Access Innovations’ Michael Magnussen with a container-load of units heading to the United States
Michael and Margie Magnussen at the Export Awards announcement in Brisbane this week (Photo: Access Innovations)

September 9, 2016

Kingaroy-based engineering company Access Innovations has been named as a finalist in the Premier of Queensland’s Export Awards.

Access Innovations, founded by local businessman Michael Magnussen, manufactures and exports a  unique safety access system for heavy mining machinery.

Michael’s designs – which have global patents and licences – have gone through three generations since they were launched during the 1990s.

His first generation design won a Queensland Premier’s Safety Award in 2002, which makes Michael feel he’s now come full circle.

The finalists in the 2016 awards were announced on Thursday night in Brisbane.

Access Innovations is one of four finalists in the Minerals and Energy sector.

Export Council of Australia CEO Lisa McAuley said Queensland never failed to impress with a wide range of industry sectors “consistently punching above their weight”.

“The competition is extremely tough and we are thrilled to see a number of new names recognised for their tremendous efforts. It’s fantastic to also see the diversity of the companies that entered the awards this year.”

Michael said Access Innovations’ exports had grown 700 per cent in value, expanding recently from the United States and Canada to south-east Asia.

“If we pull off the (major award) it will be so big of a endorsement for our region which may generate traction for other industry to locate here,” Michael said.

“Many people ask why are we not based in Brisbane or Mackay as close to coast  and mining markets.

“Sure it costs us more initially in freight, but we offset with smarter caring county labour, lower business premises outlays, and a quiet, clean community with clean air and plenty of wineries providing a fluid basis of thoughts for inventing new products!”

The awards ceremony will be held on October 20 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

[Originally published as “Kingaroy Business Finalist In Export Awards”]

* * *

The four finalists in each category are:

Agribusiness

  • Golden Harvest Grain Exports
  • Morlife
  • Stockyard
  • FarmscanAg

Minerals and Energy

  • Blast Movement Technologies
  • Dynamic G-Ex
  • Access Innovations
  • Ensight

Creative Industries

  • Circa
  • Populous
  • Grace Loves Lace
  • Cutting Edge

Education and Training

  • Charlton Brown
  • Cairns College of English & Business
  • Aviation Australia
  • Griffith University

Environmental Solutions

  • Tritium
  • Aqualuma LED lighting
  • Residue Solutions
  • Hall Contracting

E-Commerce

  • Grace Loves Lace
  • Halfbrick Studios
  • Opmantek
  • Queensland Food Corporation

Digital Technologies

  • Opmantek
  • GO1
  • Hydric Media
  • Statseeker

Manufacturing

  • Ferra Engineering
  • Aqualuma LED Lighting
  • Aim Lab Automation Technologies
  • Evolve Skateboards

Health & Biotechnology

  • PharmaData
  • Rapid Nutrition
  • Aim Lab Automation Technologies
  • SmartCap Technologies

Business Services

  • UQ Business School Executive Education
  • Australian Certified Organic
  • Ferra Engineering
  • Populous

Regional Exporter

  • Higher Ground Australia
  • CJ NutraCon
  • Evolve Skateboards
  • Knotwood

Small Business

  • Typefi Systems
  • Gruntify
  • FarmscanAg
  • Residue Solutions

Related articles

Flashback to 2014: Michael Magnussen with Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and one of Access Innovations’ first export loads (Photo: Access Innovations)
Flashback to 2001 … a first generation access system installed on a Caterpillar 16H destined for Meandu coal mine; this design won Access Innovations the 2002 Workplace Health and Safety Premier’s Award 

 

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