Manufacturers Monthly congratulates all of the Endeavour Awards winners for 2020. They have demonstrated resilience and talent despite the challenging economic climate brought about by COVID-19.
This year’s Endeavour Awards feature a high calibre set of companies sharing their innovative ideas, technologies and products. It was due to be held in Sydney this year but due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the physical event did not happen, but the awards went on as per normal.
The event, like the many evenings in the past is dedicated to celebrating all entrants, finalists and winners of Australia’s most prestigious manufacturing awards ceremony. This year’s awards once again saw a jump in the number of quality nominations for the individual categories – something unprecedented because one would expect many to be holding back due to the economic downturn. However, this has not deterred Australia’s best and the judges have been pleased with the turn out.
And the winners are:
Technology Application Award (Proudly sponsored by Beckhoff)
Winner
Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell – Special Patterns
Finalists
Automated Turnkey System – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd
Titomic Kinetic Fusion – Titomic
FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services
MyCelx – OLEOLOGY
Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell – Special Patterns
Environmental Solution of the Year
Winner
Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT Technology – Successful Endeavours
Finalists
Centre for Infrastructure Engineering – Western Sydney University
Automated Concrete Test Laboratory – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd
Protectiflex – Tyre Stewardship Australia & Flexiroc Australia
SENSEI – CSIRO
Waterlink SmartMESH and NB-IoT Technology – Successful Endeavours
LieNA – Lithium Australia NL
Outstanding Start-Up Award (Proudly sponsored by Weld Australia)
Winner
Black Sky Aerospace
Finalists
Black Sky Aerospace
NISKA Retail Robotics
Global Supply Chain Integration of the Year (Proudly sponsored by ICN)
Winner
REDARC BCDC In-vehicle Charger – REDARC
Finalists
Helitak Fire Tank – Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment
REDARC BCDC In-vehicle Charger – REDARC
Invar36 Tool – Titomic
Debagging and Bottle Conveying System – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd
Safety Solution of the Year
Winner
Sentinel Vision AI System – PRM Engineering Services
Finalists
HV2 Barrier – Saferoads
PSENscan – Pilz Australia & New Zealand
Sentinel Vision AI System – PRM Engineering Services
VOH450 – Liquip
Excellence in Manufacturing Skills Development (Proudly sponsored by IBSA)
Winner
APR.Intern – Australian Postgraduate Research Intern
Finalists
CMSE, Certified Machinery Safety Expert – Pilz Australia & New Zealand
APR.Intern – Australian Postgraduate Research Intern
Deepening Operational Skills at Asaleo Care Springvale – Asaleo Care
Manufacturing Skills Development Program – Supashock
Australian Industrial Product of the Year (Proudly sponsored by Vega)
Winner
Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell – Special Patterns
Finalists
Carbon Fibre Robotic Preforming Cell – Special Patterns
DB Ultimate Distribution Board – APS Industrial
Automated Turnkey System – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd
Most Innovative Manufacturing Company Award (Proudly sponsored by SEW)
Winner
FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services
Finalists
GCX Linear – ANCA
DecoFloor – DECO Australia
Black Fire-retardant Silicone Seals – Jehbco Silicones
Automated Concrete Test Laboratory – Mexx Engineering Pty Ltd
FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services
Successful Endeavours
Excellence in Growth (Proudly sponsored by BDO)
Winner
Excellence in Growth (small-medium class) – Supashock
Excellence in Growth (medium-large class) – Noja Power
Finalists
Noja Power
Supashock
Successful Endeavours
Flexicon
Best Industrial IoT Application
Winner
FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services
Finalists
FRAGTrack – Orica Mining Services
Accumulatos – Accumulatos
Manufacturer of the Year (Proudly sponsored by Bestech)
All nominations for the 2020 Endeavour Awards are automatically entered into the Manufacturer of the Year Award.
Winner
REDARC Electronics
Some takeaways from the judges
Carl Bezuidenhout, executive director business development for BDO and a judge at this year’s awards said that from BDO’s standpoint, the Awards is good for the sector locally and globally.
“It sends a very positive message to the Australian manufacturing sector, Australian business and global markets that Australian manufacture is innovative, cutting edge and ready to engage both locally and internationally – and for these reasons we wholeheartedly support the awards,” Bezuidenhout said.
Peter Canavan, senior policy officer at Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) said that the winners had “demonstrated a capacity to find gaps in the market”, both domestic and international, and develop innovative products that fill those gaps.
“The winners demonstrated that Australian manufacturers continue to punch above their weight in international markets despite our distances, and that sometimes those distances can be turned to advantage,” Canavan said.
Scott Martin, group leader of applied physics at CSIRO concurred and said that every year there are impressive examples of inward and outward innovation – Inward innovation bringing new technology form around the world into Australian markets and manufacturing processes; and outward innovation developing Australian-grown technology for local and export markets.
“It’s always a pleasure to read the nominations for the Endeavour Awards and this year was no exception. For me, the nominations I rate most highly are ones that establish high-tech manufacturing facilities in Australia that produce highly differentiated, high value products for the global market – and it was great to see just as many of these this year as previously,” Martin said.
“The quality (of the finalists) has improved this year over the previous years and I think the Awards brings back a touch of normality when people focus on their businesses and the way forward rather than the crisis is going on, so look inwardly with it, and bring back a bit of normality,” Michael Grogan, state director for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania at the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) said. “The training skills award is a great initiative because of the ongoing training in workforces, and disruption in those areas, is certainly where we need to be and what we’re looking for.
“It was great to see a range of manufacturing sectors represented and the uptake in technology and innovation by so many,” Matthew Young, manufacturing innovation manager, IMCRC said.
Re-instilling confidence into the industry
Canavan stated that COVID-19 has created great challenges for Australian manufacturers, but there will also be opportunities as the country looks to source more products locally.
“These awards celebrate excellence and innovation, and by doing that demonstrate that as a nation we do have the ability and the capacity to recover,” Canavan said.
Martin said that COVID-19 has shown that local manufacturing capability has national significance beyond jobs and export revenue. He hopes that this will lead to a renewed emphasis being placed on local manufacturing in some critical areas.
“It has also showcased wonderful examples of how innovative companies have rapidly responded by manufacturing different goods – driven by necessity, scarcity or diminished demand for their usual products. The Endeavour Awards showcase the very best Australia has to offer in manufacturing – this year. I believe manufacturers will be looking to peers – especially Award winners – as a source of inspiration and new ideas,” he said.
“It’s true many manufacturers have been hard hit with COVID-19, creating many restrictions and hurdles. The Endeavour Awards should instil confidence in Australian manufacturers and serve as inspiration. The finalists and winners represent sovereign capability for manufacturing in Australia and often demonstrates how Australian manufacturers play an essential support role to all Australian industries and essential services,” Matthew Young IMCRC said.
