Mandurah compost manufacturers Custom Composts scooped the pool of awards at the 2006 Australian Post Western Australian Regional Small Business Awards.
Mandurah compost manufacturers Custom Composts scooped the pool of awards at the 2006 Australian Post Western Australian Regional Small Business Awards.
Organised by the Small Business Development Corporation, the awards ceremony was held at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre last Friday night to celebrate and recognise small business achievements in regional WA.
Small Business Development Corporation acting managing director Stephen Moir said small business was vital to regional Western Australia, both economically and socially.
“As well as rewarding good business practices and successful business planning, these awards acknowledge the vital contribution made by small businesses to the social and economic well-being of rural and regional WA,” he said.
Custom Composts took home both the Small Business of the Year Award and the WA Business News Award for Best Business with 5 to 10 employees.
Established in 1998 by co-owners Andy Gulliver and Dave Cullen, Custom Composts supplies certified organic composts and mulches from its operations at Wandalup Farms, the state’s biggest piggery, located south of Perth.
The company initially aimed to improve the environmental management of Wandalup Farms, which was under scrutiny as it was seen to be a potential source of pollution for the Serpentine River.
Today, the Custom Composts produces a number of environmentally friendly recycled organic products from thousands of tonnes of waste. Its products are used in over 40 different crops including vegetables, fruits, nuts, olives, table and wine grapes and flowers.
Other applications include broad acre farming, landscaping, mine site rehabilitation and bioremediation.
Last year, the company won the overall prize in the State Environment Awards and also won the category Small Business – Leading by Example.
It was a case of third time lucky for Esperance-based fine arts business Section Enterprises, which won the Golden West Network Award for Best Home Based Business after having been a finalist for the past two years.
Mandurah-based Kelly’s Hot Water, Gas and Air took out the Blue Steel Award for Best Micro Business. The company has also won the Residential Partners Award at the Water Awards held in October.
Other winners from the night included Bunbury Air Conditioning and Electrical Services and Kalgoorlie-based Goldfields Crane Hire, who received the Small Business Centre Network Award for Best Business Achiever and Telstra Country Wide Best Business with 10 to 20 Employees Award respectively.
Small Business Centre Bunbury – Wellington manager Alison Lannin was announced as the 2006 Inductee to the Regional Small Business Hall of Fame.
