Innovative companies win Government support

27/3/00
Ten more innovative Western Australian firms have won State Government support to help develop new products and technologies.
Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said a total of $485,000 would be offered to assist research and development projects, which range from a jacket to maintain optimum temperatures for telecommunications batteries, to mining production simulation software.
He said the diversity of projects, worth a total of $1.1 million, and the variety of companies undertaking them attested to the strength of the innovation culture in WA's business sector.

Mr Cowan said the 10 projects offered grants through the Western Australian Innovation Support Scheme (WAISS) were:

Wamtech Pty Ltd, Technology Park, Bentley
Developing extractants to identify key soil elements for agricultural, environmental, hydrocarbon and mineral applications.
Thermal Energy Accumulator Products (Aust) Pty Ltd, Osborne Park
Design, develop, trial and commercialise a battery jacket to maintain telecommunications batteries' optimum temperature in uncontrolled (outdoor) enclosures.
Binder Engineering Pty Ltd, Bayswater
To develop a range of constant effort spring supports for the oil and gas, power generation, petrochemical and resource development industries.
Helix Technologies, Morley
Develop a software program to help materials handling designers to design overland belt conveyor systems.
ElectroMagnetic Imaging Technology Pty Ltd, Wembley
Develop rapid 3D interpretation algorithms for electromagnetic geophysical data to speed the process of identifying and mapping base-metal deposits.
Surpac Software International Pty Ltd, Perth
To develop a new software tool for production scheduling, stockpile quality control and production simulation in the mining industry.
3-D Mapper Pty Ltd, Parkwood
Research and development of a Desktop Digital Photogrammetry System - Satellite (DDPS-S) to support high-resolution (1 metre) satellite stereo imagery that is available to users at low cost.
Fractal Graphics Pty Ltd, Nedlands
To develop software applications for use in conjunction with the Haptic Workbench, which will facilitate more efficient and accurate construction of 3D geoscientific models
Underground Services Australia Pty Ltd, Wangara
Development of a directional drilling machine suited to Australian conditions for installing gas, power and telecommunications utilities.
Matrix Asia Pacific Pty Ltd, Malaga
Developing high grade tooling material for the plastic thermoforming industry.
Mr Cowan said that the 10 successful applicants were chosen from a field of 23 short-listed companies and each would make a contribution to its project, at least equal in value to the WAISS grant.
He said that WAISS, administered by the Department of Commerce and Trade, helped small and medium-sized, locally-owned enterprises to meet the additional costs of research and development (R & D) programs which aim to produce a commercially successful product or service.
The scheme has offered funding to 93 R&D projects since 1993/94. The total value of grants approved amounts to $4.25 million to fund R&D activities estimated at more than $12.7 million.
Mr Cowan said an independent assessment of WAISS rounds 1-7 found the program had generated significant benefits.

He said a major outcome was the acceleration of the R&D phase of product and service development with about 87 per cent of the products and services developed achieving some degree of commercial success.
He said the assessment also found that the WAISS process helped companies sharpen the planning and focus of their projects.
All grants are conditional on companies meeting agreed conditions.
Media Contact: Peter Jackson 9222 9595