NEWS - Aqualuma voted Marine Exporter of the Year
Aqualuma Marine Lighting was named Australia’s Marine Exporter of the Year at last week’s 2011 Club Marine Australian Marine Industry Export Awards.
Organised by the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX), the awards were announced at the AIMEX and Club Marine annual networking function at Sydney’s Darling Harbor.
As well as Exporter of the Year award Aqualuma also took out the Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy category. Other winners included Britton Marine (Aust) Pty Ltd, Glowfast Marine, Sealite, P&W Marine Engineering, and SOS Marine. Individual winners included Alan Steber from Steber International, Richard Ward from Seawind Catamarans and the Young Achiever award was won by Jim Bolton from Steber International.
Despite the global financial situation, AIMEX said Queensland-based Aqualuma defied odds, maintaining a strong and strategic global marketing plan as well as expanding its product range and successfully delivering this to the market in 2010. Aqualuma sponsor a number of key international boat shows as part of its marketing strategy including major sponsorship of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Florida.
Aqualuma is renowned worldwide for its innovative groundbreaking technology and designs and continues its commitment to bring the very latest innovations to the market. In 2010, Aqualuma introduced the world’s smartest intelligent LED interior lighting system ever seen in the marine sector, said AIMEX.
The Australian marine industry is renowned for its innovation, and this was proved once again this year when the judges awarded three companies equally in the Most Innovative Marine Industry Exported Product category.
Joint winners were P & W Marine Engineers Pty Ltd, Sealite and SOS Marine; Aqualuma Marine Lighting and Stress Free Marine also picked-up Highly Commended awards in this category.
According to AIMEX, P&W Marine Engineers has invented a method to foundry a foiled shaped rudder. The rudders are designed by naval architects to meet Marine Society Class and are hollow by design with watertight compartments.
A technology leader, Sealite is dedicated to servicing the solar industry through the efficient design and production of leading-edge products. AIMEX described the Apollo-155 as the most innovative product within the marine industry because unlike expensive, land-based sectored navigation lights it is the only single tier lantern able to be sectored accurately in multi-colours. The Apollo-155 is an inexpensive alternative to the large and bulky, high-powered and sometimes inaccurate sectored lights of the past.
SOS Marine manufacture custom-made lifejackets and personal safety and rescue equipment certified to the latest ISO 12402 requirements. SOS has established a reputation for designing innovative products including the SOS Dan Buoy; a lightweight man-overboard device with quick response time and no activation required. It provides rescue operations additional capability and confidence.
There were two winners in the Marine Industry Export Champion category: Alan Steber from Steber International, and Richard Ward from Seawind Catamarans; both having made significant impact and contribution to the Australian marine industry.
Alan Steber participates on a number of industry boards including AIMEX, he is dedicated to his customers and is an ambassador for Australian-made product, utilising Australian product wherever possible on Steber boats.
Richard Ward has made significant inroads in the global marine industry with Seawind Catamarans sailing waters globally; he was also the driving force in lobbying for the successful changes made to the GST legislation effecting boats purchased in Australia.
Recognising the importance of the younger generations in the industry, AIMEX implemented a new category in the 2011 Awards scheme this year, Australian Marine Industry Young Achiever. Jim Bolton, who is now a qualified shipwright at Steber International, won this award. Alan Steber said, “Jim can turn his hand to anything in the business.”
Luminous product manufacturers Glowfast Marine took out the Australian Marine Industry Best Export Performance (small exporter) category as well as Highly Commended in the category Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy. Glowfast Marine is the first company to bring high-quality, purpose-built luminous solutions to the marine industry. The market has seen rapid expansion over the last three years, with more customers realising the benefits, for performance, energy saving and safety.
Britton Marine (Aust) Pty Ltd won Australian Marine Industry Best Export Performance (medium exporter). Britton Marine has successfully established itself as a major supplier of inflatable craft for the Australian and New Zealand Navies. Its export business includes the UAE, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand.
Victorian-based navigation-aid manufacturers, Sealite, won Australian Marine Industry Best Export Performance (large exporter). Sealite is a global exporter and its products are in service in more than 110 countries with 100-plus authorised distributors worldwide. End users include major military establishments, coast guard, ports and harbours and inland waterway authorities, oil, gas and mining industries, and government departments.
AIMEX chairman, Alistair Murray commented that it is heartening to see so many Australian marine industry exporters making inroads globally despite the current lack of government support for manufacturing in this economic climate with the high Australian dollar, the high cost of manufacturing in this country and reduced global demand
having
a real affect on everyone’s business.
“Australia has
always been known for the innovation and quality of our products and having three equal winners in the innovation category proves that innovation is one of the cornerstones to Australia’s success here and overseas,” said Murray.
For further information, email: AIMEX marketing@aimex.asn.au
2011 Club Marine Australian Marine Industry Export Awards
2011 Marine Industry Exporter of the Year & Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy
Winner: Aqualuma Marine Lighting
See www.aqualuma.com
Most Innovative Marine Industry Exported Product
Winner: P & W Marine Engineers Pty Ltd
Go to www.pwmarine.com.au
Winner: Sealite
Log on www.sealite.com.au
Winner: SOS Marine
Visit www.sosmarine.com
Highly Commended: Aqualuma Marine Lighting
Highly Commended: Stress Free Marine
Australian Marine Industry Export Champion
Winner: Richard Ward, Seawind Catamarans
Winner: Alan Steber, Steber International
Marine Industry Young Achiever
Winner: Jim Bolton, Steber International
Best Marine Industry Export Performance (Small Exporter)
Winner: Glowfast Marine
See www.glowfast.com
Highly Commended: MultiPanel Pty Ltd
Highly Commended: Stress Free Marine
Best Marine Industry Export Performance (Medium Exporter)
Winner: Britton Marine (Aust) Pty Ltd
Go to www.brittonmarine.com.au
Highly Commended: Aqualuma Marine Lighting
Highly Commended: P & W Marine Engineers Pty Ltd
Best Marine Industry Export Performance (Large Exporter)
Winner: Sealite
Click on www.sealite.com.au
Highly Commended: Azzura Marine
Highly Commended: Steber International
Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy
Highly Commended: Glowfast Marine
Photo: Aqualuma Marine Lighting directors Carl (left) and Grant Amor accepting the AIMEX Marine Exporter of the Year and Best Export Marketing Strategy awards.