Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA) is establishing partnerships to extend its influence and broaden its impact on the manufacturing sector.
In particular, HMA has teamed up with Industry Update magazine to highlight its finalists and winners across Australia.
Additionally, HMA has partnered with Newy Tech People to launch an engineering and manufacturing-themed podcast, providing a platform to share the backstories of HMA winners and showcase their talent and innovation.
HMA is also working towards supporting a national awards program, where its winners will automatically qualify as finalists.
Jacqui Daley, HMA chair and the founder and managing director of The Measured Marketer, emphasised the importance of sharing these stories on a national stage to enhance “Brand Hunter.”
“In showcasing the outstanding achievements of HMA winners and finalists to a broader audience, our new initiatives reinforce the region’s reputation for excellence,” said Daley.
“This visibility is vital as we navigate the evolving landscape of manufacturing, energy, and defence industries.”
Bob Cowan, who started his business manufacturing lifesaving recompression and hyperbaric chambers in 1973 and sold Cowan Manufacturing in 2018, initiated the HMA in 2004.
Reflecting on the journey, Cowan said, “Who would have thought a little sheet-metal company at Warners Bay would invent something the United States Navy is still purchasing? That’s mind-blowing for me. I got to a point where I had achieved everything I was after.”
Cowan’s motivation for establishing HMA was to give back to the manufacturing community in the Hunter region.
“Because I worked so hard in manufacturing to get my own company off the ground, I thought it was important to give something back,” he said.
“I thought the Hunter had a lot to offer, but no one knows if you don’t tell them.”
Daley, the first female chair of the HMA board, brings a marketer’s perspective to the role, aiming to build greater awareness of the region’s manufacturing excellence.
“Manufacturers are often not great at telling their stories or showcasing their expertise to the world,” she says. “I stepped into the role to bring that perspective to the mix.”
“We are witnessing a transformation in the sector,” she said. “It’s not just about recognising that the industry has been traditionally male-dominated but also about the diversification into sectors like health, food and beverage production, technology, and more.”
HMA’s past chair, Steven Smith, managing director of Advitech, recalled the passion within HMA for promoting manufacturing successes in the Hunter region.
“I saw a very well-organised team with clear objectives,” he says. “I just wanted to help maintain the great work that had been done.”
Jeff Phillips, chairman and CEO of Varley Group, the inaugural HMA winner in 2004, highlights the cultural significance of HMA.
“One of the challenges we face is the perception that manufacturing only happens overseas,” he said. “HMA helps to demonstrate that significant manufacturing occurs right here in the Hunter.”
Daley underscored the central role of manufacturing in addressing national and global challenges in energy and defence.
“If we look at the broader national and global energy transformation, manufacturing is essential,” she says. “And when it rises to meet these challenges, HMA will continue to celebrate and share our region’s stories with the world.”
HMA encourages all manufacturers in the Upper Hunter, Lower Hunter, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, and Mid-North Coast regions to enter the 2024 awards.
There are 14 categories available. The registration and nomination period closes on 30 August, with entry being free.
Manufacturers can find all the necessary information at www.hma.org.au.
