Winners of the FTIB

Advertising Feature

Exporter of the Year

Awards 1997

Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year - United Apparel Established in June 1989, it was initial ly set up with an investment of almost $4.5 m( SUS3m) to manufacture menswear, namely pants, jackets and suits for export to Australia and New Zealand.

It now employs over 500 locals and has export outlets in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.

Services Category - Pasiflka Communications The company is involved in producing video and television productions and other related services. It was established in 1994 with an investment of almost a quarter of a million dollars. It was set up initially for two purposes: to fill a need for informa tional and educational productions and to further help develop the video/television industry.

Its achievements in producing adver tisements for local companies, documen taries within Fiji and the Pacific region and in providing a service has generated more demand among the private and public sec tor in Fiji Food and Beverage - Frespac Limited The company was established in May 1994 to undertake the new venture of pro cessing syruped and crystallised ginger for export.

Household Goods - Modern Furniture Building and Industrial - Valebasoga Tropik Boards Limited The company began operations in 1993 to manufacture timber in Labasa, Vanua Levu, the northern island of Fiji investing over $4 million and employing over 100 people. It exports to Australia.

Clothing and Textiles - Mark One Apparel The company manufactures men’s clothes and is wholly owned by two Australian investors. With an investment of around slm (SUS6BO,OO) employment for over 100 people, export earnings of

over $1 million, the company has grown considerably and has excelled in achieving its targets for the production and export of menswear.

Footwear - Forum Shoes The company began manufacturing shoe uppers for export in 1991 and has invested close to slm ($US680,000) in this project. It supplies quality show uppers and shoes to Australia and New Zealand. It employs around 300 people.

Tourism and Hospitality - Rosie The Travel Service General - Sandollars The company is dedicated to supplying products and giftware, utilising Fiji’s natu ral abundant resources. They focus on developing promotional products and designs which incorporate local material and concept.

The company also designs and devel ops logo items and products for companies - these include logo design, shirts, caps, amenity bags, children’s kits, note pads and handicraft.

They also manufacture pure and natu ral sand soap, a range of surfware and products like masi dolls and isa lei salusalu.

New Exporter of the Year - Natural Waters of Viti Ltd This company was established in Fiji with an investment of close to sl.sm (UsUSlm). An integrated beverage com pany, it was set up to extract, purify and manufacture bottles to packmg the water.

Unique Exporter of the Year - Kentia

Clothing

Exporter to New Zealand - Paradise Garments This company manufactures garments under the TTF status.lt employs over 130 locals and specialises in heavy upmarket garments like oil skin jackets, overcoats and jackets. It exports over s2m (SUSI.3m) worth of garments annually to Italy, Australia and Germany. This is one of the companies utilising the duty free quota of garments under derogation to the European Union. It has been recognised as one of the companies with a 100 percent export commitment to the European Community under the EEC/Lome Derogation facility. ■