Overseas markets beckon local electronics business

LOCAL electronics design and manufacturing company Omnitronics is gaining international momentum and will ship its communications products to Canada and Scotland later this month.

The company’s products form a bridge between communication technologies, some of which can enable fire fighters on a particular radio frequency to speak to police officers who operate on a different radio frequency.

According to Omnitronics joint managing director David Nicolson it is a niche industry that is proving to be successful for the Osborne Park-based business.

“We are about the only Australian company who makes these things. Communication systems are much more complex than they used to be,” he said.

“On an operator’s desk there will be a panel of switches that controls who they are talking to. We make the communication control that allows them to determine who they are talking to.

“The item that we are exporting to Canada is a black box that allows various pieces of equipment to be connected.

“At a particular site you may have multiple pieces of equipment, multiple brands and multiple sources.

“This allows the engineer to connect them.”

The Canadian deal is worth $100,000 and follows a recent large supply contract in Taiwan.

Omnitronics’ push into the international arena began 18 months ago after a dedicated move into various markets.

Its expertise in the oil and gas arena has proved beneficial for international buyers.

“We are getting well known for providing communication controls for offshore platforms,” Mr Nicolson said.

He said Omnitronics had increased its international marketing activity and was receiving positive results.

“We have made an effort to advertise overseas and that’s brought us some success. The Internet is proving successful,” Mr Nicolson said.

He said the company was also actively manufacturing and selling to the local market, often designing products that were badged with their clients’ logos.

“What we have been doing for a number of years is designing and manufacturing products for companies in WA,” Mr Nicolson said.

“We have made electronic scales for TPW, safety equipment for guillotines, equipment to stop cranes crashing into each other and equipment to control underground vehicles.”