Businesses making it in China honoured at Awards night
Dairy farms owner and milk products manufacturer, Synlait Milk Ltd based in Dunsandel, South Canterbury, has won the supreme award at the HSBC NZCTA China Business Awards 2013 announced at a special event in Auckland on 30th May.
Synlait is an innovative dairy company combining farming in New Zealand that provides on-farm specialised milks, with state-of-the-art processing facilities to produce milk products such as nutraceuticals, infant formulations and a dairy milk-based formula to meet the nutritional needs of breastfeeding women, and colostrum products.
All its milk supply farms have a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry approved Risk Management Programme that ensures the quality of its milk is protected.
Bright Dairy of China became a significant partner and shareholder in 2010, and construction began on the largest and most sophisticated purpose built infant formula facility in the Southern Hemisphere – in Canterbury.
The Supreme Award was decided from all categories listed below and was presented by the Prime Minister, John Key. Synlait also won the DLA Phillips Fox - Successful Investment with China, Inward or Outward Award. This award is for an organisation that demonstrates innovative and successful NZ/China cross-border investment - inward or outward.
The supreme winner received a prize valued at more than $25,000, which includes two return business-class airline tickets to China plus accommodation at a five-star hotel, the use of a BMW vehicle in New Zealand for three months, and a trophy.
Graham Kearns, executive director of the New Zealand China Trade Association Inc. (NZCTA) that organised the awards, said: “Tonight we are thrilled to acknowledge those companies with a significant presence in New Zealand that also have profitable and sustained relationships with businesses and government agencies in China.
“There are plenty of challenges in trading with and investing in China, as we constantly hear in the media. But many firms are just getting on with it – after all, many country markets have huge differences in language, cultural norms and regulation.
“The companies awarded tonight, and indeed all our finalists and entrants, show they can manage these barriers. We congratulate them all.”
A new special individual presentation was made named the Victor Percival Award. This recognises among other things, excellent service for the advancement of relationships between New Zealand & China and was awarded to David Mahon of Mahon China Investment Management Ltd.
The category winners are:
• Award: KPMG - Creating leverage opportunities through Chinese/NZ business to benefit of NZ Inc
This award recognises organisations whose Chinese/NZ business relationships have created leverage opportunities for others.
Winner: UMF Honey Association
• Award: DLA Phillips Fox - Successful investment with China, Inward or Outward
This award is for an organisation that demonstrates innovative and successful NZ/China cross-border investment - inward or outward.
Winner: Synlait Milk Ltd
• Award: HSBC - Excellence in NZ/China Trade
This award is for companies excelling in growing their product or service sales in China, or increasing their importing and distribution of Chinese-sourced products or services in New Zealand.
Winner: Alliance Group Ltd
• Award: Cathay Pacific Airways - Innovation in the Supply Chain
This award recognises significant investment and innovation in developing a supply chain to increase China/NZ business flows.
Winner: GMP Pharmaceuticals Ltd
• Award: Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association - Best use of Hong Kong by a New Zealand company for its business
This award recognises a New Zealand registered company that has a business history with Hong Kong and is growing their business from Hong Kong – preferably but not necessarily into China or wider Asia.
Winner: KVB Kunlun NZ Ltd
Guests at tonight’s gala dinner awards ceremony included the Prime Minister John Key (recently returned from leading a mission to China), the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand His Excellency Mr Xu Jianguo staff and senior business people involved in trade and investment between NZ and China and other diplomatic staff.
The festivities were hosted by Oscar Kightley, TV presenter, writer and actor from Sione’s Wedding, Sione’s 2 and his new TV cop series Harry.
Comments:
Graham Kearns, Executive Director,
New Zealand China Trade Association Inc. (NZCTA)
Ph: +64-9-307 8812 Email: director@nzcta.co.nz.
ABOUT THE TRADE AWARDS
The NZCTA Trade Awards were established in 2004 by the New Zealand China Trade Association to recognise companies that have launched successful business relationships between New Zealand and China, or those that have created a successful investment with China.
Successful international trade plays a crucial part in assuring New Zealand’s presence on the world stage. The awards aim to give recognition to companies that have excelled or taken a bold new step in trading with China, allowing them to grow or to continue to grow from a base of excellence.
They attract those who are consulting within China, whether it is in education, town planning or engineering; those who have established either export or import trade links with China, and those that have established a manufacturing or trade base in China.
Even though there are many New Zealand businesses that have successfully established trade links with China, it doesn’t come without its challenges. It is supremely important for us to recognize the success of NZ-China traders – they are role models for all aspiring importers and exporters to China.