Earlier this year, I had the great privilege of attending the 2025 Farmer Autovillage Tauranga Business Awards organised by the Tauranga Business Chamber. The sheer diversity, innovation, expertise and commitment of the 18 finalists was a real eye-opener.
All finalists were worthy contenders for higher recognition and they serve as role models to the wider business community – unfortunately, they couldn’t all be award-winners.
In no particular order (while saving the Business of the Year winner for last), the winners were:
- Employer of the Year: Stratum Consultants’ specialist team of civil, structural and geotechnical engineers, resource management planners and surveyors provide comprehensive, wrap-around services to help realise the potential of our city’s land. Local knowledge and technical expertise are combined in this industry leading enterprise to ensure landowners find the best possible solutions for their properties.
- Excellence in Manufacturing: the winner, GAS Manufacturing (trading as Archishade), is committed to providing homeowners with solutions to their all weather, all year outdoor living needs. The company’s premium shade and wind protection structures are designed in Tauranga with functionality, usability and beauty in mind.
- Excellence in Innovation: this award winner, Bovonic, helps farmers detect and treat mastitis in their herds. Using its patented milk sensor and detection algorithm, this easy-to-use and install, no frills product detects mastitis in its early stages, telling farmers what they need to know at a competitive cost.
- Excellence in International Trade: this award went to Oasis Engineering, a specialist in high precision turning and machining services for the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) industry. Oasis supplies valves, couplings and a continuously evolving range of sustainable energy products, made from difficult-to-use materials such as stainless steel and titanium, to customers in more than 40 countries.
- Excellence in Māori/Pacifica Business: Future Focus Early Learning received this award in recognition of its leadership role in early childhood education. With three Tauranga locations, Future Focus fosters a supportive and loving environment where ‘learning meets play’, celebrating diversity by sharing home, language, stories, food, dance and music.
- Business of the Year: the overall winner was Aquaholics, a plumbing, gas fitting and drain laying business with a catchy tagline: ‘Your fix is our fix.’ Founded in the Bay of Plenty 11 years ago, Aquaholics opened a Hamilton branch in 2018 and takes on jobs large and small, residential and commercial. The company takes pride in the high level of attention and effort that goes into every job with competitive pricing and personalised service as common factors.
The professionalism that comes through strongly from all of the finalists was inspiring to see and I’m already looking forward to hearing about more great Tauranga businesses at next year’s awards.
Congratulations to all involved – your success is Tauranga’s success.
