Busselton co Jensen Jarrah wins top WA Industry and Export Award

16/10/99

A Busselton company which crafts and exports natural jarrah furniture has beaten some of Western Australia's best-known companies to take out the State's top award for industry.
Jensen Jarrah was last night named winner of the overall Premier's Award for Excellence at a gala presentation of the Western Australian Industry and Export Awards. The company also scooped the Small to Medium Manufacturers Export Award.
Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said country-based firms featured strongly amongst this year's award finalists, reflecting the growing diversity and strength of regional businesses.
Albany company Mt Romance Australia took out the coveted WA Design Award for its sandalwood oil products, while fruit and vegetable exporter Manjimup Syndicate Coolstores won two top awards for Marketing and Agribusiness Export.
Other major winners include the Orbital Engine Corporation, developer of ground-breaking direct fuel injection technology, and disability employer Westcare Industries, which has implemented an innovative employee profit-sharing scheme.
The Water Corporation also stood tall, awarded the C Y O'Connor Award for Engineering Excellence after developing a world-unique process for patching crumbling pipeline lining, saving tens of millions of dollars over traditional methods.
Mr Cowan said the Industry and Export Awards were established in 1989 and had gained a reputation over the years as a roll-call of Western Australia's most successful and admired companies.
"Industry in WA has earned itself a place in the centre of the spotlight," he said.
"The State now boasts a far more diversified, robust and imaginative economy than when the awards were first presented 11 years ago."
Mr Cowan said the awards honoured outstanding performance in the skills that made for competitive success.
He paid special tribute to the many WA companies which had successfully conquered new export markets during the year, contributing to the State's strong economic performance.
"While sales to Asia were inevitably affected by the economic downturn there, exports to the Indian Ocean Rim region and Africa, which recent State Government trade strategies have targeted, grew by 21 per cent," the Minister said.
"This is a sign of our resilience and flexibility."
Eight companies were recognised for their export success, including Perth company Marine & Offshore Group, which was awarded the Emerging Exporter Award for the export of safety equipment and training programs designed to save lives in the oil, gas and shipping industries.
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pharmacia and Upjohn won the Large Manufacturer Export Award for its unique break-resistant 'cytosafe' vial for cancer drugs.
Other major winners included Maptek Pty Ltd for its world-leading three-dimensional mining software, Curtin University of Technology for the export of education services, and Clough Engineering, which continues to tap new world markets for engineering and construction services.

The Industry and Export Awards are sponsored by the Department of Commerce and Trade, Austrade, The West Australian, Hammersley Iron, BankWest Business, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, KPMG and Telstra.
Media contact: Julie Cole 9481 2044
Winner - Major Award:
Premier's Award for Excellence
Jensen Jarrah Pty Ltd
Contact: Dean Tripodi 9754 2400
Winners - Industry Categories:
CY O'Connor Award (Engineering Excellence)
Water Corporation
Contact: Alan Hodgkinson 9420 2678
Human Resources Best Practice
Westcare Incorporated
Contact: Tom Hardie 9389 1288
Marketing
Manjimup Syndicate Coolstores Ltd
Contact: Don Geare 9771 1344
Research and Development
Orbital Engine Corporation Ltd
Contact: Shaun Duffy 9441 2311
WA Design
Mt Romance Australia Pty Ltd
Contact: Stephen Birkbeck 9841 7788
Winners - Export Categories:
Emerging Exporter
Marine & Offshore Group
Contact: Danielle Ball 9328 2166
Small to Medium Manufacturers
Jensen Jarrah Pty Ltd
Contact: Dean Tripodi 9754 2400
Large Manufacturers
Pharmacia and Upjohn (Perth) Pty Ltd
Contact: Paul Ottaviano 9362 0416