Company Structure

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 the 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 the 14th May 1982 to enable the functions of the statutory AWTA to be transferred to the private sector. AWTA Ltd commenced operation on 1st July 1982.

AWTA Ltd’s company structure is unique within the wool industry, being a company limited by guarantee but without shareholding. A Board of Directors, representing all sectors of the Wool Industry, governs the operations of AWTA Ltd ensuring the continued impartiality of the Company. The sectors represented are:

Due to the absence of shareholders, AWTA Ltd retains all profits within the company. The benefit of this is that is allows AWTA Ltd to minimise fee increases, invest in new technology and continue to conduct valuable research and development.

AWTA/AWTA Ltd 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 than the old showfloor technique.
• Wool is valued and bought with the aid of actual measurements for Fibre Diameter, Yield, Vegetable Matter Content, and Staple Length & Strength. Colour and Coefficient of Variation of Fibre Diameter are also available.
• Virtually all Australian Wool is now measured prior to sale.

Measurement has also facilitated computerisation and the expansion of electronic 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 Ltd certification, will perform to their requirements, and growers are assured of being paid according to the objective specification of their wool.