About the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards

• About the awards
• Benefits to companies entering the awards
• Categories
• Judges and criteria
• How are the awards scored?
• Other information

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About the Awards

The 2007 New Zealand Export Awards are open. The awards are recognised nationally and internationally as the most prestigious awards given to New Zealand exporters. 

The New Zealand Export Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding success of New Zealand exporters across a range of sectors. They are a showcase for innovative companies that are strategically achieving outstanding export growth and generating the foreign exchange earnings New Zealand needs in order to grow our economy.

The New Zealand Export Awards also provide a chance for other businesses to see the best of the best, to look at potential role models and learn about best practice – and therefore to improve their own business capability and international competitiveness.

The New Zealand Export Awards aim to encourage growth in the breadth and depth of our export base as international trade continues to be the backbone of our economy. They also help build a culture of business enterprise in New Zealand, and help position New Zealand as a source of innovation.

Past winners include Opus International Consultants Ltd, Rakon Ltd, Solid Energy NZ Ltd, ZESPRI International Ltd, Navman NZ Ltd, Old Fashioned Foods, the New Zealand Dairy Board, Pulse Data International, IRL BioPharm, Orca and Victoria University of Wellington.

• To enter online, click here
• To download a pdf of the entry form, click here.
• Entries close on 30 April.
  

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Benefits to companies entering the awards

Winning a New Zealand Export Award provides recognition of a company’s success as an exporter and their business excellence and helps to put that company on the map. It fosters staff pride and commands respect in New Zealand and overseas.
Past winners attest to the positive impact winning a New Zealand Export Award has on their business, both internationally and domestically.

Dr. Kevin Thompson, from Opus International Consultants Ltd (2006 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year), says: “We were delighted to be recognized as an export leader for our effective taking our niche professional services to countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.  We see our future growth coming from the business we gain in these overseas markets and will be looking to further expand both our service capabilities and presence in these countries.  Winning the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year Award in 2006 was a welcome accolade, and has further enhanced our profile in the marketplace.”

Darren Robinson from Rakon Ltd (2005 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year) says: "Being recognised as the technology leader in our field by customers and competitors alike is one of our greatest achievements and since winning the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year our business continues to go from strength to strength. As a family business that started in the basement, our experience shows that with determination and vision success is achievable for even the smallest of companies."

Barry Bragg from Solid Energy (2004 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year) says: "Winning was the culmination of 30 years hard work to establish and sustain a business from the ashes of a declining New Zealand market.  We are now even more determined to keep growing our exports to provide net positive gains for all of our stakeholders."

Craig Greenlees from ZESPRI International Ltd (2003 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year) says: “Winning the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year award was a time of celebration and immense reward and recognition for all people associated with New Zealand's largest horticultural export earning industry."

Peter Maire from Navman (2002 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year) says it has raised awareness with customers and suppliers locally, boosted staff morale and helped drive employment. He says winning an Export Award adds credibility to the negotiating table and should impact on sales.

By entering, companies stand to receive:

• $10,000 worth of tailored New Zealand Trade and Enterprise services for every category winner – in market event support, tradeshows, international market intelligence – YOU CHOOSE!
• An additional $10,000 (totalling $20,000) worth of tailored New Zealand Trade and Enterprise services for the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year
• International recognition through the use of a New Zealand Export Awards winners fernmark
• Recommendations to assist your organisation with its continuous export improvement. 
• The ability to Benchmark your company against similar enterprises and potentially win an accolade that helps set you above the rest
• Critical analysis of your past exporting performance and where you can go in the future, adding value to your strategy planning (even by filling in the forms).
  

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Categories

• Agritech, Life Sciences and Biotechnology
• Creative and Design
• Education
• Food and Beverage
• Information and Communications Technology
• Services
• Specialised Manufacturing
• Wood, Building and Interiors
  

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Judges and Criteria

The New Zealand Export Award judges include a mix of respected business leaders and commentators. Companies are judged on their outstanding export achievement, export growth, evidence of sustainability, export marketing and customer strategies.

To enter companies must have:

• an exporting history of at least 3 years; and
• foreign exchange earnings of at least NZ$500,000 in the last financial year; and
• consistently strong foreign exchange growth each year for the last 3 years.
  

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How are the awards scored?

The New Zealand Export Awards are scored on a 1000 point system. The first 300 points are allocated based on information provided in this entry form, for volume and percentage growth in export sales.

Top ranking entries are then invited to complete a Stage 2 entry. This outlines their export marketing and customer strategies, innovation, human resource philosophy, production capacity/process and other aspects of their business that make the company a standout exporter. This second stage is worth 700 points.

From the Stage 2 entries, top ranking companies are visited by an independent assessor who verifies the information provided in the entries. Reports prepared after these visits help the judges determine the finalists in each category.

Finalists are eligible to become the Exporter of the Year in their category, and in turn the category winners become contenders for the 2007 DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year. Category winners and the DHL Supreme Exporter of the Year will be announced at an awards ceremony in Auckland in November 2007.

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Other Information

• Entrants and finalists from previous years may apply 
• All information provided will be treated by NZTE as strictly confidential 
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into 
• Judges reserve the right not to present awards in a category if entries are deemed to be below the required standard.
• NZTE reserves the right to remove a category if there are insufficient entries.
• For more information please e-mail awards@nzte.govt.nz or phone 0800 555 888