A top time for exporters

A FAMILY-owned Beaudesert company - which has become the largest fibreglass pool manufacturer in the southern hemisphere since starting out more than 20 years ago - is among the 10 achievers recognised at the recent Gold Coast
Region Export Awards 2006 ceremony at Conrad Jupiters.

Barrier Reef Pools took out Gold Coast Exporter of the Year Award and secured the Small to Medium Manufacturer Award.

Premier and Trade Minister Peter Beattie joined Tourism and Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech in congratulating the winners on their exporting efforts.

Premier Beattie says Queensland generated more than $35 billion dollars in export revenue in 2005-06.

"This is an increase of 34 per cent on the previous year, which means that the Smart State once again has the fastest export growth in the nation," he says.

Following the local awards and in what is a coup for the Gold Coast region, two Gold Coast companies have won accolades for exporting excellence at the Premier of Queensland's Export Awards 2006.

Riviera Marine won the Queensland Exporter of the Year Award and the Large Advanced Manufacturer category.

Beaudesert-based Barrier Reef Pools was named Queensland Regional Exporter of the Year - the top award for a regional business achieving success on the world stage - and was also a finalist in the Emerging Exporter category. The two Gold Coast businesses were among 13 winners from throughout Queensland to take home a State export award.

The Gold Coast Region Export Awards 2006 category winners were:

Gold Coast Exporter of the Year and Small to Medium Manufacturer Award: Barrier Reef Pools, Beaudesert

Barrier Reef Pools is Australia's largest fibreglass pool manufacturer and distributor. Employing more than 100 staff at its Beaudesert site, Barrier Reef Pools has more than 50 agents throughout the country and sells its products in the Middle East, the US, Fiji, PNG, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Emerging Exporter Award:
Bantix Worldwide, Burleigh Heads

Bantix Worldwide designs and manufactures mosquito traps. The company aims to become the global product leader in mosquito control
systems within five years.

Education Award: GEOS Queensland College of English, Surfers Paradise

Global Educational Opportunities and Services (GEOS) Queensland College of English is a leading Surfers Paradise education provider offering a range of English language programs and related services to around 190 international students, holiday-makers and tourists on the Gold Coast.

Information and Communications Technology Award: Gotalk, Robina

Gotalk offers voice, internet, calling card and mobile services to businesses and individuals from a state-of-the-art communication centre in Varsity Lakes.
The company has a network that carries more than a billion minutes of international calls each year.

Large Manufacturer Award:
Riviera Marine, Coomera

Riviera Marine is Australia's largest luxury boat builder. Its Coomera boat-building facility is the biggest in the southern hemisphere and employs around 1100 craftspeople. The company achieves sales of 380 Flybridge Convertible, Sport Cruisers and Sport Yachts in 30 countries around
the world each year.

Small/Micro Business Award:
Cookie Composites, Parkwood

Cookie Composites is a manufacturer and retailer of carbon fibre helmets, video camera enclosures and camera accessories for the skydiving and sports parachuting industry. The company's wholesale distribution is through a network of 15
retail outlets in eight countries.

Services Award: LM Investment Management, Surfers Paradise

LM Investment Management is an Australian funds manager with a headquarters in Surfers Paradise and offices in Sydney and Hong Kong. Since starting in 1999, LM's total funds under management have grown to about $1 billion. LM has a presence in the financial services markets throughout Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Mauritius, Cypress and Dubai.

Sports, Events and Tourism Award: Songbirds in the Forest, Mount Tamborine

Songbirds in the Forest is a boutique retreat featuring luxury villas and an award-winning restaurant on more than 50 acres of pristine rainforest at Mount Tamborine, in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Mining Award: Reynolds Soil Technologies, Burleigh Heads

Reynolds Soil Technologies develops products and technologies for road maintenance, civil construction, earthworks and agricultural applications. The company's products and services have been well received in international markets including South America, New Caledonia, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, India and West Africa.