David Gibson

Supermarket bag distributor Uniquely Raw expects talks under way with French and Singaporean buyers will significantly increase orders for its environmentally friendly ‘Trolley Bag’.

Two finalists from Western Australia have won at the recent 2005 Australian Export Awards held in Sydney.

Stockbroking firm Hartleys has reported a net profit of $3.9 million in the year to June 2005, highlighting the boom-time conditions in the broking industry.

Australian gold production is tipped to rise next year amid renewed enthusiasm for local stocks, reflected in big deals and soaring junior share prices.

Perth-based small goods manufacturer D'Orsogna Ltd has come off a weaker last year to post a $1.1 million profit, but is still down on its 2003 earnings result of $2 million, after sustaining proportionally higher cost of sales.

Busselton-based Thumtronics Ltd has raised $588,000 from investors to develop a new electronic musical instrument called the 'Thummer'.

The state government has named the heads of the four new businesses that will be created when Western Power is separated into four stand-alone businesses, with Doug Aberle to lead the biggest part of this - networks.

Nickel producer Sally Malay Mining has announced a month of record production at its namesake mine in the Kimberley ahead of the end to open-pit mining at the site next year.

Despite its significant contribution to the nation’s overall export performance Western Australia is under-represented when it comes to recognition at the Australian Institute of Export’s annual awards.

The past three weeks have been a testing time for local uranium junior Deep Yellow as it comes to grips with a drilling assay discrepancy that has left investors questioning the strength of its principal Napperby site in the Northern Territory.

Western Australian exporters are the most optimistic in the nation despite WA being the state most affected by rising oil and fuel costs, a recent survey has found.

Hedge accounting requirements in recently adopted international accounting standards are making their presence felt as gold miner Croesus Mining revealed a forecast $18 million half year hedge loss last week.

Wounded uranium junior Deep Yellow told a lively annual general meeting in West Perth today that a trading suspension on the company's shares was unlikely to be lifted for at least two months.

The long-running bid by CI Resources Ltd for unlisted Christmas Island phosphate miner Phosphate Resources Ltd has hit a major hurdle, failing to win Federal Court approval for its proposed scheme of arrangement.

Diversified non-bank lender Financial Resources Limited has expanded its operations by completing its latest acquisition, taking a 75 per cent stake in national lending business Quik Rent.

Aiming to beat the Japanese at their own game, local frozen noodle exporter Ball Noodles now plans to enter the US ready-meal market.

Delegates from 30 Australian companies travelling to Houston in the US for the annual oil and gas Offshore Technology Conference will meet next week in Perth to officially launch the trade mission, organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Australi

A biosecurity training mission to Perth by veterinary officers from Thailand and Iraq is a positive sign for further education trade opportunities for Murdoch University and the Department of Agriculture.

Perth-based accounting firm Bentleys MRI has been awarded a World Bank contract to undertake a feasibility study into establishing a special economic zone in resources rich East Timor.

The outcome of three stadiums proposed for Perth is closer to being known, with the appointment of consultants and architects for the planned arenas and a local council proposal for an upgrade of Members Equity Stadium in East Perth.

Base metal tenements in the Northern Territory previously owned by Mineral Securities and Australian Heritage Group are the basis for a new public float to raise $2.2 million.

Coventry Group will acquire the two separate businesses of Cornall Group and Howard Silvers Hardware for a combined purchase price of $16.2 million.

Murray & Roberts said it had lifted its stake in Clough Ltd to 47 per cent from 30.3 per cent after its shareholders agreed to a fresh injection of capital from the South African construction and engineering firm in return for allowing its stake to ri

Shares in Perth-based modem and wireless hardware manufacturer Wavenet have traded higher in the past month after the signing of contracts with international customers that take its 2005-06 order book to more than $6.5 million.

Amid the crisis in Western Australia’s struggling dairy industry, one producer has bucked the trend of businesses exiting the sector, releasing its own branded milk product on the state’s supermarket shelves.

Amid the current focus on trade opportunities in China and India, Western Australian businesses are being urged not to forget about another fast growing economy, Russia.

West Perth-based OM Holdings' wholly-owned manganese mining subsidiary Bootu Creek Resources has secured $20 million in project financing for its Northern Territory operation.

A recent PhD study undertaken at the University of Western Australia has outlined the link between foreign direct investment in China by OECD countries and higher trade volumes.

The Australian oil and gas industry achieved its best occupational health and safety result on record in 2004, according to a new report from the Australian Petroleum Prod-uction and Exploration Association

A new Perth-based charity providing voluntary medical services to Africa will be launched next week with the support of local mining and exploration companies engaged in the continent.

Alarm bells started ringing around the nation last week amid predictions of a national inflation figure above the Reserve Bank’s upper target of 3 per cent.

International trade at ports across the country has been affected by technical problems and higher fuel surcharges during the past month.