Operations & Services

AWTA Ltd has 3 Raw Wool testing laboratories. They are situated in Melbourne, Sydney and Fremantle. The Melbourne laboratory services the Southern Region (Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia); the Sydney laboratory services the Northern Region (New South Wales and Queensland) and the Fremantle laboratory services the Western Region (Western Australia).

Each laboratory operates 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, and throughout Australia nearly 800 people are employed to provide services to customers.

Our principal business is the certification of greasy wool for trading. Bales are sampled and weighed, and the samples tested for clean fibre content (Yield), Fibre Diameter, Vegetable Matter content, Staple Length & Strength, and Colour. Sampling and testing is conducted in accordance with the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) regulations and methods, and results are issued as IWTO Certificates.

The integrity of AWTA Ltd Certificates is maintained by the company only certifying tests on samples that have been taken by AWTA Ltd Sampling Officers, or where sampling operations have been supervised on a full-time basis by AWTA Ltd Sampling Officers. The Australian National Committee of IWTO endorses this policy. Sampling is conducted in 38 cities and towns throughout Australia (see Map).

Many customers require a quick return of certified test results so that they can trade the wool. We provide 3 different levels of service to meet customer needs:

Express Service: 95% of Certificates are available the following morning.
Fast Service: 95% of Certificates are available within 3 days.
Normal Service: All Certificates are available within 5 days.

In addition to certification services, we offer a range of other services for our many groups of customers.

KEY SERVICES
WOOL GROWERS	Presale Core and Staple Testing Laserscan CVD, Curvature & Comfort Factor Fleece Measurement Service Clean Colour Testing
WOOL BROKERS	Presale Core and Staple Testing Laserscan CVD, Curvature & Comfort Factor Computer Services Grab Sampling Supervision Objective Lot Matching WOOLINK®
PRIVATE TREATY WOOL MERCHANTS	Presale Core and Staple Testing Laserscan CVD, Curvature & Comfort Factor Guidance Report Testing Post Sale Testing Computer Services Grab Sampling Supervision WOOLINK®
WOOL EXPORTERS	Post Sale Testing Laserscan CVD, Curvature & Comfort Factor Computer Services Guidance Report Testing Combined Certificates Objective Lot Matching WOOLINK®
WOOL SCOURERS & CARBONISERS	Condition & Yield Testing Laserscan CVD, Curvature & Comfort Factor Computer Services Clean Colour Testing Length after Carding WOOLINK®
WOOL PROCESSORS	Condition Testing Top Testing Yarn Testing Textile Testing Length after Carding WOOLINK®
TEXTILE TRADE	Fibre, Sliver, Yarn and Textile Testing Consumer Complaint Investigation Carpet Testing Fabric Testing Flammability Testing Textile Industry Consulting ISO 9000 Quality Assurance Systems Consulting RAPITEST® Geotextile Testing Laundry Watch Waste Water Testing Automotive Component Testing
RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS	Contract Research Equipment Development and Manufacture Industry Trial Participation