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A company that makes high-quality interiors for super yachts took top honours in the American Chamber of Commerce-UPS Success & Innovation Awards in Auckland last night.
Judges commended Whangarei's SMI Group for using innovative business approaches and technology that allowed it to compete from a New Zealand base at a time when many manufacturers were closing down or moving off-shore.
SMI is also working with aircraft manufacturers to provide interiors for privately owned aircraft.
The 8th annual awards were attended by Prime Minister Helen Clark, US Ambassador to New Zealand William McCormick, New Zealand's ambassador to Washington Roy Ferguson, and other US dignitaries in town for the NZ-US Partnership Forum.
The Supreme Award winner is chosen from four awards winners. SMI also won the Exporter of the Year Award in the over-$5 million category, while Award Attachments was the Exporter of the Year ($500,001-$5 million category).
