EXPOSURE gained from its success at last year’s WA Industry & Export Awards has made the job that little bit easier for tri-category winner Mt Romance, according to the Albany sandalwood processor’s product development manager, Louise Burgler.
Mt Romance, which exports fragrances to some of the world’s leading fragrance houses, made a clean sweep of the awards last year and is planning to run again in this year’s event, nominations for which opened last month.
The sandalwood processor won the premier’s award for excellence, the regional exporter of the year award and the small to medium manufacturer export award.
It then went on to win the small to medium manufacturing exporter of the year award at the national awards, along with WA miner Robe River Mining Company Pty Ltd, which was named overseas trading minerals and energy exporter of the year.
Ms Burgler said although award success had not been a major factor in the securing of new export markets, it had definitely been a contributing factor.
“The exposure the company gets from a marketing perspective is very valuable,” she said.
“Particularly from an exporting point of view”
Ms Burgler said the awards had provided a boost for staff morale and the submissions gave the business a great opportunity to review its operations.
“Completing the submission is a bit like doing a business plan. It helps to clearly define your future direction as well as where you have been,” Ms Burgler said.
The awards feature 11 different export categories and three industry categories, and the winners are automatically selected for the national awards that will be announced at the end of the year.
Premier Geoff Gallop said WA already has a strong export culture, last year recording a trade surplus of more than $20.6 billion, and urged large and small WA companies to enter awards.
“The awards showcase their efforts at home and overseas, and help open doors for the companies involved in terms of accessing new markets, creating publicity opportunities and adding to their standing with their peers and the community in general,” Dr Gallop said.
He said last year’s winners featured innovative and enterprising companies that were not afraid to try new ideas and seek new markets at home and abroad.
“Energetic and enterprising companies such as these provide the very foundation for the State’s strong economic performance.”
