Events company transforms to win award

Written on the 31 July 2020

 

A Gold Coast company that has transformed itself during the COVID-19 crisis has won a major award for its efforts.

Burleigh Heads based GCD Exhibitions has pivoted away from its traditional role of building world-class expo display stands to now creating a range of COVID-19 safety products.

Managing director Craig Billett said the pandemic had impacted his business terribly and forced the company to look for another market niche.

"When the COVID-19 restrictions were first put in place, our revenue dropped to zero, because all events were cancelled," said Mr Billett.

"When COVID 19 hit, our initially decision was to stand down all of our staff!

"Immediately we refocused and developed a new revenue plan for the Business, diversifying our asset base into manufacturing COVID-19 safety barriers and other COVID-19 related products.

"Sincere thanks goes' to the Federal Government and our Team of Managers, as we have 20 staff receiving JobKeeper payments, which has enabled GCD to work on these new opportunities."

"Rather than shutting up shop completely, we employed our staff to work shorter hours to build a new division of the business, called Business from a Distance.

GCD Exhibitions now manufactures hygienic barriers and sneeze guards, supplies COVID-19 signage and graphics, barriers in businesses to keep social distancing in place and a wide range of COVD-19 supplies for businesses.

"We are now working with a lot of companies to help with their COVID-19 Safe Plans to ensure they can get up and operating as soon as possible," he said.

"For example, we have been working together with numerous clubs, and have now created and manufactured acrylic COVID -19 hygiene barriers that are placed between poker machines to help with Social Distancing regulations.

"These are custom designed for hotels and clubs to comply with the new health regulations.

"The clear acrylic barriers are manufactured with graphics on them to also provide Responsible Gambling information. "

For its efforts, GCD Exhibitions was named the winner of the Manufacturing Award at the Gold Coast Business Excellence for July.

The presentation, held at the Southport Yacht Club on Wednesday night, was the first awards presentation of the year.

The other winners in the July awards were:

• Mayor's Innovation GC Award: Grassports Australia
• Student Employability Award: Glowing Green Australia
• Family Business Award: Neumann Steel
• Health and Wellbeing Award: Tribes Adventure Group
• Professions and Services Award: MWM Advisory
• Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award: Macro Mike
• Construction and Trades Award: Dynamic Hydro Excavations
• IT and Digital Business Award: TechConnect IT Solutions
• Emerging Business and Micro Business Award: Shepherd Filters

The awards, now in their 25th year, aim to foster pride in the city's business community and highlight its important as a business hub. Some of the city's best-known companies can claim to have been winners.

Monthly winners in each category then vie for the annual awards, including the coveted Gold Coast Business of the Year, to be awarded at a gala event in November.

The awards' major sponsors include Dreamweavers, QSuper, Study Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast, Choice Homes, MPM Property, Westpac, Harvey Norman Commercial Queensland, Optus Business Centre Gold Coast and Griffith University. The awards' media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, Nine NBN Television, 92.5 MMM and Hit 90.9.
The GCBEA's major supporters are KPMG, Document Solutions Australia, Bloomtools, Consulting Hall, The Graphic Design Company, The Star Gold Coast, Regina King Photography and Bond University.