Australian Superfine Wool Growers' Association Inc.

 

 

 


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Copyright © 2010 ASWGA All rights reserved  * Contact Webmaster  

Last Update  29 July 2010

 

 

     

Phone

Fax

Email

Office Meliss Mulley Wool House, Unit 9, 42-46 Vella Drive, Sunshine West Vic 3020 03 9311 0271 03 9311 0138 aswga@woolindustries.org

Executive Committee

President Mrs Helen Cathles "Cookmundoon", Wee Jasper YASS  NSW 2582 02 6227 9634 02 6227 9634 cooradigbee@wirefreee.net.au
Vice Presidents Mr Trevor Mibus "Glenara", DUNKELD  VIC  3294 03 5573 3212 03 5573 3380 glenara@harboursat.com.au
  Mr Mark Waters "Riverton", 1392 Grafton Road, ARMIDALE  NSW  2350 02 6775 3788 02 6775 3754 riverton@northnet.com.au
Treasurer & Vice President Mr Michael Legge "Hanleth", AVOCA  TAS  7213 03 6384 2134 03 6384 2200 legge@vision.net.au
Immediate Past President Mr Kevin Dunn "Avondale", 141 Dunn’s Road, WONWONDAH  VIC  3401 03 5383 8220 03 5383 8220 avondalehills@bigpond.com
Secretary to the Executive Mr Rod Thirkell-Johnston "Macquarie Hills" 1243 Saundridge Rd, CRESSY  TAS  7302 03 6397 8222 03 6397 8315 r.thirkell@activ8.net.au

Members of Council

Ararat-Barunah Mr Kevin Dunn "Avondale", 141 Dunn’s Road, WONWONDAH  VIC  3401 03 5383 8220 03 5383 8220 avondalehills@bigpond.com
  Mr Russell Hartwich "Mt Challicum", RSD 1510, Geelong Road, BALLYROGAN  VIC 3375 03 5354 4221 03 5354 4221 hartwich@avtiv8.net.au
Albury-Wodonga Mr Ian Humphry "Avondale", 281 Cemetery Rd, SPRINGHURST  VIC  3682 03 5726 5362 03 5726 5362 humphrym@bigpond.com
Goulburn-Yass Mrs Helen Cathles "Cookmundoon", Wee Jasper YASS  NSW 2582 02 6227 9634 02 6227 9634 cooradigbee@wirefreee.net.au
  Mrs Beverley Webb "Fairlight", 612 Mountain Creek Road, URIARRA NSW 2611 02 6236 5123 02 6236 5178 wildfield1@bigpond.com
Hamilton Mr Trevor Mibus "Glenara", DUNKELD  VIC  3294 03 5573 3212 03 5573 3380 glenara@harboursat.com.au
  Mr Bill Crawford "Sierra Park", VICTORIA VALLEY  VIC  3294 03 5574 0241 03 5574 0212 sierra@ansonic.com.au
Mudgee Mr Rodney Suttor "Kelloshield", Kellosjield Partnership, HARGRAVES NSW 2850 02 6373 8636 02 6373 8636 kelloshiel@bigpond.com
New England Mr Mark Waters "Riverton", 1392 Grafton Road, ARMIDALE  NSW  2350 02 6775 3788 02 6775 3754 riverton@northnet.com.au
  Mr Stephen Harvey "Greenway", 177 Harvey's Road, ARMIDALE  NSW  2350 02 6775 1301 02 6775 1223 greenway@bluepin.net.au
Tasmania Mr Michael Legge "Hanleth", AVOCA  TAS  7213 03 6384 2134 03 6384 2200 legge@vision.net.au
  Mr Frank O'Connor "Benham", AVOCA  TAS  7213 03 6384 2119 03 6384 2202 frank_oconnor@bigpond.com
  Mr Allan Phillips "Glen Stuart", 411 Bryants Lane, DEDDINGTON  TAS 7212 03 6398 6115 03 6398 6115 glenstuart@activ8.net.au
  Mr Rod Thirkell-Johnston "Macquarie Hills" 1243 Saundridge Rd, CRESSY  TAS  7302 03 6397 8222 03 6397 8315 r.thirkell@activ8.net.au
 

Communication roles

  • Growers to Processors, apparel manufacturers, leading designers,
    brands and retailers (representing the interest of our members,
    and superfine woolgrowers in general). 
  • Processors to growers, (regular two-way communication).
  • This communication includes receiving advice and information from
    all our customers through the value chain on ways to present
    their needs.  The close liaison between ASWGA growers and their
    customers on a regular basis is of benefit to all concerned.
  • ASWGA to industry bodies, particularly AWI, AWEX, AWTA, IWTO,
    FAWO, WoolProducers, etc.
  • Monthly articles in the international textile publication, “TWIST”,
    (formerly “Wool Record”).

Liaison 

  • Regional committees throughout Australia; (New England, Mudgee,
    Goulburn/Yass, Albury, Ararat/Barunah, Hamilton, Tasmania.)
  • Individual consultation with grower members in remote areas; (Western Australia, South Australia, Southern Queensland.)
  • Processor member committees in Japanese and Italian Regions
  • Individual consultation with processor members in England,
    Scotland, Japan, Italy, Germany, Turkey, South Korea and Australia.
  • Consultation with important non-member processors in other
    countries, especially China.
  • Consultation with key retailers and Bespoke Tailors in both Europe
    and Asia.

Quality Image

ASWGA has 19 mill members across Asia, U.K.,  Europe and Australia, (including prestige mills such as Cheil, Toyobo, Toa Boshuko, Daidoh, Itochu, Miyuki, Carlo Barbera, Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Tallia, Cerruti, Agnona, Zegna Baruffa, Stohr, Chargeur Superfine, John Foster, Taylor and Lodge,  Holland and Sherry, and Altinyildiz), with other possible members in discussion.

Working with industry

bodies:

AWI

Regular discussion with various parts of

AWI to influence issues concerning research and marketing.

AWTA

Working on improved testing and sampling methods for superfine wool.

Collating Superfine production statistics for processing members.

AWEX

Regular meetings on issues such as sale rosters, ASF types, market reporting,  classing code of practice, 1pp certification, woolpack standards, etc

CSIRO

Initiation and input into research including tensile strength importance in later stage processing.

 

Involvement, together with DFAT, in a program in China to improve the handling and use of superfine wool.

FAWO

(Federation of Australian Wool Organisations) Associate member of the Australian national committee of  IWTO which represents the interests of all commercial wool bodies; - ACWE (exporters), Private Treaty Merchants, AWEX, Australian Processors, Wool Brokers, and growers.

IWTO

Finewool project/research

pack problems.

Fabric performance/breeding

and innovation.

WoolProducers

WoolProducers Australia is the national body for the overall wool growing industry in Australia.  ASWGA and WoolProducers have a reciprocal arrangement to attend each others meetings

 

Austrade

Provide assistance in market development internationally.

 

Government

Lobbying where appropriate on behalf of members on environmental and animal welfare issues.

Trade issues and market access.

*note:- ASWGA is strictly non party political.

Market/

Production Reports   

Comprehensive market and production reports sent to our mill members each month.  ASWGA conducts bi-annual surveys of members production intentions, and requirements for future operations, providing valuable advice to industry on trends, thus helping industry decision making.

Promotion

Registered trade mark projecting a quality image available for use by members.

Education

  • Facilitation of courses for superfine classers and wool handlers run from time to time in regions.
  • Initiation and input into special superfine segment in classing code of practice. 
  • Most regions run information days or training sessions on various superfine wool related topics.  These are usually very good social days a well as being informative.

Competitions

Facilitation and support for both regional and national wool competitions, including Ermenegildo Zegna  Fleece competitions, the Loro Piana World Wool Challenge, and the New England Wool Ultimate Clip Award.

Communication and              Correspondence with

Grower Members

  • Council Newsletter to all members after each Council meeting.
  • Annual Magazine distributed to all members, and throughout industry.
  • Regular meetings in each region to report after visiting overseas member mills.
  • ASWGA website with news, regional activities and connections.
  • Web site is www.aswga.com

International Liaison

Each year the President or Council representative visits overseas mill members, and other appropriate entities, and also attends the IWTO conference, and reports findings to grower members.

Member Overseas

Mill Tours 

From time to time tours to leading superfine mills in either Asia or Europe, or both, are conducted.

Quality Assurance

  • Only approved quality Saxon type superfine clips under 19.5 microns are accepted for membership.  Regional representative approves membership.
  • ASWGA ram’s head trade mark used by members is an indication of quality.
  • Trade mark can be used on bales, and in sale catalogues.
  • Station brand including trade mark and grower number now allows identification from farm to cloth.
  • Mill members are sent a list of farm brands of members wool sold  in previous month to establish mill awareness of  members wool identity.
  • Station brand of member’s wool to be sold in the next month can be included in monthly production report sent to mills if the office is notified.
  • Newer users of superfine wool in overseas mills have been encouraged to look for members trade mark as an indication of better grown and better prepared wool.
Representation

The Australian Superfine Wool Growers’ Association is the officially recognised peak industry body for superfine wool.

Grower members belong to one of the seven regions, and are represented at National Council level by a delegate from that region. Through this process, ASWGA members have a say in their industry.  Members are always free to contact the office, or the president, direct.