Record Entrants, Record Sponsors and Record Guests
Makes 2009 HK-NSW Chapter Business Awards Best Year Ever
The Annual Hong Kong-Australia Business Association (HKABA) NSW Chapter BUSINESS AWARDS was held on 23 October 2009. The Business Awards celebrated its tenth year anniversary. The Awards recognizes NSW companies that excel in all aspects of international trade between NSW and Hong Kong SAR/China.
The Awards, widely regarded as a prestigious badge of honor, were presented to winners at a ceremony held this evening at the Hilton Hotel Sydney in attendance of around 500 guests. The Award’s Guests Speakers were: The Hon. Kevin Greene MP and The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP
This year’s Business Awards and The Grand Award were awarded to the most outstanding amongst the following six categories’ winners:
- Export of Goods
- Export of Services
- Import of Goods
- Import of Services
- Creative SME
- Contribution to Industry
The independent judging panel was chaired by The Hon. Sir Laurence Street AC KCMG QC, and comprises The Hon. Henry Tsang OAM MLC with other professionals and industry heads from Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Austrade, Qantas Airways, Aon Risk Services, CMC Markets, and Volkswagen Group Australia.
Ms. Belinda Wong Chairman of the 2009 Business Awards Organizing Committee mentions“We had an increase of entrants by 50%. This is an outstanding result which reflects the fact that our Business Awards is a popular platform being used for local SME’s for recognition and publicity. We were greatly impressed by the high standards and enthusiasm of the entrants in this year’s competition and warmly congratulate all entrants. This year also saw a record number of sponsors and guests support our Awards”
Mr Peter Sinn President of the HKABA-NSW Chapter mentions “Despite the harsh global economic conditions, it is pleasing to see our entrants, finalists and winners striving hard to succeed by using innovative and creative methods of growing their business using the strong trade links between Australia (NSW), HK S.A.R and China”
The entrants were judged according to various criteria including professional approach to business practice, standard of marketing strategies, level of innovation, creativity and proportion of import/export turnover. The companies that received the Hong Kong-Australia Business Association’s (HKABA) NSW Annual Awards for 2009 were:
1.Export of Goods Award
Sponsored by: Aon Risk Services
Winner: Aunew Group
Aunew Group is, as its name suggests, a group companies including two pharmaceutical factories – GMP Pharmaceuticals (AU) and GMP Pharmaceuticals (NZ) – based in the Sydney CBD. GMP Pharmaceuticals has been a leading contract manufacturer of health food of Australian/NZ origin. Both factories were especially designed to offer a unique “One Stop OEM Service” to Asian migrants who want their own heath food brand and export to their home countries.
Over the last couple years, Aunew has developed a new service known as “One Stop Export to China Service”. By setting up the world’s first Australian/NZ concept store –Aunew Hub in Beijing – and a specially designed system, it is helping small/medium- sized Australian/NZ companies export to China.
2.Export of Services Award
Sponsored by: Volkswagen Group Australia
Winner: Global Experience
GE fills an important role in Australia’s third largest export industry – education.
Many institutions deliver an excellent service in regard to their core business, education, but when it comes to accommodation, most colleges now outsource to professionals like Global Experience as there are not enough in-house resources to deliver a high quality service in this field.
GE is a Homestay provider which means it places international students to live with Australian families for one week or several years. This type of arrangement allows international students to settle in Australia and focus on their studies in a much faster way. Having a warm welcoming place to live is mandatory and Global Experience endeavours to “bridge the gap between getting started in a new country and feeling comfortable in new environment”. Whether the student is here for a short or long time, strong bonds often grow between them and their host family to produce long lasting friendships.
GE recruits the Host Family through a very tight screening process, also liaising with the students and educational providers. The company provides ongoing counselling, mediation and support for all parties. Other services provided by GE are: VIP, Self-Catered and Standard Homestay plus Airport Pick Up, Guardianship, Group Study Tours as well as Internet and mobile phone plans (specifically tailored to the needs of international students).
3.Import of Goods Award
Sponsored by Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Winner: Bay Bee Cino
Bay Bee Cino is Australia’s leading maternity and baby wear boutique specialising in designer couture for babies and their mums. The company was founded in 2004 by Di Baker following the birth of her twins, Madison and Phoenix. Bay Bee Cino had humble beginnings, starting as a very small retail store in Double Bay selling multiple up-market baby brands. The concept quickly evolved to turn into a retail chain of four stores and a very successful website. By 2006 Di had completed her dream of designing an entire baby wear collection under the Bay Bee Cino brand, and her own maternity range named after her daughter Madison Rose. Di showed her exclusive collection for the first time at the Hong Kong Toy Fair in January 2009. Following this tradeshow, Di was able to sign exclusive distribution rights for her collections with wholesalers in Hong Kong and Japan. As a result you can now find Bay Bee Cino and Madison Rose products in boutiques and department stores in both countries.
For the past two years, Di’s business partner and husband Fred Van Urk has been working on a deal to export 100 per cent-Australian-made infant formula under the Bay Bee Cino brand to China. In the wake of recent scares with locally made Chinese formulas there has been a massive demand for foreign infant formula in the Chinese market. Bay Bee Cino will target its formula at the upper end of the market and will launch a product that is very high in nutrients and additives. The company plans to open flagship stores in HK which will carry a combination of milk formula and baby wear products. The first store is scheduled to open in 2010.
4.Import of Services Award
Sponsored by: EWH Food Services
Winner: KVB Kunlun
KVB Kunlun is an international Financial Services Corporation in the Oceana/Asia Region with its core brand image of an “Asian financial product expert”. KVB Kunlun specialises in foreign exchange and transfer services; physical currency exchange of all major currencies including CNY; offshore CNY (Chinese currency) settlements; leveraged foreign exchange; precious metal contracts and derivative trading, HK and international share trading; financial information technology; integrated treasury management systems; and professional financial information.
Providing high quality financial services for Chinese all over the world is another key brand value. We are developing the Oceana/Asia financial market, concentrating on the needs of those clients with Chinese heritage using the Chinese language. KVB actively takes part in charity and community events organised in local Chinese communities and have consequently become a most influential brand.
KVB Kunlun has a unique combination of international strength and local flexibility that has allowed us to rapidly expand operations globally with offices located in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, Beijing and Hong Kong servicing the local Chinese communities. The strength and growth of KVB’s business in Australia alone has seen staffing numbers increase by 300 per cent over the past five years.
5.Creative SME Award
Sponsored by Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
Winner: Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen
The vision of Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen can be traced back to 1982 when the Asian cuisine industry was in its fledgling stages and Kok Ching Ho added impetus to opportunity by opening a Dim Sim factory in Sydney, Australia. As one of the original pioneers of dim sim production here, Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen remains wholesome in its mission to provide authentic Oriental finger food using only the finest Australian meat and vegetable produce.
With over 20 years of industry know-how, or scrutiny, depending on how you look at it, we have let the tastebuds of the Australian public determine whether authenticity and premium quality are appropriate definitions of our products. We like to think our staying power attests to the genuineness of our claims but if you are not convinced, then maybe the approval of the HACCP and the NSW Food Authority would instill some peace of mind as to our commitment to promoting not only an authentic, but also a healthy, Hong Kong-style recipe.
Whether you are at a local grocery store, a hotel, or were at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, we believe convenience should begin at your fingertips and end in your stomach. Our products are pre-cooked and immediately frozen to retain freshness, ready to be served for all occasions. As for us, cost leadership has never been a part of our business approach.
6.Contribution to Industry Award
Sponsored by: CMC Markets
Winner: Master Builders Association of NSW
The Master Builders Association of NSW has been successfully delivering the Certificate IV in Building program since 2004. Feedback regarding work practices from local Master Builder divisions highlighted the issue of licensed builders being “undercut” on their quotations by illegitimate contractors.
Despite the endeavors of the Office of Fair Trading and Work Cover in enforce legal action on those contracting illegally, there remains an element of ignorance and lack of comprehension of what is required to become qualified for licensing.
The Chinese community is an example of where highly skilled, and those professing to be skilled, work with their own community and seldom venture out due to fear of being caught by the authorities governing residential building works in NSW.
The “carrot vs stick” approach was undertaken by the Master Builders in an endeavor to bring those skilled workers up to the level expected by the consumer and government authorities instead of allowing them to be fined for undertaking illegal building works.
This program has also opened up a new market for membership of the association which provides updated information and continuing professional education in line with the licensing laws of NSW.
Whilst the Master Builders is a non-profit organisation, a positive return on investment has been realised equating to 19 per cent of total Certificate IV profits. This has allowed for reinvestment into the provision of interpreting services for participants and has also provided ongoing marketing and promotional support for the program. This additional benefit has allowed a planned investment into other qualifications to ensure the sustainability of the program for participants with a non-English-speaking background to attain a national qualification.
Grand Award
Winner: Master Builders Association of NSW
Sponsor: Qantas Airways Limited
Finalist & Highly Commended: Dr Shoe
Dr. Shoe is a brand of school shoes but, more than that, it is quickly becoming a familiar name to those hard-working, time-poor parents who struggle to get to the shops with their children to purchase proper-fitting school shoes. Since 2005, Dr. Shoe has been taking shoes to school uniform shops every day for Onsite School Safes. Dr. Shoe is the first company in Sydney to provide this service. In 2006, another first for Dr. Shoe was realised – Free Home-Fitting. Dr. Shoe now provides an amazing service by going to the homes of hard-working families to provide a free home-fitting service.
Hong Kong-Australia Business Association 2009 NSW Business Awards Finalists are:
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1. Aunew Group
2. Bay Bee Cino
3. DFS Australia Pty Ltd
4. Din Tai Fung Restaurant
5. ecruising Asia Pacific Ltd
6. GGS (Global Gift Sourcing)
7. Global Experience
8. Healthpac Medical Centre
9. Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen
10. KVB Kunlun Pty Ltd
11. Master Builders Association of NSW
12. Seafarm
13. Dr. Shoe - Highly Commended
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Sponsors
The HKABA-NSW acknowledges the generous support of all the Business Awards Platinum Sponsors: Qantas Airways Ltd, Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd and CMC Markets, EWH Food Services and VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia.
Business Awards Major Event Sponsors include: Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Commonwealth Bank Australia, Altus Page Kirkland
Business Awards Event Sponsors: Australia Chinese Daily, Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, Ettason Pty Ltd, Think and Grow, Concord International Trading P/L, Golden Century Seafood Restaurant, Vinda Paper Pty Ltd,
Business Awards Event Supporters:
Chinatown.com.au, 2CR Radio, The Asian Executive, and Asia Today International.
Charity
During the Business Awards Gala Dinner on 23 October, HKABA NSW Chapter also raised over $10,885 for Elderly Australian Chinese Homes by selling the Raffle tickets.
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