Southland Business Excellence Awards were held on Friday 28 January at Bill Richardson Transport World, under the red traffic light covid framework, to an in-house audience of 100 finalists, sponsors and judges, along with many watch parties viewing via live stream throughout the region.

The awards were introduced in 2013 and are held bi-annually, however Covid restrictions had meant the awards were postponed twice in 2021 and rescheduled as a celebration to kick off the 2022 Business Events Calendar.

A new record number of businesses applied with 141 applications received over the 11 categories, including very high numbers in the Consumer Service & Professional Services Categories. A new award was introduced; the Meridian Energy One to Watch award – recognising those new leaders coming through in the start-up space or transformation of existing organisations.

Winners were announced in 11 categories with a supreme winner chosen from these finalists.

Fi Innovations have taken home the Southland Business Chamber Supreme Award along with winning the Naked Creative Innovation Award and the Invercargill City Council Construction, Trades, Manufacturing & Distribution Sector Award. Owner Gareth Dykes was also a finalist in the Meridian Energy One to Watch Award.

Proudly and uniquely Southland owned, Fi Innovations is a New Zealand leader in 3D plastic printing and resin- based processes, including fibreglass, composites, floor coatings, and flexible urethane manufacturing. (See

ABOUT FI INNOVATIONS AT END)
“The Judges were truly inspired by the innovative and passionate stories from throughout the Southland region and the world, and the resilience shown in the past two years during the pandemic” said Chamber CEO Sheree Carey.

The Southland Business Excellence Awards 2021 winners are:

  • Southland Business Chamber Supreme Award – Fi Innovations
  • Southern Institute of Technology Business Personality Award – Joc O’Donnell (Transport World/H W Richardson Group)
  • Findex Primary & Primary Services Sector Award – Alliance Group
  • Invercargill City Council Construction, Trades, Manufacturing & Distribution Sector Award – Fi Innovations
  • PowerNet New and Emerging Award -Crunchy
  • The Southland Times Consumer Service Sector Award – Transport World
    also Highly Commended was given in this category to Black Shag Boutique Café
  • Invercargill Licensing Trust Not for Profit Award – Koha Kai
  • Progress People Professional Service Sector Award – Digital Stock

also Highly Commended was given in this category to Malloch McClean

  • Naked Creative Innovation Award – Fi Innovations
  • ACC Workplace Injury Prevention Award – Altitude Resurfacing
  • Blue River Dairy Workplace Wellbeing Award – Aquila Sustainable Farming
  • Meridian Energy One to Watch Award – Benji Biswas

A Little bit about Fi Innovations:

Conceptualisation and creation have been central to Fi Innovations right from its inception.

It is a generational family business. The original company, T D McIntosh and Sons, was Invercargill’s specialist in ornate plaster ceilings. Gareth Dykes’ great-grandfather, Thomas McIntosh, passed on his craft, skills and knowledge to his son, Bill McIntosh.

Although fibreglass was invented in 1938, the technology took longer to reach New Zealand shores. Bill thought fibreglass “might be worth checking out”, so he ordered Southland’s first batch of fibreglass resin. It arrived with no instructions. Taking the lid off, Bill placed the resin pottle in the middle of a large room. Not sure what to do, but also never afraid to take a risk, the approach was to run past and fling the hardener in – just in case it exploded!

A bold and fearless approach to creativity and business have always been central to this family, constantly evolving to meet market needs. By the 1960s, fibrous plaster had almost been forgotten. The business passed to Bill’s son, now trading as Southland Fibreglass. Once again, the company shifted focus by adding non-slip resin flooring alongside their expertise in fibreglass work.

In the 1990s, Gareth Dykes, who also held the family’s pioneering spirit, learned the fibreglass trade at his grandfather’s factory. After an extended overseas adventure, he returned to Southland in 2002 with his wife, Melissa.

Passionate and excited to add new dimensions, Gareth and Melissa bring a fourth generation of innovation to this long-established Southland business. With constant investment in technology and a bold approach to development, Fi Innovations is now recognised as an award-winning hub of revolutionary ideas and creativity.

Fi Innovations is a company built on a thirst for innovation. Its future is bold, it is creative and has exciting unknowns, as it constantly adapts to stay ahead of the market. It is focused on inventing, adapting and educating.

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