One could not help but get inspired during Saturday night’s Westpac Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year Awards.

Award winners shared similar sentiments – winning was achieved only through hard work, team work and perseverance.

Award winning leaders we spoke to were quick to acknowledge their staff – as the real drivers and movers in their companies.

Standard Concrete Industries, winner of the Golden Manufacturers Limited Manufacturing Exporter of the Year Award, is the biggest manufacturer of concrete and quarry products in Fiji.

Company general manager Mosese Volavola said they were now determined to become number one in the South Pacific.

He said the award had only reinforced that Standard Concrete Industries can produce world class standard products that was marketable overseas.

Currently they are supplying concrete to a number of major projects in the region, including Kiribati.

Tropik Wood Industries Limited emerged the winner of the main award.

Sheer hard work paid off.

We were determined to make sure that the company did not fall on our watch, said company executive chairman Faiz Khan.

The Sheraton Fiji Resort setting brought together companies who over the past year have worked hand in hand with Government and other agencies to help boost our export efforts.

Figures show that in the past five years, Fiji’s export has grown by over 30 per cent – from $1.6-billion in 2010 to $2.3-billion last year.

These figures clearly show that Fijian companies have the capability, the technical expertise and the drive to produce Fijian Made products consistent with the rest of the world.

And to challenge our exporters, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has set out a challenge – to aim for a 50 per cent improvement in our exports in the next five years.

We say that this is achievable.

And to all award winners, congratulations and well done!

Surely others will be inspired by your success and achievements.

Feedback:  rosi.doviverata@fijisun.com.fj