Family vet chain milks business honours

Written on the 10 September 2013 by Gold PR agency Consulting Hall

A growing veterinary business that offers luxury cat boarding facilities has emerged as one of the winners of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards for August.

The Vet Lounge, which operates veterinary clinics at Upper Coomera, Ormeau and Currumbin was named the winner of the Emerging Business category at the recent awards.

The win follows the company's success in the Telstra Business Awards, where it also won the emerging business category for Queensland.

However, for co-owner Michael Woodcock the latest victory is the most pleasing.

"Most of our clients come from  within five to 10 kilometres of the clinics so for us the winning of the local award has a lot more importance to us,'' said Dr Woodcock.

"To receive recognition among the Gold Coast community for our success is great four business."

The Vet Lounge, which Dr Woodcock set up three years ago with Maryanne Connelly, offers a full range of veterinary services for animals ranging from small household pets through to large animals.

However, one service which attracts of a lot of interest is the luxury cat boarding facilities including themed rooms.

Dr Woodcock said the well-equipped rooms provided the best level of accommodation cats could wish for and removed the need for cages.

The business also invests heavily in technology but Dr Woodcock said it was service and the family-owned atmosphere that helped the business thrive.

"We find that our customers much prefer the family owned businesses over the large veterinary chains that are popping up all over Australia,'' he said.

Another family business that is enjoying success at the awards is Technigro, which took out the family business category.

The vegetation management business, which is 26 years old, now employs more than 100 people, including three generations of the Bloor family.

A much younger business, Pilates Central, claimed the honours in the Health and Wellbeing award.

Pilates Central, which is run by Eden and Melissa Lee, has grown significantly since it was first set up in 2002.

The business now helps more than 550 clients with their fitness and rehabilitation needs.

In the other categories, pipeline builder National Tapping Service won the Manufacturing and Construction trophy, painters Usher & Son claims the Mayor's Innovation Award, Victory Aerospace and Military Spares flew away with the Retail Wholesale and Distribution prize, Burleigh Brewing Company enjoyed sweet success in Tourism Hospitality and Events, Master Floor Preparers cleaned up the Trades, Professions and Services title, Mercury IT slipped away with IT and Knowledge Management honours and RST reclaimed an Environment and Sustainability award.

The organisers are now calling for final entries for the 2013 awards with entries due on October 1.

All the monthly winners from 2013 will eligible for the annual awards which will be presented at the Black Tie Gala Presentation in November.

Sponsors include Gold Coast City Council, Suncorp Bank, Virgin Australia, AusIndustry, Michael Sing Lawyers, Griffith University, Regional Development Australia and Gold Coast Airport.

And our major supporters are SMART Advertising, Consulting Hall, Surfers Inkspot, Jupiters Gold Coast, Regina King Photography, Bruce Lynton BMW, Staging Connections, Bond University & KPMG.

The awards’ media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, NBN Television, 92.5 Gold FM &  90.9 Sea FM.