Austrade media release
Tuesday 8 July 2008
The Australian Export Awards program continues in Darwin on Wednesday with the launch of the 2008 NT Chief Minister’s Export & Industry Awards at the Darwin Sailing Club.
The Northern Territory’s Chief Minister Paul Henderson along with local business, industry and government representatives will attend the evening function from 5.30pm. Mr John Russell from Russell Minerals Equipment in Toowoomba, Queensland, is keynote speaker.
Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd (RME), winner of the 2007 and 2001 Australian Regional Exporter of the Year Award, is a technology company focused on developing machine based solutions for the world’s mining and mineral processing industries.
Mr Russell said RME’s (grinding) Mill Relining Systems dominate this niche globally and has led to RME winning its national export awards.
He said RME exports around 85 per cent of its production to markets as diverse as North and South America, Asia (including China), Africa and Europe and the global mining boom has seen RME sales grow 400 per cent in four years.
"Winning Australian Export Awards has provided a tremendous boost to RME’s 177 personnel. It is reassuring to know we are a globally competitive manufacturer, especially given some exchange rate difficulties. This performance is achieved through fewer, better people, armed with the right tools, producing technologies far in advance of our competitors."
Austrade’s Manager for the NT, David Knapton, encouraged local companies to enter the Australian Export Awards program via the NT Chief Minister’s Export & Industry Awards.
The Northern Territory has been a strong supporter of the Australian Export Awards for many years but it is sometime since we achieved our last success at the national level, Mr Knapton said.
"It would be great for the local business community and absolutely brilliant for the Northern Territory to see an NT company achieve the ultimate accolade by winning an Australian Export Award."
He added: "Given the critical importance of export to both the Northern Territory and Australian economies, the Australian Export Awards provides a perfect opportunity for NT exporters to showcase their accomplishments to the rest of Australia and encourage other local and Australian businesses to strive for the same success in overseas markets."
Austrade’s Chief Economist, Mr Tim Harcourt, said NT’s export potential is strong.
"The Northern Territory is a quiet achiever as far as Australia’s export story goes. Research shows that the Top End has been an important player in Australia’s internationalisation story - particularly among small and medium sized exporters," Mr Harcourt said.
"Darwin’s proximity to important trading partners like Indonesia is important to Australia. After all Darwin is only a short flight way to Jakarta, Singapore and Port Moresby. The importance of Asia to Australia’s trading future has never been in doubt in the Territory," he said.
The marketing collateral and branding for the 2008 Australian Export Awards has been designed by NT artists from Balarinji, a contemporary indigenous based graphic design and public art studio. The indigenous graphics and ‘Kangaroo Dreaming’ have been created exclusively for Austrade.
The NT Chief Minister’s Export and Industry Awards will be launched at the Darwin Sailing Club on Wednesday 9 July 2008 at 5.30pm-7.30pm. Winners of the NT Chief Minister’s Export and Industry Awards progress as finalists to the national Australian Export Awards.
The 2008 Australian Export Awards winners will be announced at a National Awards Presentation on 5 December 2008 in Melbourne. Companies can enter the national awards by first entering their state and territory award programs via www.exportawards.gov.au
ENDS
Media contact
Caroline James
Mob: +61 413 481 579
For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre. |