Australian Defence Industry Capability

LATEST AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS

About 20 Australian companies are joining forces in London this week to promote Australian Defence industry capabilities at the largest tri-service defence exhibition in the world - the Defence Systems & Equipment International exhibition held in London's docklands area. A 'Team Australia' stand at the exhibition has been established to ensure as many companies as possible could be represented at this important defence exhibition, including many small companies that would otherwise not be able to be there.

The exhibition focuses on Defence, Emergency Services and Homeland Security sectors of industry and will showcase eight warships alongside. It is the most significant trade show of its type in the world and provides great networking and business opportunities on a very large scale. Australian industry will benefit from being involved through increased exposure of Australia’s niche capabilities to major international defence and security firms, as well as other potential customers,. The 'Team Australia' stand aims to increase other countries' knowledge of the depth and extent of Australian industry capabilities and demonstrate Australian Government support to the Defence industry.

Australian defence industry, whilst small, has niche capabilities that are equal to or leading the world. However, most of the major defence and security firms are based in the Northern Hemisphere. Whilst Australia has overcome many of the issues related to distance for European companies doing business with Australia, this is another opportunity for Australian companies to demonstrate that distance and time zones are no obstacles.

For information on this article, or on any other aspect of the Australian economy or business opportunities available, please email me.

David

david.taylor@agarcarlyon.com

Energy from the Sea

LATEST AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS

An innovative Australian company, Energetech, which is developing world-leading technology to generate power from wave energy, completed the first successful installation of one of their turbine units off the east coast of Australia, just south of Sydney at Port Kembla. A single unit has the potential to power 2,000 homes without producing greenhouse emissions. The company is currently working on a project for Rhode Island in the USA, and is also fielding interest from consumers in Spain, Mexico, Chile and Canada.

For information on this article, or on any other aspect of the Australian economy or business opportunities available, please email me.

David

david.taylor@agarcarlyon.com

Australian Uranium Sales Increase

LATEST AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS

Australia’s uranium export earnings jumped 30 per cent over the last financial year, increasing from $364 million to $475 million in 2004-05, according to the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics (ABARE) Mineral Statistics Report released on 7 September. Australian Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the growing global thirst for uranium was reflected in the ABARE figures which have not before recorded such a jump in demand for the commodity. Coking and steaming coal continue to top Australia’s resource export charts, with export earnings leaping ahead 65 per cent and 45 per cent respectively, but uranium is coming through as a potentially strong performer for Australia.

There are approximately 450 nuclear plants in 32 countries and the price of U308 (uranium oxide) has almost doubled in just the last 18 months. In January 2004 it was A$20 a pound compared with A$39 in August 2005.

The local industry is responding to this increasing global demand with reports from the Minerals Council that as many as 25 mining companies are now exploring for uranium in Australia’s Northern Territory. The ABARE report reported a record of $67.4 billion in mineral export earnings for 2004-05, an increase of nearly $15 billion or 29 per cent from the previous year

For information on this article, or on any other aspect of the Australian economy or business opportunities available, please email me.

David

david.taylor@agarcarlyon.com