Victorian luxury pen exporter gets financial boost of $36,000 from federal government
Curtis Australia is breaking out of the traditional mould for handcrafted pens and jewellery industry in Australia.

This small business has achieved success in moving its products into the international scene, with a vital component being financial aid from the Federal Government. Through both the government's Tradex program as well as the R&D Tax Concession for industry innovation, this small Australian business has been able to free up the capital necessary to take its products into the international arena. Curtis Australia is known for its exquisite detail in high-end, handcrafted pens and jewellery. The Victoria-based company achieved much success in the Australian market. Speaking with an AusIndustry representative, managing director Glenn Curtis was proud to state, "We are the first and only high-end pen company in Australia to enter the international scene." In producing its fine jewellery and handcrafted pens, this Bairnsdale, Victoria based company has imported pen components such as ink and rubs. "Although we are committed to making our pens in Australia, there are some parts that we cannot source locally," said Curtis during the AusIndustry interview. Importing these items has proven to be a costly aspect of running the business. "We often import our stock in large quantities. A batch of nibs may cost us $50,000, and this may be held in stock for nine months or so before it is used," Curtis said in the interview. While it is costly, importing their components in bulk has helped the company improve both cash flow and international competitiveness. The Federal Government's Tradex scheme has been a financial lifeboat for the company. The Tradex grant provides an up-front exemption on import duty and GST for imported products that are used in the production of exports. With the Tradex scheme, Curtis Australia gets to keep much-needed funds in-hand. Applying for this key program was easy. "I was impressed by the speed of organising Tradex," Glenn said, speaking to the AusIndustry representative. "AusIndustry representatives came out to our premises to check that our operations were bona fide, and I received my Tradex registration within a week." Today, with the help of the AusIndustry's Tradex scheme, approximately eighty per cent of the company's products are exported to the United States. "We have targeted the United States market because of its demographics," Glenn said to the AusIndustry representative. "Our typical customers are high achievers, such as accountants and lawyers. And there are more accountants in New York than there are in the whole of Australia." Curtis Australia has also received other financial aid from the Australian Government. In this small business's initial phases, it's innovation in developing a computerised method for its design prototypes qualified it for the AusIndustry's R&D Tax Concession. This free government money provided the start-up company with the funds necessary to produce new prototypes in under a month, rather than in over seven months with the previous method. "When we were starting up, we spent several thousands of dollars inventing a computerised method of designing our prototypes, and we were able to claim the R&D Tax Concession for this activity. This work on our automated milling machines meant that we were able to produce our prototypes in as little as 24 days, rather than seven months," Glenn commented during the AusIndustry interview.

Would you like to get funding for your small business, too? There's money available now for qualified existing and start-up businesses. Phone toll-free 1800 813 863.

No claim is made the above funding success is due to ABFC.