FRUIT and dairy producer Harvey Fresh has topped the field in the state’s annual industry and export awards.
Harvey Fresh took out the Premier’s award for excellence.
The Department of Commerce’s WA Industry and Export Awards recognises companies for their contribution to job creation and increasing prosperity in the community.
Commerce Minister Simon O’Brien said the awards, held for the 23rd time, honoured the success of WA businesses and their contribution to the state’s economic and social development.
Mr O’Brien said Harvey Fresh had seen its export business more than double in a 12-month period through hard work and innovation.
“The company has moved from exporting 12 containers of UHT long life products per week to 30 – and the figure continues to grow,” he said.
Harvey Fresh is the only brand in WA that has squeezing and crushing facilities operating locally and is the only major fruit juice and dairy facility in the state that has no foreign investment.
Software and solutions provider Micromine won the information and technology award.
This is the third year that Micromine was successful in this category, enabling it to be inducted into the WA Industry and Export awards hall of fame.
Micromine chief operating officer Kevin Fitzpatrick said the award highlighted the company’s competitiveness in the field of mining solutions.
“For a company whose roots are in Western Australia, this does signal to the rest of the world how competitive and innovative our mining solutions are,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
Pharmaceutical company Epichem won the small to medium service provider category, its second award after taking out the small business export award in 2010.
Epichem managing director Wayne Best said the company’s profile in the biotech sector had increased significantly over the past couple of years.
“I believe this [award], combined with our maturing intellectual property … will provide some good opportunities for Epichem to grow in the near future,” Dr Best said.
Nickel sulphide explorer and producer Western Areas picked up the emerging exporter award.
The company exports nickel concentrate in sealed containers from its Forrestania processing plant, which are loaded on to ships at Esperance port and taken to Xinjiang port in China.
The company’s total exports to date have a gross metal value of $450 million.
Winners of the state export award categories automatically progress as finalists to the 49th Australian export awards. National winners will be announced in Brisbane in December.
