Media Release

Finalists Announced for 12th Annual AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards

9 June 2011 Twenty companies are finalists in the 12th annual AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards, with the winners to be announced at a black tie gala with guest MC Michael Wilson on July 14th at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel.

The finalists represent a diverse set of companies proffering a range of goods and services reflecting the depth of business links between New Zealand and the United States.

The AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards, held in conjunction with Qantas, celebrate success and innovation in the import, export and investment sectors between New Zealand and its third largest trading partners the US. Prizes include a travel voucher worth NZ$2,500 for air travel to the US on Qantas Airways for winners of the importer, exporter and education partnership categories.

Over the last year US NZ relations have moved to new level with the visit by US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton in November and the signing of the Wellington Accord. Secretary Clinton commented that the relationship is the best is has been for over 25 years and the Wellington Accord is taking the relationship further forward.

Business is backing this up with bilateral trade with the USA rising by almost 9 percent in the last year to just under $9 billion annually, despite the difficult economic conditions and the value of the dollar.
“The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand recently held a networking forum for exporters to the USA to foster more trade links with the US, and we hope the success of these finalists inspires other companies to investigate the market,” said AmCham’s Executive Director Mike Hearn. “We’re constantly looking for opportunities to enhance and expand business and trade relationships within the private and public sectors. The annual Success & Innovation Awards provide an opportunity to showcase companies that have demonstrated imagination, innovation and entrepreneurship, and to honour and celebrate their achievements.”

The awards incorporate investment in both directions and divide export earnings into three categories to ensure companies can compete on an equal basis.

The 2011 Awards have been narrowed down to 14 finalists across the four major categories. They are:

Exporter of the Year to the USA – under NZ$500,000
• Automation & Electronics NZ Ltd www.automationelec.com
• DSH Systems Ltd www.dshsystems.com
• World Wide Access www.world-wide-access.com

Exporter of the Year to the USA – NZ$500,001 — NZ$5 million
• Argenta Ltd www.argenta.co.nz
• Intergen Ltd www.intergen.co.nz
• Mobile Commerce Ltd www.mcom.co.nz
• Pharmaceutical Solutions Limited www.pharma-solutions.co.nz
• Snapper Rock International www.snapperrock.com

Exporter of the Year to the USA – over NZ$5 million
• Beca International Consultants Ltd www.beca.com
• Buckley Systems Ltd www.buckleysystems.com
• Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre www.pwnz.com

Importer of the Year from the USA
• General Electric Company (GE) www.ge.com
• Seychelle Ltd – www.seychelle.co.nz
• Tidd Ross Todd Ltd www.trt.co.nz

The Investor of the Year Award is a recognition award. The finalists are:

Investor of the Year to or from the USA
• Foley Family Wines
• Host Hotels & Resorts
• Trilogy International/2degrees
• Valar Ventures

The Education Partnership Award recognise the best US-focused entrepreneurial partnership between a business and a primary or secondary school. The finalists are:

Education Partnership with the USA
• Biomatters Ltd
• The NZ Robotics Charitable Trust
• World Mentor NZ

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express and Qantas, the awards are supported by Auckland University of Technology, Baldwins, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.

Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Zespri International, Peace Software, Airways Corporation, HumanWare, Tenon, Orion Health, Zeacom, SMI Group, Fonterra and Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre
---- ENDS ----

BUDGET 2012:
Parliament Debate Live - Video Of Budget 2011
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: Reports / Analysis - Press Kit - Reaction (from everybody) - Previews (from everybody) - Pre-Budget Announcements

Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. More >>

Sludge Budget Report - Short The Dollar! MEMO: To international bankers FROM: C.D. Sludge Please short the dollar! It'll be good for both you and us. And you know you want to. Greexit, Eurogeddon... watch out... flight to quality and all that. Follow your instincts. The NZ Debt Management Office has been so surprised at the unprecedentedly low interest rates that it can borrow at that it has already entirely pre-funded the 2013 fiscal deficit - all $8 billion of it! More >>

Pattrick Smellie Comment: Doddling along the best we can hope forCriticising Budgets for lacking vision or imagination is like shooting fish in a barrel, but even so, this year's Budget again feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps it's the intrusion of real world needs that means the government couldn't make better political use of the $558.8 million it expects to gather in its first partial asset sale. More >>