Danish subsidiaries honored at Amalienborg Palace for exceptional export efforts

Published 25 August 2023

Three Danish subsidiaries in Egypt, Australia and the USA are honored with royal export awards for their extraordinary effort in spreading Danish products, solutions and business models.

For the fourth time, HRH Crown Prince Frederik has opened his home and presented awards to three companies that have performed particularly well on the international stage.

The jury has traveled far and wide to find this year's three award recipients, Aller Aqua Egypt, 3XN Australia and MagVenture Inc. in the United States, all of which are subsidiaries of Danish companies. From a strong field of nominees, the jury has selected three SMEs that have proven that despite their relatively small size, they can successfully conquer new markets, make a difference globally and serve as an inspiration to others.

"These are three companies that have represented Denmark in an outstanding way in their respective fields. With innovation, quality, and sustainable solutions as well as business models, the three companies have achieved great success in their respective markets," says Poul Due Jensen, Group President, CEO of Grundfos and member of the jury for the HRH Crown Prince Frederik International Business Awards.

The HRH Crown Prince Frederik International Business Awards, which are presented in collaboration between the Royal Danish Court, the Danish Export Association, and the Trade Council, honor the extraordinary export efforts that promote Danish strenghts, contribute to the spread of sustainable solutions and create jobs in Denmark and abroad.

"We should be proud of all our exporting companies, and it's important that we celebrate some of those that are doing particularly well. Successful exports are the foundation of a strong Denmark, and the companies that lead the way and promote Denmark globally, open doors and inspire others deserve special recognition," says Poul Due Jensen.

The criteria for being selected as an award recipient vary slightly in the three categories Business Excellence, Green Solutions and Export Achievement, but companies must, among other things, have demonstrated a certain economic impact, been able to penetrate new markets, worked purposefully with sustainable solutions and, in general, have made a special effort to promote Danish strengths globally.

The awards were presented by the Crown Prince at a ceremony at Amalienborg Palace, attended by Danish and foreign ambassadors, the honorary award jury, sponsors, and other representatives from the business community.

About this year's award recipients:

Business Excellence: Aller Aqua Egypt supports Egyptian fish production with Danish values

Aller Aqua produces fish feed for the aquaculture industry, but feed is far from the only thing the Christiansfeld based company exports.

Through its Egyptian subsidiary, Aller Aqua Egypt, the feed manufacturer has contributed to creating a sustainable food base for the Egyptian population, while at the same time improving the quality, efficiency and sustainability of the aquaculture industry through knowledge sharing and partnerships. Finally, the Danish business values have moved to the North African country and the company has raised the standard of working conditions for its more than 110 employees.

Under the leadership of Hussien Mansour, Aller Aqua Egypt has already expanded production capacity three times and is planning a fourth expansion.

"Hussien Mansour's receipt of the royal honorary award is fully deserved. From day one, we have worked together positively; we have overcome extreme challenges, including the revolution back in 2011 and later huge economic challenges in Egypt. Hussien has always been open, positive and cooperative at all levels of our organization. I see this business award as the most beautiful example of what can be achieved in a company when we bring together people from different cultures, join forces, work hard and always keep the momentum," says Henrik T. Halken, Chairman of the Board of Aller Aqua Egypt and Group Vice President.

Aller Aqua and Hussien Mansour had the initial contact in 2009, and in 2011 the cooperation was formalized and Hussien Mansour became CEO of the Egyptian subsidiary in the coming years. Since then, he has not only developed Aller Aqua Egypt and delivered growth year after year, but he has also taken on a role as chairman of the Danish Business Club Cairo, helping Danish companies connect with Egyptian authorities and organizations, paving the way for even more Danish export to the country.

Green Solutions: 3XN Australia brings sustainable Danish design down under

For half a century, the Utzon Opera House in Sydney has stood as a testament to Danish strengths in architecture. Now just a stone's throw from the iconic Opera House, is Quay Quarter Tower, which has put Danish architecture firm 3XN, firmly on the Australian map. 3XN has created the impressive building, which has won design awards and exemplifies the company's design philosophy of increasing sustainability and circularity in the construction industry. The high-rise is the world’s largest adaptive reuse tower, transforming the original 50-year-old AMP Center Tower, into a contemporary relevant and beautiful design, featuring a host of energy-saving and environmental performance solutions and a radical sustainability strategy resulting in an embodied carbon savings of over 12,000 metric tons.

The royal honor comes full circle for 3XN and Quay Quarter Tower, which the Crown Prince Couple visited during their respective, recent official trips to Australia, where the focus was on sustainability and green solutions.

“At 3XN Australia, we strive to continue the promoting the ethos of 3XN, which is to prioritize architecture that positively shapes behavior while significantly reducing our building industry’s carbon footprint.  We want to be part of the solution, not the problem,“ says architect and partner in 3XN Australia, Fred Holt.

3XN Australia was established in 2017 and today has 25 employees. The Sydney-based office has designed projects in Japan and South Korea, among others, and is continuing to develop and oversee their newest, city and environmentally significant project, the new Sydney Fish Market, one of the city's major attractions.

Through partnerships and by being at the forefront of sustainable solutions, 3XN Australia leading work in transformation has inspired other architects, developers and even governments to prioritize sustainability while creating healthy and socially sustainable living spaces for many people.

Export Achievement: MagVenture Inc. conquers the US health tech market

Breaking into the US health tech market is not easy. Rules, regulations and approvals can make it a cumbersome process. But with the right product, enough dedication, the courage to invest and the right organization, success in the US is far from impossible.

MagVenture is proof of that. The family-owned company has not only managed to gain a foothold in the market. They have also shown impressive growth rates and are on the verge of hiring even more employees in both the US and Denmark.

MagVenture has developed a range of products in the field of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). It is a technology that effectively treats a range of mental disorders, including depression, improving the lives of people around the world. In 2017, the company received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and since then, business in the US has grown steadily.

"I am very honored to receive this award from HRH Crown Prince Frederik of one of the oldest monarchies in the world on behalf of the entire US organization. The incredible growth of the company is a result of our hard work and continued collaboration with our Danish colleagues, and it has been a truly rewarding endeavor. We use our technology to work with healthcare professionals every day to improve the lives of patients who are often left with very limited options. Meeting and hearing about the treatment outcomes from patients is what motivates the entire team to work tirelessly to continue to expand this technology," says Kerry Rome, Senior Vice President, MagVenture Inc.

MagVenture was founded in 1992. In 2010, the US subsidiary was founded with two employees. The organization has now grown to 24 employees in MagVenture Inc, which in 2022 had an impressive 57% revenue growth. The success in the US has opened doors in several other markets, and MagVenture has a 44 percent market share worldwide in TMS treatment equipment. The company plans to hire more than 100 new employees globally over the next three years.

"We hope that this case of successful export development inspires others to think globally and dare to take the risk of going to the US, which requires large investments in terms of regulatory approvals, organizational development and sales generating activities. Especially in the healthcare sector for small entrepreneurial companies like us," says Christian Wanding, CCO at MagVenture.

Facts:

• The HRH Crown Prince Frederik International Business Awards were first presented in 2020.
• The honorary award is presented in collaboration between the Royal House, the Danish Export Association and The Trade Council.
• The award is presented to Danish companies' foreign subsidiaries, agents or distributors.
• The award is presented in three categories: Business Excellence, Export Achievement and Green Solutions.
• At least one of the award recipients must be an SME.