Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
April 18, 2008

The Provincial Government today recognized the outstanding achievements of businesses and organizations at the province�s 2008 Export and Innovation Awards. The Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, announced the winners at a luncheon in St. John�s.

"With more than 70 submissions the response to our request for nominations was impressive. Even more impressive was the quality of nominations that underlined the extent and ingenuity of innovative enterprises and organizations in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Taylor. "The nominations demonstrate the dynamic business community that exists in the province. The Export and Innovation Awards is an important tool in communicating how we value industry and celebrate its significant achievements."

The Innovation in Business Award recognizes a business for its outstanding achievement in creating new opportunities to advance its business through innovation. The 2008 winner is Blue Line Innovations, whose product the PowerCost Monitor,^TM allows consumers to monitor how much electricity is being consumed in their home monetarily.

The Distinction in Innovation Award recognizes an individual or group that makes an outstanding contribution to advancing the province�s innovation culture. The 2008 recipient is C-CORE. C-CORE addresses ocean engineering problems relating to ice and remote sensing. It employs more than 60 people who work in four core areas � geotechnical engineering, ice engineering, remote sensing, and intelligent sensors.

The Exporter of the Year Award acknowledges the outstanding success of local entrepreneurs and businesses that have achieved commercial export success. This year�s winner was Orphan Industries Ltd., a subsidiary of D.F. Barnes Ltd. The company offers contract manufacturing, machining, and fabrication of large steel structures and systems. It sells a variety of products in Angola, the North Sea, South East Asia, the Gulf of Mexico, and United States.

Additionally, two student youth groups � ACE Memorial and Eastern Edge Robotics � received the Award of Merit for their tremendous accomplishments. ACE Memorial is committed to increasing entrepreneurship in the province and for two years it has won the national title earning them the opportunity to represent Canada at the Student in Free Enterprise World Cup. Eastern Edge Robotics comprises 25 individuals from local post-secondary institutions. The team builds an underwater robot, commonly known as a Remotely Operated Vehicle, for entry in the Marine Advanced Technology International ROV competition. It has finished in the top three in that competition every year since 2003.

"There are world-class products being developed in our province. While there can only be three winners, the depth of our business community is positioning the province on the national and international stage," said Minister Taylor. "I anxiously await 2009 to further celebrate the rise of our business and academic communities."

The Export and Innovation Awards were facilitated by the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. The department is focused on the development of a positive economic environment � an environment that encourages and supports private sector business growth and long term sustainable employment opportunities in the province.

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Finalists for the Innovation in Business Award were as follows:

• Blue Line Innovation - Winner
• Camouflage Software, a company that has developed data masking software to protect personal and sensitive information and facilitate compliance with privacy legislation.
  
• MedicLink Systems, a company that specializes in the development of software management solutions for medical businesses.

Finalists for the Distinction in Innovation Award were as follows:

• C-CORE - Winner
  
• Genesis Group Inc., which is the not-for-profit technology commercialization division of Memorial University. The centre has worked with 36 companies in its incubation centre and graduated 22 companies with combined sales in excess of $100 million.
  
• The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University (MI), which conducts world-class applied research in aquaculture, fish harvesting, seafood product development, marine safety, and simulation.

Finalists for the Exporter of the Year Award were as follows:

• Orphan Industries Ltd. - Winner
  
• Genoa Design International Ltd., which offers production design, drafting, and lofting services to marine and offshore industries internationally.
  
• Hurley Slateworks, which has produced roof tiles for Harvard University and the University of Vermont; the University of Sydney in Australia; the Commonwealth War Graves Memorials in Normandy; and the Opera House in Lille, France.