Leading Australian boat builder, Steber International has taken out the Excellence in Innovation category of the prestigious Hunter Manufacturing Awards.
The award acknowledged the development of an unmanned surface vessel, the SSS Bluebottle, in conjunction with another Australian firm, OCIUS, and is the latest in a series of wins for Steber spanning the last five years.
The Taree-based Steber have been HMA finalists since 2010 and in addition we’re also acknowledged with the following awards:
2011: Manufacturer of the Year and Excellence in Product Design
2013: Excellence in Product Design
2014: Excellence in Innovation
HMA judges noted that the SSS Bluebottle has a suite of applications relevant to both Australian and overseas markets.
“The value proposition is demonstrably superior to competing methods for marine security and surveillance as well as for oceanographic research”, the judge said.
“Steber leveraged its existing capabilities with those of its development partners to create a product that met all of the key success factors”.
PHOTO: Alan, Graham and Colin Steber receive the Innovation Award from Director for Energy, Water and Waste Management for the Department of Industry, Tristram Travers.
