Southland companies and individuals at export awards
The DHL Export Southland Gala Dinner is a biennial event alternating with the Southland Business Excellence Awards.
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The Export Gala – Southland to the World Gala Dinner, in partnership with DHL was held on Friday night at the Ascot Park Hotel.
The Export Southland Trust hosted 240 export businesses and their supporters at the prestigious awards dinner.
Highlights of the evening included:
Entrepreneur and Backlanz founder Ethan Todd’s success as the winner of the NZAS Innovation in Export Award. It’s on the back of the creation of an ultra-lightweight bipod which are assembled here in Invercargill and exported worldwide, including an order from the US Navy.
The DHL Mentorship went to Laura Todd, founder of young company George Munro - Hokonui, a single source lambswool business with products made from crossbred Perendale wool. Her customers are currently wearing Southland products in Sweden, Scotland, France, Germany, England, Australia and Japan.
Two companies shared the prestigious Export Southland Grant this year with Davaar & Co and the Resolution Farming App excelling in their respective fields and making it a difficult decision for the judges to choose just one. The purpose of the Trust Grant is to assist Southland businesses involved in export to aspire towards a sustainable environment, which supports the employment of a skilled workforce through the involved of training, promotion, and education up-skilling, as well as research and development.
At their discretion, the Trust Committee offers a grant/s to the applicant/s who demonstrate that their exporting activity will enhance skills, employment, and development in the Southland region within the export sector.
The Graham Dick Memorial Trophy, proudly supported by McIntyre Dick was presented to Southlander and true pioneer in the NZ Export Industry, Keith Neylon. Over the decades, Keith has shown an incredible ability to see opportunities where others saw challenges. His work across deer, sheep, and cattle farming, meat processing, marine farming, and his exceptional leadership in dairy, particularly through his creation of Blue River Dairy, has had a profound impact on New Zealand’s primary industries.
The DHL Export Southland Gala Dinner is a biennial event alternating with the Southland Business Excellence Awards.
They are facilitated by the Southland Business Chamber on behalf of the Export Southland Trust.
The four main purposes of Export Southland are:
Represent exporters’ views on policy issues
Promote networking, education and social events
Recognise significant business and individual contributions to the export sector
Assist start-up export-orientated businesses