Automotive Technologies Limited (ATL) has won the Mondiale Innovation award at the 2019 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

The Japan-based, New Zealand-owned biosecurity inspection and treatment company took out the award for designing and building its own specialised heat treatment facilities specifically for the effective heat treatment of vehicles. This came about following the 2018 brown marmorated stink bug issues on vehicles from Japan.

ATL completely designed its heat treatment system from scratch. It built and tested multiple versions, overcame issues and improved its design until it was completely happy with its design and functionality.

The project started in April 2018 and all sites were operational within just five months, successfully running throughout the 2018/2019 season.

Innovation played a huge part in the setup of ATL‘s heat treatment system. There are no-off-the shelf heat treatment chambers available in the marketplace specifically designed for the heat treatment of vehicles to kill insects.

While paint drying rooms and kiln units would have done the job, as they were not specifically designed for the heat treatment of vehicles, ATL felt that the risk to New Zealand was too high.

To get the best results and fully understand its systems, ATL decided that a fully customised solution was best. Working to a very short time frame, ATL was able to fully design and implement its own heat treatment systems.

Now in its third year, the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards attracted a record number of 70 entries. Deputy director-general of Biosecurity New Zealand Penny Nelson said the awards celebrate people across New Zealand who are contributing to biosecurity. 

Rotorua‘s Te Arawa Lakes Trust won the New Zealand Biosecurity Supreme award for its managing of the catfish population, and also the New Zealand Biosecurity Department of Conservation Community Pihinga Award.