Good oil on first export - AusIndustry Emerging Exporter Award

Business Asia, Nov, 2003

More than 100 years ago, Western Australian sandalwood formed the basis of the colony's first export industry, and was shipped to China for joss-stick manufacture. However, during the 20th century the commodity's export value declined. That is until an entrepreneurial duo, Steve and Karen Birkbeck, set out in the 1980's to manufacture emu oil-based therapeutic products in their kitchen.

Today their company, Mt Romance, is a state-of-the-art essential oils factory generating direct employment for almost 50 people and exporting Australian sandalwood oil and associated products worldwide. Mt Romance, located in Albany, won the coveted Premier's Award for Excellence at the 2003 Western Australian Industry and Export Awards. In a clean sweep, Mt Romance also won the Regional Exporter of the Year Award and the Small to Medium Manufacturer Export Award, and is now a finalist in the Australian Export Awards.

Recently, Mt Romance received an R&D Start grant worth $1.5 million from the Australian Government's business unit Austadustry to create indigenous Australian concentrates for the luxury perfume market. And now, in addition to sandalwood oil and its by-products, the company is working to produce previously undiscovered and unique Australian extracts. Mt Romance is already an approved supplier of pure Australian sandalwood oil with the world's leading perfume houses. The business has trebled in the past three years and the company hopes to again double its exports and gross revenue over the next three years.

Mount Romance's successful research and development has led to the discovery that the oil has application in other areas, including pharmaceutical treatments, therapeutics, relaxation, complimentary medicine and wines.

While sandalwood oil is scarce in terms of world resources, the region of Western Australia has the world's largest remaining source of sandalwood trees which are harvested under strict environmentally responsible resource management guidelines. Mt Romance has a guaranteed supply of sandalwood under government contract for at least the next eight years. For further information on R&D Start and other AusIndustry products and services, visit the website at www.ausindustry.gov.au or call the AusIndustry HotLine 13 28 46.