SUNSHINE COAST COMPANIES FLY THE FLAG AT EXPORT AWARDS

Two Sunshine Coast companies, Becker Helicopters and the Superbee Honey
Factory, have been congratulated by Premier Peter Beattie at the
prestigious Premier of Queensland's 2002 Export Awards.

Both were finalists in their respective categories - Becker Helicopters
in Education and the Honey Factory in Agribusiness.

Becker Helicopters was named Sunshine Coast Exporter of the Year for
2002 in September for its efforts in training professional helicopter
pilots and producing a helicopter pilot training book and training
DVDs out of the Maroochydore airport.

In just five years the flying school has grown from a one chopper, one
pilot operation to a business employing 10 people with almost all its
income from exports.

The Superbee Honey Factory exports its honey and beehive health products
to more than 17 countries and provides a tourism experience to
international visitors from around the world at its facilities on the
Sunshine and Gold Coasts.

The factory is Australia's second-largest honey exporter and has doubled
its export sales in the past 12 months.

Mr Beattie said: "Exporters like Superbee and Becker Helicopters create
jobs and wealth and are the lifeblood of this State.

"Across Queensland exports of merchandise and services generated revenue
of $27.7 billion in the financial year to 30 June 2001," he said.

"That's an increase of 25.8 per cent, or $5.69 billion, compared with
the previous year - and we anticipate further growth in the current
financial year.

"One in five jobs in this State is export-related, a proportion that
rises to one in four in regional Queensland.

"This means 400,000 jobs in Queensland are export-related and it's why
my Government does everything it can to encourage companies to export.

"The fact is that every company that nominated for these awards is a
winner for Queensland and I congratulate them all."

The full list of award winners, runners-up and finalists is:

Exporter of the Year
MIM Holdings Ltd
Runner-up:Jabiru Aircraft (Bundaberg)

Regional Exporter of the Year
Overseas Game Meat Export (OGME)
(Gold Coast)

Agribusiness
Winner: Tender Plus (Gold Coast)
Finalists: OGME
Superbee Honey Factory (Sunshine Coast)

Arts/Entertainment
Winner: Krome Studios (Brisbane)
Finalists: Digital Dimensions (Townsville)
Warner Roadshow Movieworld Studios (Gold Coast)

Education
Winner: Central Queensland University (Rockhampton)
Finalists: Becker Helicopters (Sunshine Coast)
Shafston International College (Brisbane)

Emerging Exporter
Winner: Worley (Brisbane)
Finalists:Granite Engineering (Mareeba)
Flightship Ground Effect (Cairns)

Information and Communications Technology
Winner: Opcom (Brisbane)
Finalists:Avaya Australia (Brisbane)
Amlink Technologies (Brisbane)

Large Advanced Manufacturer
Winner: Food Spectrum
Finalist:Austral Brick Company (Brisbane)
Nu-Lec Industries (Brisbane)

Minerals and Eneregy
Winner: MIM Holdings Limited
Finalists: Queensland Magnesia (Gladstone)
Sun Metals (Townsville)

Services
Winner: Ausenco (Brisbane)
Finalists: Brisbane City Enterprises (Brisbane)
MIM Process Technologies

Small to Medium Manufacturer
Winner: Jabiru Aircraft (Bundaberg)
Finalists:PanBio (Brisbane)
Digga Australia (Gold Coast)