Evolve on a roll, all the way to the top
“INSANELY awesome carving machines” saw Gold Coast business Evolve Skateboards take top gong last night at the Queensland Export Awards.
The company, run by Jeff and Fleur Anning, was named Premier of Queensland’s Exporter of the Year at a gala ceremony in Brisbane.
Evolve also took the award for e-commerce at the awards, which saw Gold Coast companies wellrepresented on stage.
Other Coast winners included Opmantek Software, who took the award for digital technologies; Noonan Race Engineering for manufacturing, and Megan Ziem of Grace Loves Lace won the Tom Burns Award for Women in International Business.
Evolve Skateboards is a Gold Coast-based designer, manufacturer and retailer of electric skateboards, which has grown rapidly since its launch in 2011.
Their products are sold in 30 countries, through a network of distributors and locally-owned international offices, and online.
The winners received their awards from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Curtis Pitt.
Export Council of Australia CEO Lisa McAuley said acknowledging exporters was vital in building awareness of new market opportunities available to business owners.
“We are seeing more and more new companies that are exporting their goods and services with excellent results and now is the time to focus on how we can help build on Queensland’s trade capabilities and encourage more companies to look at the global opportunities that are opening up,” she said.
“These awards acknowledge the significant achievements
that exporters have made to improving the State’s economic activity and boosting jobs.
“Queensland’s businesses have the innovation, expertise and professionalism to take on international markets,
and it is important that we recognise their hard work and determination to succeed.
“Whether small or large, these businesses prove that they have what it takes to succeed on an increasingly competitive world stage.”
Annually, exporters make a significant contribution to the Queensland economy, with goods exports worth $66 billion in the last financial year, according to the latest figures.