Dunedin company wins prestigious national award

Mosgiel-based business TracMap has added yet another accolade to its list of successes.

TracMap was named top emerging company at the national Hi-Tech awards announced at a gala dinner attended by 600 people in Auckland last week (May 7).

TracMap was one of four New Zealand technology leaders selected as finalists in the NZX Emerging Company Award, one of the most important honours in the prestigious event that acknowledges excellence by New Zealand's producers of high-technology products, services and software solutions.

The other three finalists were established New Zealand companies LanzaTech, Sonar6 and Xero.

The winner of the Emerging Company category is recognized as an emerging hi-tech business that has successfully made the transition from a start-up with a good idea, to one that has a sound financial position and strong growth prospects.

The award, which this year attracted 130 entries, was judged by a panel of six international luminaries including Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers, as well as 35 high-profile local industry experts.

TracMap’s success has been founded on the initial development of a GPS-based system to allow fertiliser and spray trucks to apply product to the land more effectively and profitably, while at the same time recording where, when and what applications had been applied.

TracMap’s GPS-based system not only gives fertiliser spreading contractors and farmers a 15 percent productivity gain, it also reduces environmental impact from fertiliser application at the same time.
Managing Director Colin Brown is thrilled that TracMap’s innovations have been recognised in this way. “We are very proud and humble to have received this award. It’s a credit to our team based out of Mosgiel, and to our loyal customers. We’ve experienced phenomenal growth since installing the first GPS guidance devise in a farm vehicle four years ago, so to be rated as one of New Zealand’s top emerging companies is fantastic acknowledgement of the progress we’ve made, and all from Dunedin.”

TracMap has since expanded its agricultural product range to develop GPS guidance and proof of placement mapping package for vehicles operating in demanding outdoor environments. This includes aerial applications from helicopters or fixed wings aircraft, sprayers and harvesters in vineyards to mowers and sprayers performing work for councils.

It is now exporting its product to North America, Russia, South Africa and Australia.

TracMap was the 8th fastest growing company in New Zealand last year listed through the 2009 Deloitte fast 50 awards, and was 50th fastest growing technology company in the Asia Pacific region in the 2009 Deloittes fast 500 awards.

TracMap’s technology has also been recognised by the Telecommunication Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ), winning its Rural Award in August 2008 and being named finalist in the Initiative of the year, Mobile application of the year and ICT Innovator of the year categories. TracMap was also one of three finalists in the Gen-I NZ Incubator awards for Innovation of the Year.