About – AWTA Limited

Operating For 65+ Years

AWTA Ltd (Australian Wool Testing Authority) is the largest wool testing organisation in the world.

As a consolidated group, AWTA comprises of 3 operating divisions in Australia (AWTA Raw Wool, AWTA Product Testing and Agrifood Technology), its wholly owned subsidiary NZWTA and its joint venture, JinAo Testing Company.

AWTA Ltd is synonymous with the transformation of wool production, marketing, valuing and processing from a reliance on subjective appraisal to objective systems of assessment.

AWTA has played a major role in providing a bridge between the research and the commercial application of testing technology, by facilitating further research and development, sponsoring and participating in practical trials, and developing and implementing relevant national and international standards, procedures, methods and technology, providing major benefits to all segments of the wool industry in Australia and overseas.

As a result:

Virtually all Australian wool is now measured prior to sale
Wool is prepared for sale according to objective rather than subjective clip preparation standards, with some growers preparing classed lines on the basis of individual fleece measurements
Wool is generally displayed for sale in sample boxes rather through the old show floor technique
Wool is valued and bought with the aid of actual measurements for Fibre Diameter, Yield, Vegetable Matter Content, Length, Strength and sometimes Colour

Measurement has also facilitated the electronic expansion of data processing and market reporting, and the establishment of auction and individual clip databases which provide unparalleled and exhaustive information to all segments of the industry, with each having equal access to that information on a commercial basis.

Today, wool processors can confidently expect that wool purchased to their price and processing specifications, with the benefit of AWTA certification, will perform to their requirements, and growers are assured of being paid according to the objective specification of their wool.

History

The Australian Wool Testing Authority was established in 1957 by the Commonwealth Government in response to requests from the Australian wool industry, and was created as a Statutory Authority reporting to the Minister for Primary Industry. The first meeting of the Authority was held on 12th December 1957.

Following the formation of the Australian Wool Board in 1962, AWTA was established as a separate division within that organisation on 1st July 1963. AWTA retained the same status within the Australian Wool Corporation when it was formed by the amalgamation of the Australian Wool Board and the Australian Wool Commission on 1st January 1973.

AWTA Ltd was established as a Company Limited by Guarantee on 14th May 1982 consequent to an Australian Government decision to transfer the functions of the statutory Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) to the public sector. After almost 25 years of operations, the government and industry considered that there was no on-going requirement for AWTA to continue to have links with the government, particularly since it was controlled by the wool industry and funded by the commercial services it provided to the industry, not by the Government or any levies.

In April 1982, the same wool industry interests that comprised AWTA as a statutory body formed a public company limited by guarantee, to acquire all assets and liabilities of the statutory body.
AWTA Ltd commenced operations on 1st July 1982, when it took over all the previous functions of the AWTA.

Objectives

The objectives for which the Company was established were and are still enshrined in its Memorandum. They include the following:

To promote sales of Australian wool by encouraging the growth and utilisation of objective measurement of wool, particularly by presale testing.
To test wool and other fibres, whether natural or otherwise, and wool products and similar products made wholly or partly from other fibres.
To provide an accurate and impartial testing service based upon internationally recognised testing standards as an aid to efficient wool marketing.
To conduct wool, fibre and textile research and/or to carry out tests on other materials and products where such activities assist or promote the development of the pastoral, agricultural, manufacturing or industrial resources of Australia.
To maximise the net income of the Australian wool industry by encouraging the optimum application of objective measurement of wool by wool growers, brokers, buyers and both local and overseas processors.
To optimise wool industry productivity through research and the implementation of new systems and technology.
To establish, equip and maintain laboratories, workshops and other places suitable for testing and research activities.
To provide and encourage the provision of data processing services aimed at the more efficient marketing of wool.
Generally to promote and foster the more efficient testing of wool as required by the wool and textile industry at a minimum cost.
To provide certificates and make reports in respect of test and research carried out by the Authority.

Our Mission

To assist or promote the development of the pastoral, agricultural, manufacturing and industrial resources of Australia, in particular, by providing independent objective data and information services which will facilitate the efficient production, marketing and processing of wool, other fibres, textile products and related materials.

Our Vision

To maintain a national and international reputation for technical expertise, commercial independence and professional integrity by providing accurate, impartial and efficient sampling, testing and certification services to our customers.

Our Values