ROD Henderson formed Television Communications in 1981 to import and distribute broadcast audio and video products into the Western Australian market.
ROD Henderson formed Television Communications in 1981 to import and distribute broadcast audio and video products into the Western Australian market.
During the following 14 years, the company provided technology to most national television stations, private video organisations and government departments, while developing and manufacturing a small range of video switching and distribution products.
By 1995, TVC became Audio Video Communications (AVC) after the company had expanded further into audio products.
This included radio broadcast mixing consoles, signal measurement, conversion, and amplification products, which it sold successfully Australia-wide.
Between 1998 and 2001, AVC developed a global distribution network spanning the US, Europe, UK, Africa, Asia, Middle East and Australasia.
Having secured a federal government Export Market Development Grant, AVC, together with a newly procured design team, developed a “family of world-class” digital audio codecs, and rebranded under the name Tieline Technology.
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding and/or decoding a digital data stream or signal.
However, while expanding into international markets raised the profile of the small business, it has also presented a number of challenges for Tieline, Mr Henderson told WA Business News.
“The cost of finished goods is impacted in many ways,” he said.
“The value of the Australian dollar is significant to us as we are constantly competing with international suppliers.
“Government-imposed taxes such as superannuation, payroll tax, land tax, import duty on imported aluminium extrusions, and many others all impact our cost of goods when compared to international competition.”
Mr Henderson said the resultant narrowing of Australia’s manufacturing base was recognised as a threat to future national prosperity.
“We have always tried to stay local with the ability to control purchasing and manufacturing quality,” Mr Henderson said.
“As these pressures increase we may not be able to afford such a luxury. These pressures lay directly at the feet of local, state and federal governments who seem to think that small business can remain competitive with endless red tape, bureaucratic control and cost imposition.
“Their cumulative impact is significant.”
Mr Henderson said Tieline’s major competitors, on the other hand, manufacture in Mexico and China and had minimal impact from government influences.
In a bid to mitigate the impact of these pressures, the company remains focused on the cost of materials and manufacture of its own finished goods, which mean it can control cost and quality.
“[But] there is no room for fat or extravagant programs and our attention to detail is closely monitored,” Mr Henderson said.
“You have to make sure that your product can be manufactured in Australia and be competitive in the local market before going international.
“This gives an income to support the very significant costs of overseas marketing.”
To reduce costs and sustain growth, Tieline has limited staff numbers to 28 in Australia and four in the US, while investing heavily in marketing its products to the international marketplace to raise brand awareness.
This in turn has limited the company’s sales profitability as it strives to gain a stronghold on the global audio product market.
Through long-term investment in research and development, Tieline has emerged as a global player, having introduced a number of cutting-edge audio products over the years.
The company this month unveiled “revolutionary” new broadcast and newsgathering technology that works in tandem with the iPhone.
The application enables radio reporters to record interviews on location, which otherwise would have to be returned to the station for later broadcasting.
Called Report-It Live, the technology allows reporters to connect to the station live over wireless 3G or Wi-Fi and broadcast news and events in high-definition audio.
“This new technology will revolutionise news gathering because it is the first application for iPhone which enables a live cross to the studio using nothing more than the iPhone,” Mr Henderson said.
“A reporter can download the Report-It Live application onto their iPhone from the App Store and with one touch connect to a Tieline IP audio codec at the studio using either 3G cellular wireless or Wi-Fi.”
