The 59th Australian Export Awards, held on 25 November, named two joint winners for the Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Award – AW Bell from Victoria and Riviera Australia from Queensland.
The award was given for outstanding international success in manufacturing, engineering and advanced materials development, including the production of consumer products.
AW Bell, an advanced precision metal parts manufacturer, has a core business in investment and sand casting. Highly vertically integrated, it also offers its customers precision machining, inspection, assembly, engineering, design and manufacturing support, and metallurgical services.
Located in Melbourne, AW Bell provides international companies with an advanced manufacturing alternative with proven quality, delivery and customer service performance throughout its export history. In the past 12 months, AW Bell further matured its global aerospace presence, acquiring new projects with existing customers whilst securing an additional key North American aerospace defence contract. Export regions currently include North America, Germany, New Zealand and China.
“We are very proud to win this award. The business has developed out of the automotive industry to aerospace and defence,” AW Bell CEO Sam Bell said.
“This accolade is testament to the hard work and commitment by everyone at AW Bell over the years and could not have been made possible without the incredible team we have at AW Bell, our partners, suppliers, customers and from ongoing government support. We are very grateful for the honour.”
Meanwhile, Riviera is an Australian luxury motor yacht builder. Founded in 1980, the company has launched over 5,750 motor yachts over the past 41 years. The yachts currently built by Riviera are internationally acclaimed for their innovative design, superior engineering and performance, and luxurious interiors.
From Riviera’s Gold Coast facility, a team of over 850 people create more than 120 motor yachts every year. The Riviera range spans 39 to 78 feet, with 24 models from six distinct Riviera collections. The long-term, international popularity of Riviera motor yachts is evidenced by more than half of annual production heading to overseas markets each year. This global reach sees Riviera motor yachts cruising the Mediterranean, Pacific and Caribbean, as well as the Great Lakes and coastal waters of North and South America.
The Australian minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Dan Tehan, has praised all the businesses involved in the 59th Australian Export Awards for their contribution to supporting jobs, the economy and local communities.
“All 89 finalists should be proud of their businesses; together they have contributed more than $6.2 billion in export earnings to the Australian economy and employ more than 17,700 people,” Tehan said.
“Our government is supporting Australian entrepreneurs and businesspeople to engage with international trade and be innovative and adaptable to succeed.”
In all, the 13 national category award winners included:
- Advanced Technologies – DroneShield, NSW
- Agribusiness, Food and Beverages – Monsoon Aquatics, NT
- Creative Industries – WildBear Entertainment, ACT
- E-commerce – Clean and Pure, WA
- Emerging Exporter – Penten, ACT
- International Education and Training – Engineering Institute of Technology, WA
- International Health – Invetech, VIC
- Manufacturing and Advanced Materials – AW Bell, VIC; Riviera Australia, QLD
- Minerals, Energy and Related Services – Consep, NSW
- Professional Services – CMAX Clinical Research, SA
- Regional Exporter – AirPhysio, NSW
- Small Business – iBuild Building Solutions, VIC
- Sustainability – True South Seafood, TAS
Full information on winners and finalists can be found at www.exportawards.gov.au.