Dunedin-based GPS global tracking company TracPlus has beaten four New Zealand competitors to become a finalist to vie for a United Kingdom "business passport'' and opportunity to gain a year-long beach-head office in Wales.
TracPlus split from its Dunedin sister company Daestra NZ earlier this year but retains the same shareholders and board, and has 11 staff in Dunedin and offices in the United States, and shortly in Australia, with a forecast turnover this financial year of $1 million to $1.5 million.
TracPlus was chosen as a finalist by International Business Wales, formerly the Welsh Development Agency, which has assisted 500 international companies to have operations in Wales, alongside technology companies from 15 countries.
"Our focus at present has been the US and going into Australia. But with this we may bring forward plans for Europe,'' TracPlus chief executive Chris Hinch said yesterday.
TracPlus has developed a GPS transport tracking system for businesses, government and non-government agencies in 12 countries and areas, including the Antarctic, and covering aviation, maritime and land operations.
Contracts to date include the New York Air National Guard, Rescue Co-ordination Centre of New Zealand, St John Emergency Co-ordination Centre and Coastguard New Zealand and several more are under negotiation with similar emergency agencies.
Mr Hinch said TracPlus was "humbled'' by its selection as a finalist for the Worldwide Technium Challenge and for the validation its bought to its product, noting Dunedin's business incubator Upstart and Trade and Enterprise New Zealand had played key roles in building and assisting TracPlus.
International Business Wales is offering year-long office space, introductions and a business support package to the winner.
"This could ease our way into the UK market if we are successful,'' Mr Hinch said yesterday.
TracPlus would be in Cardiff in Wales in late-May for the finals week of competition, including introductions to local businesses, other technology companies, universities and a final presentation to the international judging panel, he said.
TracPlus and Daestra are private companies predominantly backed by Otago-based shareholders since Daestra launched TracPlus in mid-2007.
