1936-1953
The Australian Wool Board was established under the Wool Publicity and Research Act, 1936 with the aims of improving the production of wool in Australia and of extending the use of wool throughout the world. In August 1937 the International Wool Secretariat (IWS) was established at a conference in London between the Wool Board and representatives from New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia.

1945
IWS's role as supporter of research quickly became an important one, with the annual budget growing to equal the whole pre-war sum. The IWS had also found a new role in supporting special export promotions to the USA and South Africa to earn extra export income. During World War II raw wool reserves to civilians were rigorously rationed, as the armed forces and exports needed the supplies.

1940's
The late 1940s saw great progress being made by IWS into it becoming an international organisation.

1947
IWS was set up in Belgium, France and Italy.

1948
IWS was set up in Canada, Holland, Sweden and Switzerland.

1951
IWS was set up in Germany.

1952
IWS was set up in Japan.

1953-1963
The Australian Wool Bureau succeeded the Australian Wool Board. Both were primarily promotional bodies and the change in name was to avoid confusion over the name of the organisation - "Board" was considered to have marketing connotations.

IWS was established in Spain, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Mexico, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Yugoslavia and Russia all at later dates.

1954
With extra countries joining IWS there was also the extra responsibilities and obligations that had to be met. The 3 grower bodies of IWS met in Pretoria and what was apparently clear from the meeting was that IWS was trying to spend $A32 million far too thinly across a complex and very fast growing extensive branch structure. IWS had no technical service operation or activities and only a modest amount of money was being put into universities for basic research. To add to the problems there was no uniform or international trademark, and there were far too many existing symbols set up around the globe. IWS had also been working without a Chief Executive and no centralised direction upon to which it could market itself to the consumers. Several management changes were adopted as a result.

1958
This year was to mark the momentous arrival of the new chairman, Mr. William Gunn.

1961
Mr. (later Sir) William Vines was appointed the first managing director. The Gunn-Vines partnership was to revolutionise the techniques for international promotion and presentation of the wool products to the consumers for many years to come.

1962
Vines asked the Board to increase the budget from $A34 million to $A313 million, as he contended that a product worth $A3450 million a year needed a budget big enough to sell it against formidable and increasing competition. Throughout this period there were many long and hard battles as Vines tried to convince the Board and 200,000+ growers in three different countries of his vision for the future.

1963-1973
Established in 1963 with powers covering wool promotion within Australia, the financing of Australia's share of international promotion through the IWS, the operations of the statistical service, wool research, wool testing and to advise on raw wool marketing.

1964
Vines argued that there had to be an international identity for wool, an individual image, which would hold consumer confidence and represent quality standards. This caused massive upheavals within the company, but eventually an international competition was established and an Italian graphic artist, Francesco Saroglia in Milan, won the right to design a logo for IWS - the Woolmark.

1969
Vines retired and Mr. A.C.B Maiden succeeded him.Over the years as IWS continued to expand in size and profit, the company was starting to adapt to the new environment and branch out into new areas such as knitwear, including menswear and womenswear, and carpets.

1970-1973
The Australian Wool Commission was established to introduce a flexible reserve price scheme at wool auctions.

1973-1993
The Australian Wool Corporation was formed with the amalgamation of the Australian Wool Board and the Australian Wool Commission. The Corporation was to be a single marketing-oriented body to facilitate the research, promotion and raw wool marketing operations of the industry. This included the operation of the Reserve Price Scheme.

1991-1993
Following the Vines Review of the Australian wool industry, the Australian Wool Corporation was split into three organisations. The Australian Wool Corporation continued on, but with reduced responsibilities. Responsibility for funding of research and development transferred across to the newly established Wool Research and Development Corporation, while responsibility for the wool stockpile and wool debt devolved to the Australian Wool Realisation Commission.

1993
AWRAP - Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation - was established on 1 December 1993 under the Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation Act 1993.

1993/94
Following the Garnaut Review of the Australian wool industry, AWRAP was formed succeeding the Australian Wool Corporation and re-incorporating the research and development role previously undertaken by the Wool Research and Development Corporation. AWRAP's role was to improve the performance of the Australian wool industry by funding research and development and generic promotion of wool. Many functions carried out by its predecessor body, the Australian Wool Corporation, were progressively transferred to industry groups and private enterprise. The Australian Wool Realisation Commission became Wool International, independent of AWRAP.

1994/95
AWRAP and IWS activities merged and managed as one organisation under AWRAP control.

1997
IWS changed its name to The Woolmark Company

1999
The Wool Taskforce report recommended the privatisation of AWRAP.

2000
The Bill to enable privatisation of AWRAP was introduced to Parliament on Thursday 7 September 2000 and allows for:

the conversion of AWRAP to a Corporations Law company (Australian Wool Services - AWS) limited by shares initially owned by woolgrowers;
two main operating subsidiaries of AWS: a research and development ("R&D") funding company which will invest wool levy funds and a commercial branding and services company formed from The Woolmark Company, currently a subsidiary of AWRAP;
tax relief for shareholders and the AWS group of companies where ownership of the two main subsidiaries is separated and AWS shareholders receive shares direct in either the commercial company or the R&D company; and
a wool poll at least every three years for the purpose of setting the levy rate.

2001
Australia Wool Innovations Pty Ltd(AWI) and The Woolmark Company assumed the functions assigned to the subsidiaries of AWS.

AWRAP was a Member Guarantor of AWTA Ltd and appointed 1 director to the Board. This function has been transferred to Australian Wool Innovations Pty Ltd.

AWRAP as such no longer exists, its functions now largely assumed by Australian Wool Innovations.