Who Will Top Manukau Business Excellence Awards?

Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards
Media Release
19 June 2007
For immediate release

Who will be the best? Manukau businesses enter Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Award

An award-winning gourmet distillery; an ethical money lender; an importer of healthy iced-teas; a scrap metal recycler; a moulded plastics specialist; a printing company; and a golf park.

What do these Manukau businesses, so completely different in what they do, have in common? Each is amongst dozens of companies that are entering the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards with the hope of becoming a finalist and, eventually, a winner.

Now in its 15th year, the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards acknowledge the city's best businesses in 10 different categories.

Kit Parkinson, owner of South Pacific Loans, a company that prides itself on looking after the financial welfare of the people it lends to, has entered and won two categories in the past: the Best Retailer and Best Emerging Business categories.

Having made significant improvements in the business, he was encouraged by his staff to enter for a third time, and with a set of new effective communication processes that have been working within the company for twelve months, to focus on the Brookfields Lawyers Employer of Choice category.

"Past wins have provided great recognition and inspiration for our team," he says.

Another returning entrant is Prenzel of Whitford, operated by a mother and daughter team is a tasting room and retail store and the Manukau storefront of the Prenzel Distilling Co in Blenheim. The New Zealand distillery received four international awards for its Marlborough-produced gin and three other products in the Prenzel range in May this year. Prenzel of Whitford is taking part in the awards in order to gain local recognition for this and other achievements.

"We believe we have a point of difference in the retail sector. Our customer service approach is quite different from that in many other stores - nobody gets away without a chat, a smile, attention and information," says co-owner Mavis Griffiths.

There are a number of first time entrants too:

Liquid Health Limited was formed this year by three young friends who, on returning from their OEs, wanted to do something different. They formed the company, which imports healthy beverages from Asia, and are now represented throughout Auckland. Their motivation for entering the Awards is to get feedback from judges who are experienced business managers and owners.

Clark Proctor of Metalman N.Z. Limited has been astounded by his business's rapid advancement, but had the foresight to invest in plant and equipment to see him through growth of up to 80% per year. Metalman is entering several categories within the Awards.

Premier Business Print may be little known outside of the trade, but its products -business forms, baggage tags, event and parking tickets as well as printed labels - are used by over 600 businesses across New Zealand and Australia.

Sales and Marketing Manager, Andrew Perrier says the company has won over 30 awards in the 24 years its been in business. "It's a great motivator for our staff to see that the work they do is recognised, and an opportunity for us to benchmark our practices" he says.

It is not yet known how many companies will enter the Awards, for which entries close at 5pm this Friday 22 June.

There are 22,000 businesses within Manukau City!

Entry categories within the Awards include employer of choice, exporting and tourism, small business, manufacturing, innovation, customer service, emerging business, workplace safety, and community contribution.

Finalists will be announced at a special cocktail function on 19 July 2007

Business managers and owners interested in finding out about the Awards should visit www.bizawards.co.nz or contact Enterprising Manukau on 09 262 2244.

The Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards are delivered by Enterprising Manukau on behalf of Manukau City Council and have been a firm fixture on Manukau's business calendar for 15 years.

ENDS

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