Fluid founder wins national trades entrepreneur award
David Mikkelsen has been recognised as Fluid expands from plumbing into electrical and air-conditioning work across the Central Coast and Newcastle.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
David Mikkelsen, founder of Fluid Plumbing, Electrical & Air Conditioning, has received the 2026 Australian Trades Small Business Champion Trade Entrepreneur Award. The national recognition puts a Central Coast trades business in the spotlight as it broadens beyond its original plumbing base.
The award recognises leadership, business growth and contribution to the Australian trades industry, according to Fluid. Mikkelsen received the award personally, but the company framed it as a reflection of the wider business, which has grown from a local plumbing operation into a multi-trade service provider across the Central Coast and Newcastle.
Fluid now offers plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning services in those markets. That shift mirrors a wider pattern among established trades firms, with some operators adding adjacent services to give households and businesses a single point of contact for maintenance and repairs.
Mikkelsen credited the company’s staff and customers after the award was announced. “While my name appears on the award, this achievement reflects the work of the entire Fluid team,” he said, citing office staff, support workers, technicians and apprentices, as well as the trust of customers.
The business said the recognition follows continued expansion into electrical and air-conditioning work, along with investment in its team and technology. Its stated focus is maintaining a consistent level of customer service across each service line, a challenge that can grow as trade businesses add new divisions and cover larger service areas.
Fluid also pointed to its support for local sporting clubs, charities and community organisations across the Central Coast and surrounding regions. Community sponsorships are a common way for small and mid-sized trades businesses to maintain local visibility, particularly in regional service markets where repeat work and referrals can matter.
The company links the award to its development over the past 25 years, including customer relationships and the role of its staff. Its expansion of plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning services across the Central Coast and Newcastle remains central to its growth plans.