AWTEG has been granted the status of an approved joint venture under the Austrade Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) Scheme, which provides a grant of up to 50% of eligible expenditure on export promotions.

The initial focus of the group is to develop and expand sales in the USA, South Africa, Chile and Argentina. AWTEG members have participated in a joint mission to the Grape/Tech Wine/Tech trade show in Sacramento, California.

Currently, the group comprises:

• CAMMS (automation and electrical)
• DM Plastics (trellising stakes)
• F. Miller & Co (grape processing equipment)
• W.E. Ware & Co (stainless steel winery accessories and flow equipment)
• D.J. Young (muselets)
• Precision Labels (label design, printing and packaging)
• Total Systems for Management (winery and vineyard computer solutions)
• Chris Grow Engineering (vineyard mowers)
• Sentek (soil moisture monitoring device)
• C.A. Schahinger (cooper)
• Greentech Australia (overhead sprayers)
• Gro-Guard (design and manufacture of vine guards)
• Grayco Engineering (trellising joiners and locks)
• Winetitles (wine industry publisher).

It is envisaged that the group will expand to cover the primary supplies and equipment covering the full range from viticulture through processing and bottling.

Chairman of the AWTEG group is Don Woolman, managing director of Precision Labels.

The group is currently seeking new members and considering the appointment of a general manager to further expand AWTEG's growth and activities.