Standout businesses of 2008
Although the headlines have been full of depressing stories of economic doom and gloom at the end of 2008, plenty of Australian SMEs have nevertheless achieved great things in the past year. From an airline to a writer’s centre, we picked our favourite achieving companies, from those with five staff to those with 250.
Company: Moi Moi Fine Jewellery
Website: www.moimoi.com.au
Moi Moi Fine Jewellery was founded by sisters Lauren Chang Sommer and Alana Chang, Australia and New Zealand’s exclusive distributors for Charles & Colvard created Moissanite fine jewels. In December 2004, when they were 25 and 24, they opened Australia’s first Moissanite store, introducing the world’s fastest growing fine jewellery category to Australia and New Zealand.
The jewel sparkles with more brilliance, fire and lustre than diamonds, but costs approximately one-tenth of the price. It has rapidly created its own niche in the Australian market, and as a result Moi Moi launched its second store in New Zealand last October.
In August this year, Moi Moi won a City of Sydney Business Award in the retail fashion category. In the past 12 months, the business has had an enormous 82 percent increase in wholesale customers, taking them from having 61 jewellers to 111 nationwide who purchase Moissanite for their own businesses. They have also had a 33 percent increase in new retail customers These rising figures point to the fact that Australians are becoming increasingly interested in purchasing quality yet affordable jewellery.
Company: Infoactiv Group
Website: www.infoactiv.com.au
Established in 1999, 2008 has seen a dominant player in the transport and logistics industry take a massive step forward. Infoactiv has seen turnover increase by 40 percent from the previous year, without the need to actively seek new customers.
Furthermore, the company has turned its focus towards an exciting new niche service offering, eWaste (electronic waste accumulated by corporations). This has resulted in the collection of more than 355 tonnes of eWaste from various top 500 companies through a variety of tailored services including community events and internal recycling initiatives. Infoactiv’s eWaste clients have enhanced their environmental credibility and reduced their environmental footprint, with a further 650 tonnes of eWaste being diverted from landfill.
2008 has seen the Melbourne-based company expand into both New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. With an approach that is sophisticated, results-orientated and personalised, Infoactiv has revolutionised the transport and logistics industry, leading the way in providing partnership-based solutions. Managing director Helen Jarman won the 2003 Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award on the back of Infoactiv’s performance in a highly competitive market, while also being the only transport and logistics company in Australia owned and run by a woman.
Company: AD2ONE Group
Website: www.ad2onegroup.com.au
This business has achieved great things in the last 12 months. AD2ONE’s Australian operation was launched in 2004 as the second of four locations for this global digital group, headquartered in London.
AD2ONE provides exclusive online advertising access to premium vertical brands for Australia’s leading agencies, marketers and publishers. At just 32, managing director Phil Duffield has achieved great success, responsible for growing AD2ONE’S Australian staff numbers, relocating the Sydney office to York Street and opening a Singapore office as well as winning significant premium brands off the firm’s well known industry competitors.
The business experienced growth of 121.43 percent in the first six months of 2008, compared to the average industry market growth of 28.7 percent for the same period (IAB PWC Report June 2008). AD2ONE has a range of premium vertical brands including Lonely Planet and Expedia, both of which it has retained as clients for more than three years.
Big name brands such as LinkedIn have signed up with AD2ONE this year, as well as HotCopper, Best Restaurants and Dutton Direct. New clients NRMA and ninemonths left Fairfax to be part of AD2ONE.
Company: SkyAirWorld
Website: www.skyairworld.com
SkyAirWorld is a Brisbane-based integrated aviation services company established in 2006. The company operates a range of specialised aviation services, including quality jet airline transport, pilot training and diversified aviation support.
The last 12 months have seen record growth for SkyAirWorld as evidenced through the airline’s introduction of brand new, state-of-the-art Embraer aircraft as well as the commencement of two scheduled routes.
In April 2008, SkyAirWorld launched non-stop flights between Brisbane and Honiara in the Solomon Islands three days per week and in doing so became the first, and still the only, Australian carrier to fly direct from Australia to the Solomon Islands. In August 2008, SkyAirWorld commenced a thrice-weekly domestic service route in regional Queensland between Brisbane, Cloncurry and Cairns, which has helped support niche markets and the resource sector.
SkyAirWorld is a dynamic and innovative business that values safety, innovation and reliability. The introduction of three brand new aircraft types in the last 18 months is a remarkable achievement.
CEO David Charlton is an accomplished leader in the commercial, military and aviation sectors. As an Army Reservist, he undertook full-time service in the Middle East. He has a background in Operations Management and Marketing and previously spent nine years working in the financial services sector. Under his entrepreneurial leadership, SkyAirWorld has grown to over 170 employees in just three years, with a fleet of five aircraft.