Blacktree Technology achieves 400% growth in export sales

Perth-based satellite communications antenna builder Blacktree Technology has recorded nearly 400% growth in export sales across the 2022-23 financial year, amounting to some $1.2 million.

Much of this growth is due to increasing and diverse European demand for Satellite Communications (SATCOM) products, the company says. These contracts represent the largest value of export sales in Blacktree’s history, with new partnerships in Italy, France and Poland, including the company’s largest single export consignment to date – a 2.5 tonne Ultra-High-Frequency (UHF) SATCOM Antenna system.

“Blacktree has worked hard to solidify its market position and reputation for quality, that has secured new business in France, Italy and Poland, and continues to generate new opportunities internationally,” said Blacktree Technology Managing Director Joe Nevin, adding the growth represents a win for both Blacktree Technology and Australia’s highly capable sovereign defence space industry.

“Our innovative strategy aims to maximise the unique set of skills which exist within our local manufacturing supply chain – 90% of which is based in Western Australia – providing other Australian businesses with the opportunity to benefit from our unprecedented exports expansion,” he said.

“Additionally, Blacktree has also been able to embark on research and development projects in collaboration with Australia’s leading research universities to strengthen Australia’s position as a world leader in advanced military satellite communications system.”

The importance of resilient and sovereign SATCOM capabilities was highlighted by the large number of foreign-owned satellites are currently passing over Australian territories collecting intelligence on military training activities involving the United States and other regional partners.

Blacktree’s world leading UHF SATCOM products and services are delivered direct to Air, Land, Sea and Space domain customers in the ADF and through global Defence Prime Organisations to partners in Europe, the UK and US, and to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members.

National award-winning Blacktree is a wholly Australian owned business that designs, manufactures and sustains mission critical SATCOM systems that are used by military organisations in some of the harshest and most remote operating environments in the world. Headquartered in Belmont, Western Australia, with an office in Canberra, approximately 90 per cent of Blacktree’s equipment is manufactured locally and 40 per cent is now exported overseas to allied partners.