BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 17th Annual AustCham Australia-China Business Awards (ACBA:09) have been another stand out success. Twenty one Australian and Chinese companies have been recognised for their outstanding business success over the last year.

At the Awards Gala Dinner in Beijing on Thursday 3 December 2009, seven outstanding companies were singled out as Award Winners. This was in recognition of their business achievements, which have played a part in contributing to the strengthening of the Australia-China business relationship, and beyond.

The Winners are:

• Business Excellence Award (Large): ANZ
• People’s Choice Award: EIC Group Ltd
• GNS Business Excellence Award (SMEs): Spaceframe
• Global Times Business Entrepreneurial Award: Galaxy Resources
• Austrade Business Promotion Award: Just Beer
• Mallesons Stephen Jaques Business Innovation Award: CSL
• CLP Sustainable Development Award: Sino Gold

“It was an honour to be a part of such a highly successful Awards Programme, recognising and rewarding Australian companies operating in Greater China,” said Dalwyn Bateson, General Manager, AustCham Beijing. “The success of all Finalists highlights the depth of the Australia China business relationship and the Chambers will continue to work with and support our members to help them do their business better.”

Almost all Finalists were represented at the Gala Award Dinner, where more than 200 senior business executives came together to celebrate excellence of Australian business in China. China World Hotel served a meal featuring elements from across Greater China, while The Wine Republic complemented the meal by generously pouring exquisite wines showcasing Australian wineries.

All Finalists and Winners are profiled on the ACBA:09 website (www.austchamchina.com). A formal presentation will take place at the offices of all Winners in the coming months, allowing the all important support and other staff who play a vital role in each organisation, to share in the success of their employer.

ACBA:10 (the 18th annual awards) will be hosted by Shanghai in 2010, in conjunction with the Shanghai 2010 Expo.

ACBA:09 Winners

(L-R)　Huangsen Wu & Horson Long, Sino Gold; Anand Sheth, Galaxy Resources; David Aitken, CSL Limited; Richard Wendt & Dave Martin, Spaceframe; Christine Ip, ANZ; Mat Ryan & Steve Roadknight, Just Beer; Tommy Lin, EIC Group Ltd

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

BACKGROUND OF AWARDS

The six judged award categories are:

BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD Large Companies (>100 employees)

Recognises an Australian business, with more than 100 employees, that has demonstrated the most outstanding performance in Greater China over the past year.

GNS CHINA BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD SME’s (<100 employees)

Recognises an Australian business, with fewer than 100 employees, that has demonstrated the most outstanding performance in Greater China over the past year.

GLOBAL TIMES BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURIAL (>50 employees)

Recognises an Australian business, with more than 50 employees, that has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence in Greater China over the past year.

MALLESONS STEPHEN JAQUES BUSINESS INNOVATION

Recognises an Australian business whose significant innovation has resulted in the successful development of opportunities in Greater China over the past year.

AUSTRADE BUSINESS PROMOTION

Recognises a local business in Greater China that has shown excellence in promoting or marketing an Australian product or service.

CLP SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Recognises the successful implementation of sustainable development programmes and processes by an Australian company in Greater China.

NEW CATEGORY – VOTE ONLINE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Recognises the 2009 Finalist that the Australian business community in Greater China believes has contributed the most to Australian business across the region over the past year.

Judging

Entrants are required to provide submissions outlining their business successes, with Finalists then undergoing a personal interview before a panel of judges. The Judging Panel includes the Senior Trade Commissioner for Beijing and a representative from three Australian Chambers based in China.

ACBA:09 Judging Panel

• Peter Arkell, Managing Director, Asia, Swann Global and Board Director, AustCham Shanghai
• Phil Ingram, Senior Trade Commissioner for Hong Kong Australian Trade Commission and Board Director, AustCham Hong Kong & Macau
• Kent Matla, Chief Executive Officer, GNS China and Deputy Chairman, AustCham Beijing
• Alan Morrell, Senior Trade Commissioner, Austrade

Winners: Background

Award: AustCham Business Excellence Award – Large: ANZ

ANZ is the only Australian based bank with both local and foreign currency commercial banking capabilities in Mainland China. ANZ provides a range of RMB (Shanghai and Beijing) and foreign currency services (Shanghai, Beijing & Guangzhou) to corporate customers and also assists local residents and foreigners with their retail banking needs.

Award: GNS China Business Excellence Award – SME: Spaceframe

Spaceframe China has established two companies to undertake work in the industrial construction sector. Spaceframe Construction & Engineering Co Ltd performs design and construction services. Spaceframe Building Products Co Ltd supports manufacturing capability and trades in construction related products in domestic and export markets.

Award: Global Times Business Entrepreneurial Award: Galaxy Resources

Galaxy commenced as a Perth based specialty minerals exploration and development company, in 1996. Galaxy’s major asset is its 100% interest in undeveloped Mt Cattlin Lithium Tantalum Project, located in Ravensthorpe Western Australia and the proposed Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate Plant located in China, together, the Galaxy Lithium Carbonate Project.

Award: Mallesons Stephen Jaques Business Innovation Award: CSL

CSL is Hong Kong’s first mobile operator, established in 1983. CSL delivers innovative voice and data services through state of the art world leading technology. CSL has a distinctive market segmentation strategy and uses leading edge technologies to provide customer focused services.

Award: Austrade Business Promotion Award: Just Beer

Just Beer is the official importer of all Fosters beer products and certain Lion Nathan beer products into Mainland China. The portfolio consists of Fosters, Crown Lager, Pure Blonde, VB, Cascade, Redbacks and James Boags. Just Beer also provides market entry assistance to alcohol and other F&B providers into the Chinese market.

Award: CLP Sustainable Award: Sino Gold

Sino Gold is in the business of exploring, discovering, developing and operating gold mines in China. It is the largest international gold mining company in China and activities are exclusively focused on China. Gold mines in operation are located in Guizhou and Jilin provinces, and projects under development are in Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia.

Award: People’s Choice Award: EIC Group Ltd

EIC is a company providing student recruitment services for international institutions, organizing marketing activities to promote international education in China, IELTS training for students who want to study abroad. EIC represents more than one hundred colleges and schools in Australia, including all Group of Eight universities.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

BACKGROUND – AUSTCHAM AUSTRALIA-CHINA BUSINESS AWARDS

The AustCham Australia-China Business Awards has for 17 years been a means of recognising companies that have worked to deliver Australian products or services to the Greater China region. These awards have grown in stature over the years and are now recognised as a high profile celebration of business success among Australian business communities in the region.

Since its inception in 1993, AustCham Hong Kong and Macau has coordinated and hosted the ACBA as a means of recognising the excellence of Australian business in Greater China.

The Awards programme is moving to AustCham Beijing this year in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the Peoples’ Republic of China and will be on the move to AustCham Shanghai in 2010 to celebrate that city’s major international event … the Shanghai Expo. 2011 will see the return of the Awards programme to Hong Kong.

Finalists and Winners of the AustCham Australia-China Business Awards are announced at a gala black-tie dinner. The event is also a night of memorable entertainment and glamour; with performers, guest speakers and exceptional Australian food and wine.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

BACKGROUND - ENDORSING ORGANISATIONS

AustCham Beijing – www.austcham.org

The China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Beijing) functions to provide members with the information, resources and contacts they need to succeed in China. Its overriding goal is to 'Advance Australian Business in China'.

AustCham Hong Kong & Macau - www.austcham.com.hk

The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macau was formed over 22 years ago to facilitate business development and networking opportunities for its members.

It represents the largest Australian business community outside Australia and is the second largest international chamber in Hong Kong. Over the past 22 years AustCham has grown to over 1,100 members and it now represents more than 600 companies.

AustCham Shanghai – www.austchamshanghai.com

Founded in 1994 AustCham Shanghai has grown to be the lead Australia China business organisation in Shanghai and works on behalf of over 240 corporate members. Operating on a non-partisan, non-profit-making basis, the Chamber is funded by membership subscriptions, sponsorship and activities. It annually makes a significant donation to a variety of PRC community outreach projects.

AustCham South China (Guangzhou) www.austcham-southchina.org

The China Australia Chamber of Commerce-South China (AustCham-South China) was formed to promote, develop and expand business relations between Australia and China. The Chamber has grown rapidly to provide a forum to enable its members to exchange information on business opportunities within the region.

Hong Kong Australian Business Association – www.hkaba.com.au

HKABA was established in 1987 with the aim to promote a positive image for Hong Kong and to reinforce economic ties between Hong Kong/China and Australia. Members are local businessmen with strong Hong Kong connections or interested in doing business with Hong Kong and Hong Kong organizations based in Australia.

Australia China Business Council – www.acbc.com.au

The ACBC is dedicated to promoting business and trade between the two countries, highlighting the growing importance being attached to the economic aspect of Australia's overall relationship with the People's Republic of China. Today business and trade has become the single most important side of the Australia - China relationship.