Source: Business Central
ABB has been named as Exporter of the Year at the 2025 ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards
The supreme winner was crowned in Hawke’s Bay at the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre at a sold-out gala dinner.
MC Matt Chisholm opened the event – followed by a virtual address from Trade and Investment Minister Hon Todd McClay, in front of a sold-out crowd.
The longstanding and highly successful awards are presented by ExportNZ in partnership with ASB to reward and recognise the region’s outstanding exporters.
ASB Head of International Trade Mike Atkins, who presented the Exporter of the Year award, said the quality of entries this year 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.
“At ASB, we are passionate about enabling exporters to scale up, be it through working capital funding or other advisory initiatives across clean tech, food & fibre, productivity, and sustainability.
“Our partnership with ExportNZ in celebrating these awards continues our commitment to the region’s exporters.”
ASB Exporter of the Year ABB Napier is a largely autonomous company specialising in power systems design in production, says the judges.
“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.
“All the winners and finalists are truly exceptional, and we as judges felt spoilt for choice – congratulations to all involved”
Winners and nominees alike across all categories were celebrated by judges and the audience.
ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay Regional Manager Amanda Liddle said “It is outstanding to see another cohort of such amazing finalists and winners.
“Going global is a tough business – more so than ever, but tonight’s exporters show the best of what our region has to offer.
“Congratulations to ASB Exporter of the Year 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.
“All of us at ExportNZ would also like to give our special congratulations to Stephen Jacobi, this year’s NZME Service to Export Award winner. Stephen's tireless advocacy has unlocked many opportunities for New Zealand exporters and businesses the world over, and his tenure on the ExportNZ Advisory Board has been invaluable to the organisation.”
Winners of each category will now go on to the final stage of the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards, held in Auckland on November 27 th for a night of national celebration and international recognition.
The full list of winners:
- 2025 ASB Exporter of the Year: ABB – ABB Napier designs and manufactures innovative solutions to make AI-driven data centres more affordable and energy efficient, addressing AI’s high-power demands. Operating in New Zealand for over 90 years, ABB has invested around $34 million in Napier since 2020 and employs 145 people locally, with plans to expand by up to 50 more as production grows.
- T&G Global Best Established Business Award: Starboard Bio – Starboard Bio produces and exports animal-derived pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and functional food ingredients, supplying frozen raw materials and powdered ingredients for encapsulation to the EU and US markets. The company operates with a team passionate about their products, the New Zealand brand, and enhancing value within the NZ red meat industry.
- ContainerCo Best Emerging Business: Ovenden Seeds – Ovenden Seeds is a specialist seed multiplication company growing, processing, and exporting herb and vegetable seeds, particularly smaller, hard-to-handle varieties. Seeds are dried, cleaned, and packed at a custom facility near Waipawa. With farms in Hawke’s Bay and grower partners in Canterbury, Ovenden focuses on growth and exports to the UK, EU, and US
- Judges’ Choice Award: Haumako – Haumako is the Tātau Tātau Trust’s commercial entity and develops and grows horticultural products for the export market. Tātau invests directly in horticulture to further diversify their economy, foster sustainable regional growth, and create valuable local jobs. By expanding the horticulture industry in Wairoa, Tātau encourages better use of Māori-owned land by sharing opportunities, learning, knowledge gained in their own orchards.
- Ziwi Excellence in Innovation Award: ABB
- NZME Service to Export Award: Stephen Jacobi
- Napier Port Unsung Heroes Award: Tamsyn Illston, Natural Pet Foods & Nick Elliot, ABB.
Notes:
ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay is overseen by Business Central, which represents around 3,500 organisations across the lower North Island. Business Central offers advice, learning, advocacy, and support to a wide range of organisations across Central New Zealand. Business Central is part of the BusinessNZ Network.