 Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry Science and Research, visited Air Change today to congratulate the company on receipt of a grant of $458,370 from the Australian Government’s Climate Ready program. Minister’s Press release is attached.
John Urch, Senator Kim Carr & Steve Atherton with "The Green Machine" prototype
The Minister viewed the first prototype of the ‘The Green Machine’, a world-first air conditioning system which is expected to be up to 12 times more power efficient than traditional systems. He also took the tour of the factory with Steve Atherton, CEO and Air Change founder/inventor John Urch, to see the large range of innovative heat exchange products that improve indoor air quality and reduce energy.
Steve Atherton, Senator Kim Carr, John Urch
Senator Carr stated that this is a great success story with an Australian company manufacturing and exporting Australian developed technology to help meet the worldwide challenge of Climate Change. He was highly impressed with the high calibre of Air Change staff and explosive growth in employees from the 2 original directors to 50 full time equivalent employees today.
Senator Carr Media Conference
Steve Atherton, CEO of Air Change, commented “Air Change keeps everyone cool and healthy in buildings that breathe. Our current technology is in Australia’s best green buildings such as Lend Lease “The Gauge”, Umow Lai, Commonwealth Bank HQ at Homebush, Fitness First and the Australian Institute of Sport.”
”It is great news for Air Change to have the Ausindustry Climate Ready funding to assist the research effort into the development of our new solar air conditioner. The Grant also covers half the cost of a graduate engineer who we will be appointing this month to assist on this project”.
Air Change CEO with refrigeration mechanic apprentice, Andrew Fenn & the Minister
Steve added “We are rapidly growing in Australia and exporting to the Asia Pacific region. In our first 10 years of existence we have moved 3 times and tripled the size of the factory each time. The company is starting to see the benefit from the Rudd Government’s BER program with orders flowing in for schools. We look forward to increasing our growth into the future with the assistance of Ausindustry”.
Also attending today were representatives of other Government agencies who have been very supportive in assisting Air Change to grow and export - Garry Ferris from NSW Department of State and Regional Development, Monique Donaldson from Austrade and Terry O’Riordan from Enterprise Connect.
Air Change staff were delighted to meet with the Minister over morning tea. With a proactive research and development team on board, Air Change looks forward to further developments in the field of energy efficient, sustainable air conditioning.
Senator Kim Carr sharing a cuppa with some of the Air Change production staff
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