Business

Australian Business Limited

Smooth running: ABL provides essential business assistance to its members

Sports can be the icebreaker when meeting a business contact or during negotiations. Sporting links and interests provide common ground for people to develop and establish relationships.

Rugby World Cup 2003 will bring people from all over the globe who will be keen to learn what Australia has to offer. In turn Australian Business Limited (ABL), through Rugby Business Club Australia, will provide the ideal forum for like-minded business people to come together.

Sports and export success
As an example of export success prompted by another sporting event, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, consider Port Macquarie company and ABL member Soft Edges.

With assistance from ABL, the company secured a contract from Nike to supply uniforms for the Australian Women’s Olympic Hockey team (the Hockeyroos), and the Australian Women’s Basketball team (the Opals).
“We lobbied with a rowing clothing company and cycling clothing company to be suppliers, and with letters of support from ABL we got the go-ahead,” says Soft Edges’ Managing Director David Edgerley. “Players in the uniforms we supplied to Nike have won a gold and silver at the Sydney Olympics and a bronze in Atlanta. [See panel on p38.] We are now exporting uniforms to Puerto Rico for basketball and to the US for field hockey.”

Soft Edges Following the success of Soft Edges’ sportsuits at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, word in sporting circles is spreading fast as more and more teams, including AFL teams within Australia and athletes in the States, try out their latest design in men’s and women’s running tights. The sportsuits are designed with performance in mind. The shoulder-to-thigh one-piece suits give full freedom of movement, while the unique two-way stretch Lycra elastane fabric keeps players cool and comfortable. The company uses the Lycra fabric in new ways and has pioneered the development of women’s sportsuits and athletics wear, in addition to their latest swimwear range. “The suits are like a second skin,” says MD David Edgerley. “It gives a team performance advantages – freedom of movement at all times, feeling the same wet or dry, and the compression of the high-stretch fabric can help with endurance and speed.” David’s wife Di is the designer and the key person behind Soft Edges garments. Now their sportsuits and athletics wear is supplied to schools, clubs and teams across the country. “When you see a team wearing the suits you get a feeling of satisfaction. We travelled to an indoor field hockey tournament in the USA, asked players what they thought, and they loved them,” says David. “There were 35 teams and about half were wearing our uniforms. “We do what our customers want us to do. They come and say can we do this? – and we do it.” In essence that’s what doing business is all about – providing a product and service for the customer. Website: www.softedges.com

Assistance from ABL
ABL was also able to assist with the company’s export drive.

“We went through the Export Access program with ABL up until the end of last year,” says Edgerley. “They gave us advice and assistance in organising trips to the United States, and we are now negotiating an agency arrangement there, again with their help.”

ABL provides practical business services
Leading business group ABL supports its 17,000 members with a range of practical business services to help them do business better in today’s changing environment. Businesses use ABL to connect them with the advice, information and people they need to make sound business decisions and stay competitive.

Sporting events go hand in hand with developing and establishing business relationships. ABL, through Rugby Business Club Australia, will be able to help Club members establish contact through arranging appointments, linking business interests, meeting at events and hosting delegations.

ABL’s mission is to champion the development, capability and prosperity of Australian industry. ABL aims to minimise the inherent risks in making business decisions for valued members by providing specific answers to their questions on a wide range of business issues. The ABL Workplace Advice Line has experienced workplace professionals who can advise by phone about implications for your business on Awards and related workplace legislation, and keep you up to date with the latest changes in Industrial Awards. ABL can help you maintain a safe workplace with support from the Occupational Health and Safety team who can identify potential hazards or unsafe work practices, then assist you to develop policies, procedures and training programs to target them.

For more complex workplace issues, AB Lawyers has more than 30 specialist lawyers and industrial advocates to advise your business.

For a cost-effective way to employ and train new or existing staff, contact ABEN New Apprenticeships Centre for advice on the best apprenticeships and traineeships for your business, and gain assistance in completing paperwork and accessing government incentives – at no cost to you. And as Soft Edges discovered, ABL also has an influential policy and business lobbying group to work on your behalf at state and federal levels.

Opportunities in Australia
Not only does ABL help Australian exporters, it also assists companies to enter the Australian market. The International Trade and Business Solutions team can provide market research and partner selection services for foreign companies and can introduce those new to doing business in Australia to a range of other business service providers.

Experienced exporting groups such as ABL can help with trade missions, research and export advice about:

• agreements, contracts and licensing;
• identifying potential business partners;
• market entry strategies; and
• export opportunities.

ABL also has a migration specialist who provides business migration advice and visa applications.

Helping to generate offshore opportunities for Australian business is another key aim for the trade team. Working with partners like Austrade, ABL is already leading the way in helping Australian companies achieve sustainable export growth. Through delivery of the Austrade-funded TradeStart program, as well as through tailor-made consulting services, ABL helps companies grow and better manage their business offshore.

Business events organised by ABL allow you to learn all you need on important issues facing your business, and panels of Accredited Service Providers save you time and money by providing the resources you need while you keep the business operating.

Spotlight on business
The global expansion by Soft Edges began with ABL assistance to bring their specialist sportswear to the world stage during the Sydney Olympics.

Once again all sporting eyes will be on Australia during Rugby World Cup 2003, and business opportunities will be up there in the spotlight.

Website:
www.australianbusiness.com.au