IBEX Group of Companies wins Specialised Manufacturing Exporter of the Year Award

November 15, 2007

New Zealand’s specialised manufacturing exporter for 2007 is IBEX Group of Companies, a specialised manufacturer and technology provider that has achieved phenomenal international growth after deciding to take charge of its own destiny.

IBEX also won the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year Award at the New Zealand Export Awards, presented at Auckland’s Sky City Convention Centre on 15 November.

The Auckland company has increased turnover by 2500 percent in three years, almost all in exports, with the biggest growth coming from IBEX Technologies and the sale of its chilling, freezing and sorting systems to the international food processing industry – each of these systems is worth between $1 million and $7 million.

The Export Awards’ judges said with visionary leadership, IBEX has redesigned itself.

“There is a significant strength in the company’s ability around product development, innovation and managing value creation for their international customers.”

NZTE Chief Executive Tim Gibson congratulated the seven 2007 Export Award winners, describing their achievements as inspirational.

“These companies represent a vibrant mix of successful export businesses; companies that have identified a gap in the marketplace and cultivated their point of difference to produce and distribute quality goods effectively in international markets, using a variety of business models.

“We need to see more New Zealand businesses following their lead and operating internationally in order to increase our global business footprint.

“My congratulations to all the finalists in this year’s Awards and my thanks for your willingness to stand up and stand out among your peers in Export Year. You are inspired and inspiring.”

DHL is the major sponsor of the Export Awards, and Tim Gibson thanked them for their ongoing commitment to New Zealand’s exporters.

IBEX was established in 1983 by CEO Jonathan Engle’s father. The initial business developed from imports and distribution of agency lines and complementary consumables for abattoirs in the New Zealand meat industry.

“Four years ago we said this wasn’t what we wanted to do,” said Jonathan Engle. “We wanted to control our own destiny.”

The focus changed to export and the company restructured into two entities – IBEX Technologies, providing freezing, chilling and sorting technologies for international food processing firms; and IBEX Industries, a manufacturer of innovative powered hand tool technologies for the global meat, fish and poultry processing industries.

The change in direction has achieved exceptional revenue growth, which Mr Engle described as being “quite a ride”.

“The technologies business has just taken off. We’ve got incredible traction in South America, particularly Brazil, a country which is now the global power in agribusiness.”

He said IBEX’s systems offer clients big benefits in three critical areas – labour, energy and visibility.

“We can save clients up to 40 percent of energy costs, 80 percent of labour costs, and provide full product visibility. That’s what makes us special.”

Key to IBEX’s approach over the past four years has been its business model.

“We really focused on what it is that a New Zealand company can do extremely well and we’ve developed all the bits that are critical to us and identified where we can add value, which is through our intellectual property, design, implementation and project management areas.”

The elements that aren’t core to business are outsourced. As a result staff numbers are still relatively small - about 40 representatives in offshore markets and a further 30 in the New Zealand head office, the knowledge hub where all innovation and value creation takes place.

Now exporting to 18 countries, Mr Engle said IBEX is looking to be an export business worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Our goal is to become the absolute global leader in our field. Bar none.”

Notes for Editors:

This is one of a series of eight media releases with detail of all seven category winners and the DHL Supreme Award winner.

More information on all of the finalists including images is available at www.exportawards.co.nz

Contact: Jonathan Engle, CEO, IBEX Group, phone 09 274 2370, email j.engle@ibex.net.nz, www.ibex.net.nz

Distributed by Jennifer Andrewes, Corporate Communications Manager, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, phone +64 4 931 6144, mobile +64 27 228 0261, or email jennifer.andrewes@nzte.govt.nz