By Denise Deason
NUFARM Australia, in Laverton North, has taken out the top accolade in the 2007 Wyndham Business Awards.
Nufarm, which as been operating for more than 50 years and is the only manufacturer of crop protection products in Australia, was named Business of the Year in the awards which are now in their 13th year.
Wyndham mayor Shane Bourke said the city faced many challenges to ensure the community remained vibrant and economically sustainable, and the role of the business community could not be underestimated.
“Whether small, medium or large; home-based, national or international; every business in Wyndham plays a key role in not only providing vital products and services to the community, but most importantly, employment opportunities for our local residents,” he said.
Nufarm spokesman Robert Reis said the company was proud to win the award. “We’ve been on this site since the 1970s and then it was small – now it’s the global head office for Nufarm,” he said.
“We are the ninth-largest agricultural chemical company in the world, with an annual turnover of $1.7 billion and employing 2500 people. We manufacture crop protection products such as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides to help farmers grow healthy crops in Australia and overseas.”
The company supports Australian farmers through a team of agricultural and horticultural specialists, and has also taken an active role working with Beyond Blue to address the issue of depression in drought-affected areas.
The construction of a new research and development plant in Laverton North reinforces Nufarm’s presence in the local community and offers employment opportunities for residents.
Other winners included:
The Mayor’s Award – Mambourin, which works with people with disabilities.
Small Manufacturing Award – Vertech Hume, manufacturer of round hollow concrete poles, an environmentally-friendly replacement for mature tree timber power poles.
Arts and Entertainment Award – the Laverton Skate Centre.
Picture: JOSEPHINE HARKIN.
