South Australian Company Wins Australian Export Award

AUSTRADE MEDIA RELEASE 20 November 2009

Embargoed until 10pm, 20 November

LEVETT ENGINEERING WINS AUSTRALIAN EXPORT AWARD

Levett Engineering, a component manufacturer for the Joint Striker Fighter aircraft, has won the
prestigious Emerging Exporter Award at the Australian Export Awards this evening, hosted by
the Minister for Trade, the Hon Simon Crean MP. The Emerging Exporter Award is sponsored
by Enterprise Connect.

Started 20 years ago by Paul Levett in his shed, Levett Engineering is now one of Australia's
most technologically advanced machining companies and employs 26 people in Elizabeth South.

Since entering the export market two years ago, Levett has doubled its staff with export
earnings accounting for more than 30 per cent of turnover. That figure is expected to more
than double over the next two years.

A first-time finalist in the Australian Export Awards, Levett was up against strong competition,
with seven other companies competing in the category. The Australian Export Award judges
were extremely impressed with Levett's commitment to export and advanced technological
capabilities.

Levett has established an Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Centre of Excellence to
commercialise its research and development investment and maintains a competitive advantage
by regularly upgrading its equipment to the latest European technology available. This allows it
to manufacture components more quickly and to an extremely high standard.

Congratulating the 12 National Winners, Minister Crean said that collectively, these companies
have generated more than $1.5 billion in export earnings and employed more than 2,400
people.

The Australian Export Awards are co-presented by Austrade and the Australian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. Now in its 47th year of recognising export excellence, the Awards are
one of the longest running and most prestigious business awards.

The Awards are run in collaboration with the States and Territories, who each conduct their
own Export Awards program. State and Territory winners progress to the Australian Export
Awards as finalists.

NOTE TO TV NEWS ROOMS: Full live multi-camera feed available from Tieline 5 from the
Press Gallery at Parliament House, Canberra.

For more information, visit www.exportawards.gov.au

Media contacts:
Levett Engineering Mal Lowen 0408 801 672 or 08 8287 2144
Australian Export Awards Emma Bailey 0414 969 348 or 02 9390 2077







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