Australia's export success stories: following are profiles of the category winners for the 2001 Australian Export Awards - Australian Export Awards

Business Asia, Dec, 2001

DHL Australian Exporter of the Year and P&O Nedlloyd Agribusiness Award

BRL Hardy Wine Company, SA

BRL Hardy is a true Australian success story, and has recently shipped a record number of monthly wine shipments to international markets. The record was set last September, when the company shipped 889 containers. BRL Hardy first won an export award in the South Australian Awards' Advanced Large Manufacturer Category in 1997, and since then have won four consecutive Agribusiness Awards in South Australia and two nationally. Exports are the company's lifeblood, with BRL Hardy exporting to more than 50 countries.

Overseas Trading Arts and Entertainment Award

BridgeClimb Sydney, NSW

BRIDGECLIMB launched operations on in October 1998, and to date has welcomed over 600,000 climbers. The BRIDGECLIMB experience is a three-hour small group adventure. From the summit, 134 metres above sea level, climbers experience overwhelming 360-degree views of the world's finest harbour and stunning cityscapes. The experience of BRIDGECLIMB is individual for every climber.

IDP Education Australia Education Award

The University of New South Wales, New South Wales

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is one of the leading teaching and research universities in Australia. The University also enjoys the reputation of being Australia's leading international university, with the largest on-campus enrolment of international students and over 200 sister university partnerships around the world.

Austrade Emerging Exporter Award

AWS Clinical Waste, QLD

Australian Waste Services Pty Ltd was established in 1992 to take advantage of the need to establish an alternative world class clinical waste treatment system -- one that includes Australia's best technology, and was designed and developed by a highly motivated local specialist team working closely with other industries, and local and international environment agencies.

HP Information and Communications Technology Award

Lasata Software, WA

Lasata Software Developers of west Perth specialises in the creation and building of intelligent financial management reporting and analysis tools for business. Its Vision financial management software tools, designed to complement SunSystems databases, are installed in over 140 countries.

Australian Made Large Advanced Manufacturer Award

Filtronic Comtek Australia, QLD

Filtronic Pty Ltd is a company born to export. From its start in 1995, it has focussed heavily on delivering leading technology to the world's manufacturers of mobile phone systems. Last year, 95 per cent of the company's revenue was generated by exports to countries, including Japan, China and USA.

FreightCorp Minerals Award

Australian Premium Coals P/L, QLD

Australian Premium Coals has built an impressive track record on the back of innovative marketing of its clean coal product. Producing high quality coal from the Coppabella Mine near Mackay, APC has succeeded by targeting the expanding market for PCI coal in the international steel making industry.

Australia Post Regional Exporter of the Year Award

Russell Mineral Equipment, QLD

Russell Mineral Equipment (RME) is a specialist mining equipment designer with its manufacturing plant based in Toowoomba, Queensland. Since its inception in 1987, the company has combined the skills and ethics of high powered mechanical engineering design consultancy with the additional step of manufacturing those designs.

Australian Business Limited Services Award

Clough Engineering Limited, WA

Australia's reputation for engineering excellence has been at the cornerstone of the Clough Group's development as a leading engineering and construction contractor. Its extensive international network employs more than 4000 personnel from offices which include Singapore, Jakarta, Balikpapan, Bangkok, Karachi, Aberdeen, Kuwait and Al Khobar.

Commonwealth Bank Small to Medium Manufacturer Award

Compumedics Limited, Victoria

Founded in 1987, Compumedics is now the global technology leader in computer-based patient monitoring and diagnostic systems. Whilst the company leads the Australian sleep diagnostic market with a 70 per cent market share, 80 per cent of Compumedics' income is derived from a growing international business, especially in the USA.

Austrade International Award

Yutaka Furutani, Senior managing director, Aeon Co Ltd, Japan

The winner of this year's Austrade sponsored International Award is Yutaka Furutani, the senior managing director of Japanese retailing giant, Aeon (formerly known as JUSCO), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to fostering closer commercial relations between Australia and Japan.

Special Achievement Award

Kieren Perkins OAM

Sporting icon Kieren Perkins has been awarded the Special Achievement Award for his efforts in promoting Australia's image overseas. The Special Achievement Award is awarded to an outstanding Australian who has achieved personal export success and has positively contributed to Australia's international image. Considered in his own right as a "Great Aussie Export", Perkins symbolises Australia's longstanding tradition of producing the best and brightest sports stars.