News

Latest ILRT Group Report to IWTO

Reports from the ILRT Group to IWTO can be viewed or downloaded from this site. The latest report was presented to the IWTO Wool Forum in Beijing in April 2008. This ILRT Group Report covers the most recent series of 104 trials (2177 - 2280) for the period January 2007 to February 2008. The format has changed from a 52 trial report to the 104 trial format in response to the change to yearly IWTO meetings. The range of wool variables covered by this series is very similar to the range covered in the previous series, and the source of sample material was similar. The ILRT attempts to ensure that the samples tested in the trials are representative of the wool types produced in the home nations of the participating laboratories and in proportion to the quantity of wool produced. The data in the report includes Wool Base, VM Base, Airflow Mean Fibre Diameter, Laserscan Mean Fibre Diameter and Laserscan Standard Deviation of Fibre Diameter. The mean and standard deviation for the parameters reported is very similar to the previous 6 trials, indicating continuing consistent performance of the member laboratories. Calculations of the 95% Confidence Limits confirm that the ILRT laboratories are producing results within the Confidence Limits reported in the respective IWTO Test Methods.

In all, the Limit Value (at the 99% level of confidence) was exceeded on twenty six (26) occasions, which is one more than the theoretical expectation of 25 for the number of trials in this reporting period (assuming all events are independent of each other, 104 trials x 6 labs x 4 parameters x 1% = 25).

Six (6) outliers were due to differences in Wool Base, fourteen (14) to differences in VM Base, four (4) to differences in Airflow Mean Fibre Diameter and two (2) to differences in Laserscan Mean Fibre Diameter.

Theoretically, for any one parameter one would expect 6 instances where the limit value was exceeded.

AWTA Ltd increases investment in the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority Ltd

The Chairman of Wool Equities, Richard Bentley, announced on 9th August 2006 that the Company had sold its fifty per cent shareholding of New Zealand Wool Testing Authority Ltd (NZWTA) to the Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd (AWTA), giving AWTA 100 per cent ownership of NZWTA.

“The sale is unconditional, at a sale price of NZD2.5 million and becomes effective on 1 st September, 2006” Mr Bentley said.

“This is a very pleasing outcome for Wool Equities and allows us to focus on developing the significant opportunities continuing to emerge from our key investment in Keratec”, he said .

Commenting on the purchase the Managing Director of AWTA Ltd, Mr Michael Jackson said:

“In 2004 when AWTA initially became a joint partner in NZWTA with Wool Equities it did so because there are clear synergies between AWTA's operations in Australia and NZWTA's in New Zealand . Both companies share similar objectives and structures and have always shared a strategic partnership in new technology development and in the maintenance of technical excellence in wool testing via their participation in the Independent Laboratories Round Trials Group (ILRT). When Wool Equities decided to divest itself of its investment in NZWTA the AWTA Board decided it would be in the best interests of Australian and NZ Wool Growers to ensure that the independence of NZWTA is maintained.”

“NZWTA will continue to be managed as a separate New Zealand Company, focussing its attention on the requirements of the local industry. However, the new arrangements will enable NZWTA to even more rapidly deploy new technology developed by AWTA and, to the benefit of the NZ industry, take advantage of the productivity improvements this will provide.”

“Australian wool growers will also benefit from this investment because it will enable AWTA to reduce the unit costs of any new technology. In the longer term there are obvious advantages to both companies in reducing other operating overheads.”

Maintaining NZWTA Ltd as a separate New Zealand Company means that the status of the Company within the ILRT Group will also remain unchanged.

Wool Testing Authority Europe Now a Member of ILRT

In conjunction with NZWTA (New Zealand Wool Testing Authority), the British Wool Marketing Board had established an independent test laboratory, Wool Testing Authority (Europe) Ltd, at Caernarfon in Wales. The laboratory is now wholly owned by the British Wool Marketing Board.

Commencing operations in August 2004, the Laboratory is now providing an objective, cost effective service to providers and users of wool throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

WTAE was formally accepted as a member of the ILRT Group at it's meeting in Biella in November 2005. This acceptance was based on its performance in a series of round trials with the Member Laboratories. The Company's status was advised to the Cairo meeting of IWTO in May 2006.

WTAE will provide both independence and integrity of wool certification, based on IWTO Specifications. This is already enjoyed by the major wool producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere, where independent laboratories such as those operated by AWTA Ltd, NZWTA Ltd and Wool Testing Bureau South Africa have operated for many years. The centre will also provide valuable training, technical and quality support to its customers.

The acceptance of WTAE as a member of the ILRT means that the member laboratories are now able to provide independent IWTO Certificates to the wool industry world wide.

Wool Testing Authority Europe Adopts Laserscan

Wool Testing Bureau South Africa appoints new General Manager