Cairns business wins export award

Published Thursday, 19 October, 2017 at 09:30 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
The Honourable Curtis Pitt

Cairns College of English and Business has won one of the prestigious Premier of Queensland’s Export Awards 2017 in the education category.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has congratulated the education provider on winning the award and acknowledged the vital contribution it makes to the state economy at a prestigious awards ceremony on Thursday night (19 October 2017).

A Gold Coast electric skateboard manufacturer, Evolve Skateboards, was given the top prize of the night – Exporter of the Year – for its unique products that have developed a global cult following.

Announcing the winners at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Ms Palaszczuk said the awards were evidence of how dynamic and innovative the Queensland economy has become.

“Cairns College of English and Business has topped the education category for the second year in a row and the contribution it is making to attract international students to Far North Queensland deserves to be recognised,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The benefits of trade are exponential. Exports support one in five jobs, with increased trade in goods and services predicted to be the key driver of economic growth in Queensland over the next few years.

“Trade delivers higher wages and better job security, with Australian exporters paying their employees11.5 per cent more on average than non-exporters.

“Every month the trade data continue to show that Queensland exports are reaching new highs, and demonstrating the ongoing strength of the state’s export market.

“In the 12 months to August 2017, merchandise exports contributed a record $69.86 billion to the Queensland economy. That’s an increase of $21 billion over the same period last year and represents a 56 per cent increase under my government.

“Over 70 businesses entered this year’s awards program in 12 national categories and four state categories, and each one of them deserves to be congratulated.”

Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, Curtis Pitt, said the diversity of award winners announced tonight underlined the diversity of the Queensland economy and the variety of opportunities to grow exports even further than the records being set at the moment.

“As a government we are focussed on supporting investment and innovation to boost exports and create jobs now and for the future,” Mr Pitt said.

“The $35 million five-year Trade and Investment Strategy we released earlier this year sets a blueprint for expanding our export efforts.

“Our strategy will mean more investment, stronger economic growth, and more jobs, especially in our regional communities.”

Full list of winners:

National categories:

  • Agribusiness winner:

AGT Foods Australia (Toowoomba) – a global leader in value-added processing of pulses, staple foods and ingredients for export markets.

  •  Minerals and Energy winner:

Blast Movement Technologies (Brisbane) – measures the movement of rock during blasting, enabling mines to track ore before and after a blast.

  •  Creative Industries winner:

UAP (Brisbane) – collaborates with artists, architects, developers and designers to deliver creative outcomes for public spaces.

  •  Education and Training winner:

Cairns College of English and Business (Cairns) – internationally recognised education provider, attracting students from around the globe.

  •  Environmental Solutions winner:

Core Resources (Brisbane) – delivers world-class mineral process engineering, testwork and technology solutions to the resources industry.

  •  E-Commerce winner:

Evolve Skateboards (Gold Coast) – designs, manufactures and sells electric skateboards.

  •  Digital Technologies winner:

Opmantek Software (Gold Coast) – world leader in IT infrastructure management and audit software.

  •  Manufacturing winner:

Noonan Race Engineering (Gold Coast) – a premier race-engine building and development facility.

  •  Health and Biotechnology winner:

LuinaBio (Brisbane) – Biopharmaceutical manufacturer

  •  Business Services winner:

EarthCheck (Brisbane) – a single source of information, products and insight to support businesses’ response to climate change and sustainability.

  •  Small Business winner:

Tooletries (Brisbane) – provides instant storage and organisation solutions for everyday living.

  •  Regional Exporter winner:

Dynamic G-Ex (Gympie) – a leading manufacturer of exploration, geological and mining consumables.

 

Queensland categories

  • Dermot McManus Award for Innovation winner:

Digga Australia (Gold Coast) – earthmoving machinery attachments for loaders, excavators, tractors and backhoes.

  •  Richard Joel Award for Emerging Exporter winner:

AKIPS (Brisbane) – network monitoring software.

  •  Tom Burns Award for Women in International Business winner:

Grace Loves Lace (Gold Coast) – supplies international and local bridal market with unique, luxury, wearable and accessible wedding dresses.

  •  Defence winner:

TAE Aerospace (Ipswich) – a leading provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul for turbine engines.

  •  Premier of Queensland’s Exporter of the Year winner: Evolve Skateboards (Gold Coast)

ENDS