Wellington Businesses Too Busy to be Dead

“Wellington businesses are working harder than ever reinventing themselves, collaborating with others, innovating and opening up new world markets and opportunities” said Gold Awards Director John Dow.

“Despite the impact of public sector cutbacks, Head Offices drifting out of town, central and local Government conflict continuing to be played out very publicly, the Wellington business community was, despite these obstacles, proving itself resilient and capable, and was successfully getting on with its business “ said Mr Dow.

The 2013 Gold Awards Finalists once again reflect the incredible breadth and diversity of outstanding business enterprise operating throughout the Wellington region.

“Particular emphasis was evident on technologies increasingly important role in enabling businesses to be productive and competitive in international markets, creativity was very much a key attribute of Wellington businesses right across the spectrum, while quality research and development and a commitment to building high performing teams was another notable feature of the Finalists this year” said Mr Dow.

The 2013 Gold Awards in association with The Dominion Post announced the full set of 44 Finalist businesses at a special function at NEC Technology Innovation Centre last night (Thursday 9 May).

The 15th Gold Awards big night will be held at TSB Bank Arena on Thursday June 20th where the finalists will all be presented, winners announced as well as a few Tributes to iconic Wellington achievers and over 800 people will be in attendance to celebrate and acknowledge the business community of Wellington for 2013.

www.goldawards.co.nz

2013 Gold AWARDS FinaliSTS

CREAtivE GOLD

~ film, media & creative content...

Clemenger BBDO: Wellington’s largest, most awarded communications agency.

FitzBeck: Parochial publisher of best selling “The Wellington Book” among others.

Learning Media: NZ’s largest publisher of Te Reo and Pasifika educational resources.

NZ Opera’s “Hohepa”: Jenny McLeod’s original opera tells an important Wellington story.

Springload: A fun lovin’, web-lovin’ team creating internet gems for happy clients.

CYBER GOLD

~ technology...

AURA REDEYE SECURITY World class vulnerability scanning system providing high end cyber security for big and small alike.

CARNIVAL LABS Creators of beautiful mobile apps with tools to track and analyse performance. Clients include Orea and Super Bowl.

CATALYST IT New Zealand’s largest fastest growing open source IT service provider operating globally.

IKEGPS Location-based measuring device combining GPS, digital camera, compass, and laser rangefinder technologies into a single mobile device.

DiSCOvERiNG GOLD

~ research & development projects...

GREENBUTTON CLOUD FABRIC: Highly cost-effective server platform providing extra cloud processing power super fast, super easy!

STREETCAM 3D BY TERRALINK: Revolutionary mobile mapping platform captures a realistic, highly accurate and measurable 3D model of our streets.

TOUGH METAL BY GNS SCIENCE: A suitcase-sized device, for super toughening metal, bringing big-dollar technology to small-scale manufacturing.

VOLPARA 1.5.8 BY MATAKINA: World’s first multi-vendor automated breast density assessment system.

EMERGiNG GOLD

~ smaller enterprises (fewer than 10 staff)...

ABLE MASON CONCRETE: Fast growing team providing every concrete service imaginable including spraying, pumping and polishing.

BIGEARS: Super smart tools for businesses to listen and respond to their customers.

EDUCA: Online learning portfolio, allowing real-time experiences to be shared between kids and their families.

LEARNINGSOURCE: Cloud-based management system for training programmes and events, providing scheduling, registrations, receipting and marketing.

SPOTLIGHT REPORTING: A suite of 5 cloud applications to easily create powerful financial and non-financial Board-level reports.

TIMES-7 RESEARCH: Specialist manufacturer of UHF RFID antennas to automatically identify and track tagged objects.

GLOBAL GOLD

~ exporters...

ATA RANGI: Pioneers of Pinot Noir excellence and green winery practices that started Martinborough’s rennaissance.

BJC ELEMENTS: Major manufacturer and exporter of electric heating elements for use in medical, scientific, domestic and industrial situations.

INSPIRED JEWELLERY: Starting out in Kelburn now exporting beautiful hand crafted jewellery to the world.

NORTH SOUTH GIS NZ: Global leader for the provision of GIS software and the only gold tier Esri partner in Australasia.

SUPPORTING GOLD

~ professional services & infrastructure providers...

ISENTIA: Leading provider of media intelligence services in New Zealand, operating 24/7, with 70% market share.

SMALLFISH: Enables NZ businesses to create and manage their own affordable e-commerce stores, hosting over 30,000 product lines.

SUMMERSET GROUP HOLDINGS: NZX listed, Summerset is the 3rd largest operator, with 15 operational villages and 4 in development across the country.

WELLINGTON COMBINED TAXIS: 500 business class vehicles operating within the region completing over 3 million journeys annually.

viBRANt GOLD

~ events, hospitality & visitor facilities....

BEERVANA: showcasing 271 New Zealand craft beers from over 90 breweries, attended by 8,000 brew lovers.

NEW ZEALAND ART SHOW: Since 2004 over 12,000 pieces and $7 million of artwork has been sold, featuring 4,000 NZ artists.

THE HOBBIT WORLD PREMIERE: hosting over 100 media crews, watched by millions online and on TV.

RYDGES WELLINGTON : The capital’s newest and largest award-winning 4-star hotel.

WELLINGTON ZOO: 103 years old, hosting 224,000 visitors in 2012 (up 11% on 2011) and climbing.

ACC WORKPLACE SAFETY AWARD

~ workplace safety practices...

BP OIL NZ LOGISTICS: The 34 Trucks and 50 Trailer units that move BP product around NZ - very safely.

FOODSTUFFS WELLINGTON: Stores include 48 New Worlds, 14 PAK’nSAVEs, 94 Four Squares and 18 Liquorlands employing 1300.

TODD CORPORATION: Family owned business with interests in oil and gas, electricity, property, healthcare and wine for 125 years.

WELLINGTON AIRPORT: hosting 5.2 million travellers and 110,000 aircraft movements in 2012

GREEN GOLD

~ positive sustainability programmes ...

ENVIROCOMP: the world’s first commercial nappie composting business, started in Christchurch and now in Upper Hutt.

JAMES COOK HOTEL GRAND CHANCELLOR: Wellington’s orginal high end hotel keeping 268 rooms and two restaurants green.

Transpower: A team of 900 managing the National Grid with a comprehensive staff driven green programme.

Wellington Airport: By 2030 passenger numbers will double to 10 million and their sustainable practices are well underway.

TEAM GOLD

~ HR & wellness programmes ...

FINNZ: Providing IT systems and associated support services including outsourced processing.

Mana Recovery Trust: Leaders in social enterprise that puts community and environment first.

Outward Bound Trust: Helping New Zealanders discover their true potential in the great outdoors for 50 years.

Upper Hutt Cosmopolitan Club: Rebuilt in 2005, this award winning facility boasts 7800 members serviced by a skilled hospitality team.

Xero: Cutting-edge software company competing both locally and globally for world-class talent.

ENDS

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