The ABB team in Napier has taken out the supreme award of Exporter of the Year at last Thursday night’s 2025 ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards at the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre gala dinner.
The event was opened with a virtual address from Trade and Investment Minister Hon Todd McClay, in front of a sold-out crowd.
ASB head of international trade Mike Atkins, who presented the Exporter of the Year award, said the quality of entries underscored the spirit and purpose of the awards.
“We uncovered a rock star in ABB while both Starboard Bio and Ovenden Seeds have potential to make a meaningful difference in the world.”
In a time of substantial global volatility, ExportNZ is proud to recognise just some of the amazing exporters who continue to innovate and succeed in the global market.
The awards celebrate high calibre exporters from Hawke’s Bay up to the southern tip of Gisborne and are awarded annually.
Finalists for 2025 were selected from a wide field of entries, with an expert panel of judges assessing their success across a wide range of categories.
“We are absolutely stoked to have won this award, it provides recognition of the continued growth, innovation and dedication that our team has contributed to enable our facility in Napier to win best exporter in the Hawke's Bay, said Sander Stork, ABB’s Local Product Group Manager for Power Protection.
“Well done to all finalists and winners, it was inspiring to be in the company of other first-class exporters showcasing their resilience, strategy, kiwi ingenuity and innovation that is helping drive the engine of Hawke’s Bay.”
Judges said ABB in Napier was a company specialising in power systems design in production.
“Originally Vectek in Onekawa, they have retained their engineering skills, and through a strong focus on innovation and quality, produced a unique world leading UPS product.
All these products are designed, built and tested to exceptional quality right here in Hawke’s Bay.”
ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay regional manager Amanda Liddle said all finalists were amazing.
“Going global is a tough business – more so than ever, but [these] exporters show the best of what our region has to offer.
“Congratulations to ABB, who also picked up the Ziwi Excellence in Innovation award, your products and clarity of vision were awe inspiring and the win is well deserved.”
Winners of each category go on to the final stage of the NZ Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards, to be held in Auckland on November 27.
