Winner – Muir Engineering Pty Ltd
Highly Commended – HyDrive Engineering Pty Ltd

MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORT CHAMPION
Winner – Alistair Murray, Ronstan International Pty Ltd
Highly Commended – Barry Jenkins, Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show
Highly Commended – John Muir, Muir Engineering Pty Ltd

MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MARINE INDUSTRY EXPORTED PRODUCT
Commendation Award – Marine Sanitation Pty Ltd