The award, announced earlier this month, recognises the success of the company’s Trilift maintenance support equipment and the Safe-Away ladder stairway access systems for large mining and earthmoving vehicles.

Based at Mount Thorley, the engineering company was founded by Ian Hedley who, in September, was the recipient of the Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering Innovation Hero Award.

Mr Hedley was one of three recipients of the award in Australia and it recognised the engineering innovations he had developed over the past 31 years.

The innovations included ground engaging tools, lighting towers, water carts, service trucks, wear plate systems, access systems and component handling equipment, all of which have been patented globally.

The Hedweld group is run by Mr Hedley and his family, including wife Jan and daughters Kristy and Rikki. They believe Hedweld’s  success is  due to all those who work at the company.

Hedweld had a very successful year in exports with a 20 per cent growth in export revenue for 2011/12.

The lift in revenue was due to new products, including a transmission hoist known as  Trilift Cat 797 which is being exported to Chile and Canada and the continuing success of the Trilift variable work tables in Mozambique, China, Mongolia and South American countries.

Hedweld also achieved a 46 per cent growth in exports of the Safe-Away Access System with sales in South Africa.

Winning the Premier’s award means Hedweld automatically becomes one of five finalists in the 50th Australian Export Awards. The winner will be announced in late November.

“I would like to thank our entire team for their dedication and commitment - these awards are a result of a great team effort as everyone at Hedweld has contributed to this excellence,” Hedweld director Jan Hedley said .

“We are proud of our business and export achievements and look forward to new export opportunities in the future.”