Frost & Sullivan Recognizes and Awards Best-in-Class Innovators

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Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Best-in-Class Innovators

Johannesburg – 27 November 2008 – 20 top international and local companies were honored at Frost & Sullivan’s first annual African Excellence Awards Banquet held tonight at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton. The awards were made to companies showcasing leading ideas and innovation across a variety of sectors.

The awards were made to companies demonstrating leadership in markets from Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria and South Africa to the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. The sectors covered were energy, healthcare, industrial automation and ICT.

“The companies that received awards have shown innovation, competitiveness and leadership in meeting the particular demands of doing business in Africa,” said Frost & Sullivan Partner and Director of African Operations Phil Howarth. “The products and services that we recognised should be applauded as examples of how to manage business in the current economic climate.”

The keynote address for the evening was delivered by Johan Dekker, Divisional Director of Barloworld Logistics. Dekker emphasised that companies that embrace Supply Chain Management as a competitive weapon perform better than others.

“I suspect this is true in good times and in bad,” he said. “Supply chains can respond effectively in times like these. For instance, supply chain management offers the unique advantage that “going green” often equates to saving money and addressing the end-consumer’s growing need to be environmentally sensitive.”

The event culminated in awards being presented to the following organisations demonstrating best practices in their respective disciplines:

Netcare: 2007 South African Private Hospital Growth Strategy Leadership Award

MOBILITRIX: 2008 South African Mobile Content Product Innovation Award

Medika SA: 2008 South African Advanced Wound Care Product Line Strategy Award

Global Biofuels Limited: 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Biofuel Emerging Company Award

TECMED Africa: 2008 South African Ultrasound Market Leadership Award

Copperbelt Energy Corporation: 2008 Zambian Electricity Industry Business Development Strategy Leadership Award

SSEM Mthembu: 2007 South African Market Penetration Leadership Award

Energem Biofuels: 2008 South African Biofuel Feedstock Competitive Strategy Leadership Award

Philips: 2007 Kenyan Medical Devices Market Leadership Award

Wyeth South Africa: 2007 South African Paediatric Vaccines Growth Strategy Leadership Award  

Honeywell Process Solutions: 2007 African Product Life Cycle Price Competitiveness Customer Satisfaction Leadership Award

Alcon Laboratories: 2008 South African Ophthalmology Pharmaceuticals Market Leadership Award

SSEM Mthembu: 2008 South African Patient Monitoring Growth Strategy Leadership Award

Rainbow Nation Renewable Fuels: 2008 South African Biofuel Feedstock Share Advancement Award

GE Healthcare: 2007 South African Patient Monitoring Industry Innovation and Advancement Award

Draeger Medical South Africa: 2007 South African Hospital Customer Service Leadership Award

The CK Scientific Group: 2008 Zambian Hospital Medical Equipment Customer Service Leadership Award

Intel Corporation: 2008 Nigerian Telemedicine Entrepreneurial Company Award

Accenture: 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Software Outsourcing Market Leadership Award

Elekta Southern Africa: 2008 Nigerian Oncology Market Penetration Leadership Award

“Our long-established awards programme honours companies that have demonstrated a unique approach to doing business in their markets,” said Howarth. “Frost & Sullivan celebrates these ideas and strategies that drive corporate growth.”

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievements and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company’s TEAM Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership™ empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnerships, visit https://www.frost.com.

Contact:
Patrick Cairns
Corporate Communications – Africa
P: +27 18 468 2315
M: +27 83 258 4219
E: patrick.cairns@frost.com