The Griffith-based machinery manufacturer represented NSW in a showcase of eight 'Remarkable Australian Exporters' put together by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.

Over 90 per cent of the company's business is based around exporting, so when COVID-19 cases began skyrocketing around the world and their customers began retracting orders and postponing projects, things looked like they were going to get ugly.

But according to Flavourtech general manager Leon Skaliotis, "incredible loyalty" from staff and a willingness to adapt helped the company persevere and come out smiling.

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"Suddenly we had no work going forward," he said.

"We very quickly sat down and had brainstorming sessions to look at how we could pivot, and what we could do to survive."

Over the next few months, Flavourtech turned its attention towards developing new technologies and techniques to help them continue operating.

With none of their staff able to travel to sell or install the products, they focused on creating visual manuals for their machines to help non-English speakers put them together without needing a Flavourtech representative.

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They also used video goggles, which customers in other countries could put on while putting together a machine, and hear live instructions through an earpiece from someone watching their video feed.

Mr Skaliotis credited the resilience shown to the family atmosphere at the company.

"Our main goal was to keep everybody together," he said.

"We have very specialised staff who take 18 to 24 months to train. We couldn't afford to lose them.

"Their loyalty was amazing. Many of them volunteered salary cuts or reduced their hours to help us get through."

Despite months of the company's factory being empty with no manufacturing projects to undertake, Flavourtech has retained all its staff and things are on the up.

"In the last few weeks, the orders have started rolling back in," Mr Skaliotis said.

"People are walking with a bounce in their step ... they're going home and saying 'we made it'.

"Because we stuck together ... we have gotten through it together, and we can get up and hopefully make it a great year next year, because we've used the time constructively and set ourselves up for the future."

Flavourtech was chosen as one of eight companies for the Remarkable Australian Exporters showcase, out of a field of more than 340.

The full list of winners:

Flavourtech was first established in Griffith in 1987. The company exports high-tech machinery based around aroma therapy and flavour extraction to over 60 countries.