By James Wells
CANBERRA: The Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (AEEMA) has announced it will be establishing Australia’s inaugural exhibition within the International Pavillion at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
According to AEEMA chief executive, Angus M Robinson, the move to host a significant presence at the CES is a key initiative of the Electronics Industry Action Agenda and builds on several years of relationship building in the US market emulating parallel efforts in building a presence for the electronics industry in the Greater China Region, particularly through Taiwan.
Several local technology companies are members of AEEMA including: Telstra, Philips Consumer Electronics, Panasonic Australia, NEC Australia, Motorola Australia, Siemens and Fujitsu Australia. Other members include Fisher & Paykel, Electrolux Home Products, Zip Heaters, Sunbeam, Breville, Rheem, HPM Industries, Groupe Seb and Gillette.
"With a major free trade agreement in place with the US, and with small Australian technology companies already achieving success in the US through exposure at CES, the time was now right to strategically market the ‘Technology Australia’ brand and to enter the world’s largest consumer market,” Robinson said.
Robinson also said that the Australian hi-tech industries need to put every effort into working with government agencies to increase exports of high technology products and services.
"The quarterly trade figures announced this week are a real continuing concern, and there is an urgent need for our industry to be working to complement export imperatives in other industry sectors, so as to achieve a performance turnaround for the long term," Robinson said.
"CES is one of the world’s largest technology trade shows, which this year attracted 150,000 visitors from 110 countries witnessing the introduction of thousands of new products and technologies from more than 2,500 exhibitors. CES attracts the world’s best developers of consumer electronics devices and related services, with a strong focus on wireless and home networking."
Robinson has confirmed that AEEMA will be working closely with Austrade to assist its members with achieve success in exporting its products. Companies wishing to be considered as participants of the CES Technology Australia 2007 exhibition are invited to contact Janice Humphreys at AEEMA.