Media Release
Tuesday, 2 September 2003 - AO42/2003
Olympic Gold For Australian Exporters
Australia has already won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics scoring key export contracts worth more than $120 million, Minister for Trade Mark Vaile announced today.
Mr Vaile said Australian businesses had secured contracts to provide merchandise, accommodation, sporting equipment, engineering and training services for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
“The success of local businesses in winning key Olympic contracts reinforces our international reputation for reliable and timely delivery of Olympic-standard goods and services,” Mr Vaile said.
“These contracts will more than double Australia’s exports to Greece, which are currently valued at $48.5 million. They also deliver additional local employment opportunities, particularly in regional areas.”
The Athens office of Austrade has been working closely with numerous Australian companies over the last three years as part of its comprehensive Olympics strategy.
Melbourne-based Concept Sports has won the merchandising rights for Athens 2004. The contract, worth an estimated $100 million, has seen the company double its Australian workforce in the past 12 months.
Australian-owned company Sportsworks is set to generate Olympic business worth more than $15 million with its accommodation solutions services. Steriline Racing, based in regional South Australia, will supply and install the starting gates for the new racecourse at the Athens Olympic equestrian venue.
Leading professional services firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) is assisting in the delivery of the roof for the main Athens Olympic stadium and velodrome. Sydney’s TAFE Global has secured multi million dollar contracts to help train nearly 80,000 Olympic staff and volunteers.
“By winning key Olympic contracts, Australian companies are showing the world the high calibre of goods and services we have on offer. Their successes will benefit our economy, local job prospects and other companies looking to enter the international market,” Mr Vaile said.
Contact: Matthew Doman 02 6277 7420, Jemima Lohse (Austrade) 02 9370 2703
Fact Sheet: 2004 Olympic Contracts For Australian Companies
Concept Sports
Melbourne-based Concept Sports has won the merchandising rights for Athens 2004. The contract, worth an estimated $100 million, marks the third occasion that Concept Sports has been chosen to supply official Olympic merchandise.
In the past 12 months Concept Sports has more than doubled the number of full-time staff it employs in Australia. Concept Sports’ annual turnover will more than treble over the next three years. The Company will also supply merchandise for Rugby World Cup 2003, Euro 2004 in Portugal and the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Sportsworks
Australian-owned company Sportsworks is set to generate Olympic business worth more than $15 million with its accommodation solutions services. Sportsworks sources accommodation to meet the needs of Olympic sponsors, media and corporate clients in locations ranging from private serviced apartments to hotels, schools and colleges.
Steriline Racing
Steriline Racing, based in regional South Australia, is a small Australian company that through export has grown to be one of the world’s leading manufacturers in its field. Steriline is suppling and installing the starting gates for the new racecourse at Markopoulos, the Athens Olympic equestrian venue. The company exports racetrack equipment to over 40 countries around the world and now earns almost 80 per cent of its total revenue from export sales.
Sinclair Knight Merz
Leading professional services firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) has enjoyed continuing success after Sydney 2000 providing engineering services to the United Kingdom, Malaysia, China, Portugal and New Zealand. SKM is now designing and assisting in the delivery of the roof for the main Athens Olympic stadium and velodrome, plus the pedestrian and transport interchange in the Oaka precinct.
TAFE Global
Sydney-based TAFE Global secured multi million dollar contracts to help train around 80,000 Olympic staff and volunteers to perform nearly 1,000 different jobs ranging from how to sell tickets to how to manage large venues. The company is also providing customer service and change management training to a range of companies sponsoring the Olympics.
Contact: Matthew Doman 02 6277 7420, Jemima Lohse (Austrade) 02 9370 2703