Blacktree reports 400 per cent export growth in FY23

Satellite communications SME Blacktree Technology has credited “increasing and diverse European demand” for an almost 400 per cent growth in export revenues in the last financial year to approximately $1.2 million.

These contracts “represent the largest value of export sales” in the company’s history, it said on Thursday, with new partnerships formed in Italy, France and Poland. This included their largest-ever single export consignment, a 2.5 tonne UHF SATCOM antenna system.

Blacktree’s focus is on ultra-high-frequency SATCOM products and services.

In a statement, Managing Director Joe Nevin portrayed the growth as a win for the company and Australia’s sovereign defence space industry.

“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 Nevin.

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

“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.”

Blacktree is based in Belmont, Western Australia, with a Canberra office, and manufactures 90 per cent of its equipment locally, with 40 per cent of this exported.

Among local projects, Blacktree is part of the Lockheed Martin Australia-led Joint Project 9102 Phase 1 satcom project, for which LMA was announced preferred supplier in April.

Further reading

Lockheed Martin promises SME involvement in new satellite system

Military satellite team grows SME involvement