TASMANIAN horticultural agency Plants Management Australia has recently been named the 2011 Telstra Business of the Year following a clean sweep in the Business Owner Micro-Business Award and the AMP Innovation Award categories.
Based at Dodges Ferry, east of Hobart, the horticultural licensing and marketing company has been accredited with bringing new plant breeds such as the Callistemon ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and the Acacia ‘Fettuccini’ into Australian and world markets has led to business success for horticultural agency Plants Management Australia.
From left, Telstra business sales director VIC/TAS Martin Adlington, Deputy Premier Bryan Green and Plants Management Australia director Chris Sargent.
Other winners of the Telstra Tasmanian Business Awards included fuel distributor Tas Petroleum; the martial arts school Tasmanian Wing Chun Academy Ulverstone, and vegetable producer M & J Baker Farm Pty Ltd.
Telstra area general manager Southern Tasmania Noel Hunt said all winners had built up businesses that were important contributors to local communities and an inspiration to others in the State’s small and medium sector.
“PMA is a micro-business that is punching well above its weight locally and nationally and is gaining a foothold internationally through its agents in New Zealand, Japan, Canada, the UK and South Africa,” Mr Hunt said.
Established in 1992, Plants Management Australia (PMA) represents independent plant breeders by managing the licensing and marketing of new varieties of perennials, ornamental trees and shrubs, and Australian natives to propagation nurseries and grower networks throughout the horticultural industry.
“The Awards judges said PMA stood out for its commitment to clients and its expert services that include securing plant intellectual property, importing tissue culture, coordinating overseas trials and outstanding marketing, promotion and branding services.
“PMA’s innovation and creativity in presenting ‘the story’ of each pant are evident in its graphic and web design services and use of technology such as QR coding,” Mr Hunt said.
PMA director Chris Sargent said the company takes plants from “concept to consumer” and works to maximise the royalty stream for the plant breeder. It has a portfolio of about 150 plants in the market and 100 in commercial trials, and varieties include the Hebe ‘Heebie Jeebees’, the Tibouchina ‘Groovy Baby’ and the Dianthus ‘Sugar Plum’. PMA works with 160 Australian growers, compared with only two in 2011, and has 30 partner agencies around the world.
“AMP would like to congratulate Plants Management Australia for wining the AMP Innovation Award,” AMP’s Director of Customer Value Peter Nicholas said.
“At AMP we believe that business success is about owning tomorrow, and these businesses have done just that, innovating today for an even more successful tomorrow.”
The recipient of the Blackberry People’s Choice Awards was Kidz Bizzzz Indoor Play Centre and Café at Kingston. Established in 2006 as an indoor play centre for children up to the age of 12, the business also promotes healthy food options to parents in its café.
The Blackberry’s People’s Choice Award, which was decided by a public vote, and the Tasmanian Regional Business Award were new accolades in 2011.
The winners of the Tasmanian Business Awards will be judged against category winners from other states and territories in the lead up to the national Telstra Business Awards to be announced in Melbourne on August 26.
Winners will receive a share of $500,000 in cash and prizes and become part of an exclusive national business alumni.
