HVIA’s new National Awards kicks off

The Australian heavy vehicle industry’s capacity to provide innovative solutions for the road transport task will be acknowledged and celebrated by the industry’s national association, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) with a suite of leadership and innovation awards launched today.

HVIA Chairman Nathan Usher says the new awards reinforce and uphold HVIA’s vision of an innovative, prosperous heavy vehicle industry, supporting the safest, most productive fleet.

“HVIA is introducing three prestigious new awards focusing on innovation, reflecting the maturity of the heavy vehicle industry in Australia and its leadership on the world stage,” Mr Usher said.

The new awards are open to HVIA member companies across Australia. They include the:

• Community Leadership Award;
• Product Innovation Award; and the
• Productivity Innovation Award

“I am also delighted to announce the inaugural Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award,” Mr Usher added. “The Future Leader Award has been launched with the support of Peter’s family, to honour our greatly missed colleague, HVIA Past President and industry leader.”

The Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award acknowledges young people who have recently graduated from an Apprenticeship and have demonstrated outstanding leadership within their organisations and/or the industry.

“Peter was a great mentor to me and numerous other people who I know will see this as a fitting tribute.”

“Keeping with its proud history, HVIA will continue to offer the National Apprentice of the Year Award and the Industry Recognition Award,” Mr Usher said.

Mr Usher said the whole economy benefits from the productivity and efficiencies gained through the design, engineering and manufacture of heavy vehicles, and their components and technology.

“Our industry services users of heavy vehicle equipment in countless parallel industries, ranging from every aspect of agriculture and food production, to liquids, fuels and other dangerous goods, infrastructure and construction, mining, retail, utility and emergency services, trades, local government and much more.

“The philosophy of continuous improvement runs deep in our industry,” Mr Usher said. “Our members work extremely closely with their customers to create solutions to their challenges.

“That culture of innovation only continues to grow with strong investment in research and development undertaken by our members.”

Mr Usher explained that HVIA works on behalf of the heavy vehicle industry through Government and its regulatory agencies to enable that innovation to be fully realised.

“We do that by looking at Australian Design Rules and Standards, the Heavy Vehicle National Law and schemes such as the Performance Based Standards (PBS), to ensure they keep pace with the opportunities and changes.”

Entries are now open via a portal on the HVIA website, with submissions closing on 31^st August.

The awards will be celebrated at two events, with Southern finalists announced at HVIA Awards Night cocktail function in Melbourne on Friday 19^th October, and the awards being presented at the HVIA Gala Awards Night in Brisbane on Friday 16^th November.