Alison Birrane

SPECIALIST local engineering firm Vector Lifting has secured a $16 million contract to design, manufacture and install maintenance equipment for the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation.

CHINA’S insatiable appetite for steel is fuelling nearly $8 billion in iron ore projects in Western Australia.

FUTURIS Corporation has failed in its bid to crack Australia’s export monopoly following the rejection of an application for a licence to bulk export 400,000 tonnes of wheat to Indonesia.

TELSTRA has committed to resolve problems surrounding the availability of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line broadband in Belmont following persistent lobbying by local businesses

INTERNET and email monitoring software developer WebSpy Ltd will utilise its existing sales infrastructure to launch the products of a new partner company into the tough US and European markets.

INTERNET Service Provider iiNet is planning to build its own network as part of a strategy to capture an increasing share of the broadband market.

WITH the Australian dollar punching through 72 US cents, the effect on WA exporters should not be underestimated – but it is not all bad news.

THE Federal Government’s anti-spam legislation has been passed by the Senate without amendment and is set to become law once it has been given approval by the Governor General.

JUST in time for Christmas a local company claims to have found the answer to the unwanted side effects of the festive season.

THE Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for an urgent review of Part X of the Trade Practices Act 1974 in a bid to protect importers from additional charges imposed by some shipowners.

A RECENT study by the Australian Psychological Society has found that email is a significant cause of job related stress.

FREMANTLE Ports has announced a $12.4 million after-tax profit following an increase in overall trade through the port of 3.7 per cent.

ESPERANCE Port Authority is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Ravensthorpe Nickel Project feasibility study which, should it get the green light, would provide a major boost to trade through the port.

THE Federal Government’s decision to cut information and communications technology jobs from its Migrations Occupations in Demand List is a reflection of the sector’s subdued employment sentiment, according to industry insiders.

SOFTWARE developer Wired City is targeting markets in the Asia Pacific region and building its US presence as part of its global expansion plans.

THE completion of a major upgrade at Geraldton Ports is expected to deliver significant growth in trade for the Mid-West region.

TWO WA companies have beaten tough competition to win their categories in the 2003 Australian Export Awards.

GOVERNMENT and business officials from China and Western Australia’s South West are exploring new trade opportunities following visits by two Chinese trade delegations this month.

A DISPUTE has erupted between the Grain Pool of WA and the Grain Licensing Authority over the granting of licenses for the bulk export of grains.

IMAGINE watching a movie where the characters and images in the frame appear to move around in mid air, almost independently of the screen.

INTERNET kiosk developer pieNETWORKS Limited has announced a second UK acquisition in as many months with the purchase of assets of Pinco 1696 Limited.

A MOVE to an online marketing model has brought rapid international expansion for Perth-based investment advisory firm Conscious Investor.

LATEST trade figures show further signs of recovery in the global economy and a rebound in rural and services exports.

LOCAL electronics and software engineering firm AAA Barcode is hoping to piggyback on the success of local security technology firm Biometrics Limited by manufacturing that company’s new biometric security system.

THE company responsible for pioneering the alumina industry in Australia this year marks its 40th year of operations in WA.

THE application of expertise, rather than just being acknowledged as an expert, is the driving philosophy behind custom software developer Beacon Technology’s g

A FIVE-YEAR campaign by the Western Australian rock lobster industry has achieved a major breakthrough with the recent decision by the European Union to significantly reduce tariffs.

THE cream of Western Australia’s tourism industry was formally recognised at the recent 2003 Western Australian Tourism Awards gala presentation, held at Burswood International Re

AN initial public offering by a Subiaco-based company to commercialise and develop a new breed of high-security technology has closed oversubscribed.

SHORTAGES in India’s energy market and demand for alternative energy sources has created a niche opportunity for a WA-based solar energy company.

PASSION, ambition and drive are the key ingredients to starting a successful business – everything else can be learned.