Hamish Forbes and his team at Pondco has won another award celebrating their excellence – and this time it's a world first.

These dairy farm effluent compliance ponds were installed by Pondco, for Noel Fox of Turua, Thames.

The company, which constructs dairy farm effluent compliance ponds, is the inaugural recipient of the Firestone award given by the United States company in recognition of excellence in Firestone-trained installers.

'The award is extra special, as we are the first people in the world to win this award,”Hamish says.

The award is a follow-on from Pondco winning an International Association of Geosynthetics Installers Small Project award category for effluent pond design last year.

Pondco was featured in the global ‘Geosynthetics Magazine' profiling its winning design, the Centroid, which has helped New Zealand farmers cost effectively comply with effluent requirements. Hamish's son Sam has also recently completed his Certified Welding Technicians qualification through IAGI, meaning he's trained to the highest standard in the world.

Hamish says winning the latest award is not only good for Pondco, but for its clients too. 'Farmers will know that they have the best guys possible building their effluent pond.

'We are recognised as world standard.”

Two of Pondco's clients have seen great success with their Pondco effluent ponds in particular.

Piako dairy farmers Foster and Karen Kalma won Best High Input and Environmental Award in the Dairy Business of the Year 2013; and Pondco also installed the Centroid Series FDE Holding Pond for Bruce and Donna Arnold (Brudon Farms), who won Best Financial Performance Award at the Dairy Business of the Year in 2012.