Wollongong business Best Kitchens is no stranger to recognition.
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The 25-year-old business has won many state and national awards over the years and this year it was recognised locally by picking up the best business and general services award at the Wollongong City Centre Retail and Business Awards.
Managing Director Gary Yilman said that until now, most of the recognition had been from within the industry.
Best Kitchens has won many Housing Industry Association (HIA) awards for residential and commercial projects since 2005.
In 2010, it won Australian Kitchen of the Year.
But 2014 was the first time it had entered the local retail and business awards, and Mr Yilman said to be recognised at home in the Illawarra meant a lot.
"It is good everyone knows we are a local company that is staying in Wollongong and we manufacture everything here," he said.
"But we do a lot of jobs in Sydney, the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven."
Mr Yilman said the range and variety of joinery work that Best Kitchens did had grown.
It not only does custom built kitchens but its inhouse design and manufacturing team can do everything from designer joinery for all parts of a house to shop fittings.
Best Kitchens is even fitting out a doctor's surgery.
"We do new homes and business and renovations," Mr Yilman said.
"A lot of it is people upgrading their kitchens."
Mr Yilman said that after being in the business for 25 years and winning many HIA awards, Best Kitchens' work was always steady despite what was happening in the economy.
Diversifying the business in the past 15 years had definitely helped achieve that, he said.
In the past, Best Kitchens had focused on just kitchens, laundries and bathrooms.
But now it manufactured joinery packages as well, including packages for living rooms and bathrooms to wardrobes, studies, en suites, bedrooms, offices, outdoor entertainment areas and cinema rooms.
The business has 17 employees plus 25 sub-contractors, who do the installations.
Mr Yilman said it was great to win a city centre award on Best Kitchens' first attempt.
It would now enter the 2014 Illawarra Business Awards, hosted by the Illawarra Business Chamber.
Entries for these awards close in less than a fortnight.
Mr Yilman said the business employed the latest trends and was very innovative.
Best Kitchens could build kitchens with cupboards or drawers that opened by touch, he said.
It could also make cupboards with remote controls for people who preferred that option.