QBE named Australia's top exporter: 40 years of Australian Export Awards success

Business Asia, Nov, 2003

QBE Insurance Group has taken out the top honour of DHL Australian Exporter of the Year at the 2003 Australian Export Awards.

The New South Wales-based insurance group was crowned the nation's top exporter at a gala ceremony held earlier this month at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. QBE was also the recipient of the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) Services Award

QBE is Australia's largest general insurance and reinsurance group and is one of the top 20 global insurance carriers. Founded in 1886, QBE operates in 39 countries, with a diverse network throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Australia.

Strong showing

NSW companies were the dominant force at this year's Australian Export Awards, taking out six of the 11 individual categories on offer. Apart from QBE, NSW winners included: Casella Estate Wines for the P&O Nedlloyd Agribusiness Award; Insearch UTS for the IDP Education Award; Infomedia for the First Charlton Communications Information and Communications Technology Award; Cochlear for the Australian Made Large Advanced Manufacturer Award; and SunRice for the Australia Post Regional Exporter of the Year Award.

Victorian and Western Australian companies took home two awards a piece. Victoria's Production Parts was chosen as this year's AusIndustry Emerging Exporter Award recipient, with Australian Outback Travel Company winning the Accor Tourism Award. WA's Mt Romance Australia and Robe River Mining Company won the Commonwealth Bank Small to Medium Manufacturer Award and the Overseas Trading Minerals and Energy Award.

Queensland company Cutting Edge Post was the State's only representative on the winner's list, taking out the Austrade Arts and Entertainment Award.

This year's prestigious Special Achievement Award, which is given to an outstanding Australian who has achieved personal success and has contributed positively to Australia's image overseas, was given to top film and arts duo Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.

Showcase event

The Australian Export Awards turns 40 in 2003, and has now become the showcase event for our vital trade industry. This year's Awards featured 74 finalists from all of Australia's states and territories competing in 11 different industry categories.

The Australian Export Awards finalists represent a cross section of our nation's exporters, with business size ranging from small companies with modest turnovers to giant manufacturers with income into the billions of dollars All of Australia's major industries are represented, with the emerging tourism sector being given its own category for the first time this year.

All of the finalists for the national Awards had to first win their individual state or territory Export Awards programs to qualify. Once in the finals, a high level group of industry and government leaders judged the final winners, based on criteria such as the level of export sales, sustainable growth for the future, sound capital base, quality of the export marketing strategy, and a sound internal organisation to support export activity.

DHL Australian Exporter of the Year and Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Services Award winner

QBE INSURANCE GROUP NSW

QBE is Australia's largest general insurance and reinsurance group and is one of the top 20 global insurance carriers.

Founded in 1886, QBE operates in 39 countries, with a diverse network throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Australia.

QBE has a long track record of providing quality insurance solutions to its consumer, small business and corporate clients in all markets. It has delivered profitable results on a long term basis, demonstrating its high quality staff and management as well as its capabilities as a global insurer.

Based in Sydney, the QBE group has developed a leading position in the London/Lloyds market, in its Asia-Pacific network, in segments of the US market, and is the leading commercial/corporate insurer in its home market. In addition, QBE over the last several years established businesses in Eastern Europe and in Latin America to further capture opportunities,

P&O Nedlloyd Agribusiness Award

CASELLA ESTATE WINES NSW

Casella Estate shot to the forefront of the export area in mid-2000 with the hugely successful brand [yellow tail], Based in the Riverina, Casella Estate has concentrated predominantly on the export market, and is now a key player in continental Europe, Asia, the UK, USA and more recently Canada,

The [yellow tail] brand has become the most successful launch of an Australian wine brand in the history of the Australian wine industry. State of the art vineyards and wine production together with a solid infrastructure has allowed Casella Estate to maintain key markets and develop growing markets.

Austrade Arts and Entertainment Award

CUTTING EDGE POST PTY LTD QLD

The Cutting Edge name and expertise is now well recognised worldwide across all fields including reality television, feature films, television series and commercials. The future of Cutting Edge's export prospects continues to shine.