DURBAN - Last night at the KZN Exporter of the Year awards 10 companies won awards for excellence in exporting.
The event which is hosted by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) is celebrating their 17th year of giving awards to export companies.
The President of the DCCI, Musa Makhunga, said that exports are important because they promote international trade and locally is creates jobs for people. According to Makhunga the South Africa has a strong trade partnership with countries like the United States of America, China and Germany and called them key trade partners.
KwaZulu-Natal is home to the two of the largest ports in South Africa, the Richards Bay port and the Port of Durban, it is, therefore, appropriate for the exporter awards to be held here in Durban.
Nozipho Sithole, Chief Executive Transnet Port Terminals said that technology should be used to address some of the challenges that the ports face in their day to day activities. She used an example of work being halted at ports because of heavy winds and then called for technological solutions that would help solve that problem.
The companies that were nominated are from a variety of sectors like tyre manufacturers, Sumitomo Tyres, to car manufacturers Toyota South Africa.The winners were given a trophy and a certificate and runners-up were also given certificates.
Here is the list of winners:
1. Emerging exporter of the year category: Siyakha Imperial Printing
2. Medium exporter of the year category: Factode (Pty) Ltd, Microfinish
3. Large exporter of the year category: SAPPI Southern Africa
4. Africa exporter of the year category: BATA
5. Service providers of the year: Kuehne+Nagel (Pty) Ltd.
6. Manufacturers of the year category: SAPPI Southern Africa
7. Agri processing exporter of the year: Avolands
8. Creative industry exporter of the year: Africa Ignite
9. Sustainability exporter of the year: Mediterranean Shipping Company
10. BBBEE exporter of the year: Toyota South Africa.