Businesses exporting everything from high-tech underwear to a revolutionary horseshoe design and farmed fish are among the finalists for December's Australian Export Awards - the nation's longest-running business recognition event.
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This year's 94 finalists collectively employ 34,000 people and generate more than $7.8 billion in export earnings.
In the agribusiness category, finalists vying for the national title are: livestock exporter, South East Asian Livestock Services (NT); Geraldton Fishermen's Co-Operative (WA); infant nutrition products and dietary supplements maker, Essence Group (NSW); farmed kingfish producer, Clean Seas Seafood (SA); almond grower and processor, Select Harvests (Victoria); native plant extract exporter, Essential Oils of Tasmania; Australia's biggest locally owned lot feeder, Mort and Co (Queensland), and southern NSW alpaca fleece products maker, The House of Alpaca (ACT).
In other categories, SA's Haselgrove Wines is a finalist in the small business category for specialising in small batch, hand-crafted wines, while SA's Sentek Technologies, in the technology category, has enabled farmers worldwide to reduce water, fertiliser, energy consumption and increase crop yields.
More than 85 per cent of Sentek's total revenue is derived from exports.
Tasmania also rates highly with agribusinesses in other categories, including the Scoot Boot company of former farrier, Dave Macdonald.
He helped revolutionise the way horses move and perform with his thermoplastic urethane equine hoof boot. International sales via e-commerce have driven a 400pc increase in company revenue since 2015.
Hobart-based creative industries category finalist, Smitten Merino, designs and makes lightweight clothing from superfine Merino wool. It specifically employs and supports skilled Australian women "to keep sewing our clothing".
In the small business category is seafood producer, Candy Abalone, which specialises in wild-caught, dried, ready-to-eat abalone primarily for the Chinese market.
Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
