Watching beekeepers prepare hives and thinking there had to be a better and more cost-effective way is gaining a Whanganui company international recognition within the industry.
Local businessman Rob Bartley is directly involved in the honey industry, running hundreds of hives in the Waimarino.
But it was his invention that was named winner of the Roy Paterson Trophy for innovation presented at the Apiculture New Zealand conference in Rotorua this week.
Hiveplus is a company working under the umbrella of the Bartley Group, and manager Lynda Hocquard was at the conference to accept the award.
Ms Hocquard said interest in the hive tray Mr Bartley invented was "overwhelming".