A vision shared by six farmers to make cotton a profitable alternative crop for Murrumbidgee farmers has led to Southern Cotton being named the Regional Award winner at the 2015 Telstra Australian Business Awards.

Other Awards winners were WA risk management consultancy Executive Risk Solutions, which was named Telstra Australian Business of the Year, NSW ice tea beverage manufacturer Nexba, industrial electrical specialists Furst Electrical and corporate uniform manufacturers Cargo Crew, both from Victoria.

Previously forced to transport their cotton over an 800 kilometre round trip to be ginned, directors Tim and Roger Commins, Gerard and John Toscan, Scott Hogan and Larry Walsh put everything on the line in 2011 to establish what is now considered a world class ginning facility.

The Whitton-based gin is turning over $25 million annually and has been acknowledged as the driving force behind the burgeoning Murrumbidgee cotton industry, which has grown from 11,000 hectares to more than 35,000 hectares in four years.

Southern Cotton has deployed best-in-class technology from the paddock to the finished bale, state-of-the-art Radio Frequency Identification tracking systems that provide growers data via smartphone or tablet.

One of the only gins in the world to use this technology, Southern Cotton captures, stores and retrieves information on each cotton module to help growers learn more about their crop and assist in farm management decisions.

After proactively educating Murrumbidgee farmers on the potential of converting to cotton, Southern Cotton now takes in 60 per cent of its total gin production from growers outside its founding partnership.

Maximising return for local growers, the business has developed new market opportunities with 50,000 tonnes of cottonseed by-product processed for livestock feed and cotton seed oil.

Southern Cotton General Manager Kate O'Callaghan said winning the national Regional Award provided the business with the opportunity to raise the profile of the cotton industry in Southern NSW and boost economic growth in the community.

"It's given us a platform to showcase the quality of our cotton as well as put a spotlight on our region and the many other agribusinesses that are operating successfully in Southern NSW," Ms O'Callaghan said.

"There was a perception that the plan to build a gin wouldn't work, but failure was never an option. When a team of like-minded people work together towards a common goal in challenging circumstances - what seems impossible can be achieved."

Will Irving, Telstra Business Group Managing Director and Telstra Business Awards Ambassador, said Southern Cotton is a fantastic example of the right mix of passion and a willingness to try new things paying off for a business.

"The 2015 national winners are run by inspiring and resilient individuals who have taken great personal risk to start their businesses. They are celebrated for having excelled in their innovation, sector leadership and growth and all have amazing potential."

"Southern Cotton has shifted the agricultural focus in its region and is providing new and profitable opportunities for local growers. If you were building a business from scratch they are 10 out of 10; there is no compromise in their level of detail, innovation and perfection," Mr Irving said.

"The judges praised the business for its strong management processes and use of systemised app technology to help growers track cotton from paddock to buyer. They process 190,000 bales a year which puts them on a world scale as a single producer."

The Telstra Australian Business Awards were attended by Federal Small Business Minister Bruce Billson, Telstra CEO Andrew Penn, Telstra CFO Warwick Bray, senior Telstra executives and Awards Alumni including Anthony Kittel of 2014 Telstra Business of the Year, REDARC.

The winners of the 2015 Telstra Australian Business Awards are:

Start-up Award
Furst Electrical
Bayswater VIC
In 2012 Melbourne siblings Mark and Lee Furst created Furst Electrical, a specialist contractor in industrial electrical services for manufacturers and secondary processing businesses. The company designs, fabricates and installs electrical control systems to increase the competitiveness of Australian industry through automation and innovation. With 11 staff, they have won major contracts with multinational clients. National judges praised the financials that the business had achieved, as well as the high level of innovation the pair brought to highly complex electrical engineering niches.

Micro Business Award
Nexba
Sydney NSW
Nexba began a on a beach in Rio Nexpa, Mexico, in 2010 with engineer Drew Bilbe enjoying a cold glass of ice tea. Inspired to create his own natural, low-calorie real ice tea, he teamed with his childhood friend Troy Douglas to launch Nexba in 2011. It is stocked in national retailers Woolworths and Coles and has sold more than three million cans. Telstra judges were impressed that the business has thrived in such a highly competitive space, and described the duo as great role models for young entrepreneurs holding the values of Australian-made, sustainable and natural production.

Small Business Award
Cargo Crew
Brunswick East VIC
In 2002, Felicity Rodgers used her design experience to offer fashionable uniforms that would withstand the rigours of a busy workplace and that staff would be proud to wear. Her sister Narelle Craig and husband Paul Rodgers later joined the growing business, bringing advertising and operational management expertise. Cargo Crew's uniforms are supplied to major clients such as Dulux and Renault. The Telstra judges said the business has redefined the modern uniform and they praised the company's growth potential as it expands into the casual professional category.

Medium Business Award
Executive Risk
Solutions Myaree WA
After leaving Afghanistan's battlefields, former SAS trooper Scott Houston applied his military experience to risk management venture Executive Risk Solutions (ERS). ERS provides crisis management, emergency response and specialist security to companies in high risk sectors and employs more than 100 staff. Praising its resilience and diversity, the Telstra judges said the business rode the mining boom as it started but has since continually focused on opportunities for growth and investment in new areas.

Regional Award
Southern Cotton
Whitton NSW

Telstra Australian Business of the Year
Executive Risk Solutions
Myaree WA

For more information about the Awards or to nominate for the 2016 Telstra Australian Business Awards, visit telstrabusinessawards.com or call 1800AWARDS between 9am and 7pm AEST Monday to Friday. The Awards were established in 1992 to celebrated brilliant Australian small and medium businesses.

Reference Number: 136/2015

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