Business is good in Saskatoon, if the amount of hardware given to city companies at the 26th annual Achievement in Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards dinner is any indication.

Ten of the 15 awards handed out Saturday night at TCU Place went to Saskatoon-based companies, including two to North Ridge Development Corp., which won Business of the Year and the award for customer service.

“Saskatoon is a vibrant business community,” Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve McLellan said Sunday. “(The city) is a very good place to be. The boom has been at a rate higher than other communities. Last night was certainly Saskatoon’s night.”

North Ridge has benefited from the boom, but the company has lasted as long as it has because of innovation, company president Wally Mah said Sunday.

Started as a part-time business venture more than 25 years ago, North Ridge has grown to become the province’s largest residential development and construction company.

“In our business, we’re very lucky to be in Saskatchewan considering what’s going on economically in Eastern Canada,” said Mah. “But we’re adapting to the changing environment and finding market niches even though it might not be as lucrative as traditional markets.”

That niche market is affordable housing and North Ridge is developing 149 lots of affordable housing in Martensville.

In 2008, the company developed a quality assurance program, a quality checklist for houses under construction and is about to launch an online feature that allows customers to track work done under warranty.

“We’re only as good as the last house we built,” said Mah. “When you’ve over 25 years you see a lot, but in business change is always the thread that we need to follow to never become complacent.”

Large companies generally dominated the ABEX Awards podium in the past, but in recent years more small businesses are grabbing the top spots, said McLellan.

“People are smarter and business are smarter now and have access to innovative tools that help their business,” he said, adding companies big and small are now more prone to boasting about success.

“The old mentality is, ‘We don’t want to look like we’re bragging,’ but if you’re a good company and do good work, tell the world,” said McLellan.

“In many cases we’re more willing in Saskatoon to help others starting out in business,” said Mah. “Somebody helped us to get where we are and it’s up to us to help others get there.”

Rawlco Radio was inducted into the Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame. Established in 1946 by Ed Rawlinson, the company owns and operates 12 radio stations across Saskatchewan.

The privately-run, family-owned business was inducted as “a cornerstone business in Saskatchewan, contributing significantly to the economic well-being of the province.”

In addition to North Ridge, 13 other companies and individuals were recognized with ABEX Awards.

- The Technology in Action New Saskatchewan Product Award, which recognizes the successful launch of a new Saskatchewan-made product, went to Bio-Extraction Inc. of Saskatoon for developing and commercializing a new way to separate high protein isolates from canola.

- Team Drilling of Saskatoon won The New Venture Award, which recognizes a business operating for three years or less and focuses on profitability, job creation or entry into new markets. Team Drilling has underground and surface drilling operations in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada and other countries.

- The Community Involvement Award for exceptional support of arts, culture, amateur sports, education or volunteer activity went to Saskatoon-based Pic-Man Tattoo. It won for involvement as event sponsors, donating 10 per cent of staff time to volunteer events.

- The Award for Job Creation went to Saskatoon-based Point2 Technologies. During the past 16 months, the online marketing company grew to 135 employees from 90.

- Regina-based Ground Effects Environmental, a remediation manufacturing company, won The Environmental Award for its 70 industry-leading innovations, two patents and an industry-best run-time record of 99.9 per cent on all its equipment.

- The Marketing Award went to Saskatoon Motor Products for an aggressive advertising campaign for its General Motor products, which led to a sales volume increase of 71 per cent in 2008.

- The Health Innovation Award went to Saskatoon-based TinyEYE Therapy Services for creating a tele-health application that allows speech language pathologists to treat patients in regions across the world. Instead of just selling the product, the company created a remote speech therapy practice.

- The Investment Award went to Yorkton-based Richardson International Ltd. for its significant provincewide capital expansion program, which included an investment of $18 million in Saskatchewan facilities.

- The Export Award went to Mustard Capital Inc., a Gravelbourg company that operates a dry mustard milling facility. Since opening in 2007, the company has sold its products to 15 countries and is targeting markets in Asia and the Middle East in 2009-10.

- The Business Leader of the Year is Clay Dowling of Saskatoon’s Ghost Transportation Services. Dowling was inducted into the Saskatchewan Transportation Hall of Fame in 2008, and is a past president of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and North Saskatoon Business Association.

- Danny Elder of Regina is the Young Entrepreneur of the Year for his OffAxis board-sports store. The store doubled in size in 2004, opened a second location in 2007 and plans a third opening in late 2009.

- Saskatoon-based Aboriginal Consulting Services won The Aboriginal Business Award for delivering awareness training and strategic planning to businesses working with Aboriginal communities. It has published Eagle Feather News for 12 years.

- The Training Excellence Award went to Regina-based Alliance Energy Group of Companies. Working with construction companies across the province, the company is Saskatchewan’s largest electrical-work contractor. All employees have access to continual training opportunities and constantly trains apprentices.