New Zealand's Design & Creative Exporter of the Year is Orca, an Auckland company that has become a world leading specialist in triathlon wetsuits, creating a multi-million dollar business.New Zealand's Design & Creative Exporter of the Year is Orca, an Auckland company that has become a world leading specialist in triathlon wetsuits, creating a multi-million dollar business.The Trade New Zealand Export Awards were presented at a gala dinner in Christchurch on June 12. The Export Awards are sponsored by DHL. Orca was one of 10 category winners, with kiwifruit marketer ZESPRI International Ltd winning the Supreme Exporter of the Year Award. NHNZ and High Modulus (NZ) Ltd were the other finalists in the Design & Creative category.
The judges said Orca had a very strong vision of growth based on a strategy of brand enhancement.
"Orca's use of elite athletes in its marketing and the company's focus on research and development is an excellent example for like companies to follow."
Director and founder Scott Unsworth says Orca, which also produces sports and casual apparel, holds a strong position at the high end of the global triathlon market, with its garments worn by top international athletes. Eight teams in the 2002 Commonwealth Games chose to wear Orca, with athletes from up to 12 countries likely to be wearing the brand at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Mr Unsworth says the ethos of the Orca brand is performance led by design, with products engineered with the underlying objective of enhancing an athlete's performance.
"Orca's wetsuits are race-proven. Extensive tests against competing brands have shown our wetsuits are the fastest in the world. Our leadership in this category has laid the foundation for expansion into other sports apparel markets, and more recently a casual apparel range."
With annual exports now "up towards $10 million", sales to 23 countries and a growing product range, Orca has come a long way from the business that started in 1993 with Mr Unsworth selling wetsuits out of the boot of
his car.
He says many of the world's leading athletes now wear Orca, with the company sponsoring several top competitors, including New Zealand triathletes Hamish Carter and Joanne Lawn, and World Triathlon Champion Ivan Rana of Spain.
"Those are the people that build the Orca brand. The product really sells itself to the extent that we have people chasing us wanting to distribute our products."
To retain its leading edge, research and product development are ongoing. Mr Unsworth is adamant all products must remain authentic to the Orca brand in terms of look, quality and garment performance. Deriving its inspiration from the killer whale, he says the strength of the Orca brand and the performance of its products gives the company its competitive advantage.
"We are an exclusive brand, specialising in higher end leading edge sports garments using very technically advanced fabric, designs and patterns. Some of our products are custom made."
Orca sources its fabrics from the around the world, using leading manufacturers in New Zealand, Italy, China and Spain to produce its products. The company employs 18 people in its Auckland premises.
For more information, please contact:
Orca, Scott Unsworth, Founder & Director, phone 09 523 0820, email scott.unsworth@orca.co.nz
Photos: for pics of athletes/models wearing Orca's product and pics from the awards evening and presentation, contact Jacquie Annand, Trade New Zealand Communications, phone 09 366 4768, email jacquie.annand@tradenz.govt.nz. For other shots and staff shots, contact Scott Unsworth, Orca Director, phone 09 523 0820, email scott.unsworth@orca.co.nz
Released by Aimee McClinchy, Trade New Zealand Communications, phone 09 915 5628, email aimee.mcclinchy@tradenz.govt.nz
TRADE NEW ZEALAND EXPORT AWARD CATEGORY WINNERS
Supreme Exporter of the Year and Food & Beverages Exporter of the Year - ZESPRI International Ltd
Agritech & Life Sciences - IRL BioPharm
Building, Wood & Interiors - Fletcher Challenge Forests North American Consumer Solutions
Consumer Products - Comvita New Zealand Ltd
Design & Creative - Orca
Education - Victoria University of Wellington
Engineering - CWF Hamilton & Co
Information, Communications & Technology - Pulse Data International Ltd
Services - Airways New Zealand
Emerging - CRMS Consulting Ltd