It has been a big week for Ararat manufacturer AME Systems.

In the space of three days the company was honoured with three awards recognising outstanding business achievement.

AME Systems was presented with a silver award at the Australian Organisation for Quality Awards in Melbourne last Wednesday night, and then was named business of the year and best manufacturer with more than 10 employees at the 2000 Powercor Grampians and Pyrenees Business Achievement Awards on Friday at St Arnaud.

The AOQ silver award also went to Paratus Industries of Geelong, while the gold quality award was presented to Spice Driveshaft Australia of Hallam.

Judges gave the silver award to AME Systems for ‘continued commitment to performance excellence and for providing a model to other Victorian organisations striving for success.’

The Ararat firm was one of 10 finalists in the strictly judged competition.

It employs 105 staff and set up a Melbourne office and small factory in July 1998.

Business Development Manager Christian Carthew said the office was humming and the directors were excited about the award-winning week.

"The whole team at AME is thrilled with these results," he said.

The silver trophy from the AOQ awards will be presented to staff at the Ararat factory on November 30.

Judges of the Powercor Grampians Pyrenees Business Achievement Awards were impressed with the attention AME Systems gives to customer support and satisfaction, the commitment of the company to its staff and the resultant ‘can-do’ mentality within the business.

AME Systems is committed to continuous learning and improvement, team and individual staff development and the principles of the Seven habits of Highly Effective People.

Mr Carthew said the Melbourne branch was set up just for those reasons – to give better service to city customers.

"It’s still important to have that face to face contact with people despite the technological advances of the past decade," he said.

Story: Ararat Advertiser 12/2000