The Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation (AWRAP) was established on 1 December 1993. It replaced CA 7370, Australian Wool Corporation [II], and CA 7372, Wool Research and Development Corporation.

AWRAP was set up to improve the performance of the Australian wool industry by funding research and development, and generic promotion of wool internationally. It was to focus on building consumer demand for Australian wool.

AWRAP differed from previous Australian statutory wool marketing bodies in that it did not participate in the trading of wool or have any involvement in the stock holding or disposal arrangements.

Funding for AWRAP comes from Australian wool growers who contribute four per cent of their wool sale proceeds to fund promotion and research activities. The Australian Government matches the growers' contributions for research, dollar for dollar, up to 0.5 per cent.

Although woolgrowers vote to set the promotion and research levies, authority to collect the levies is provided by law and this means that AWRAP must also report to the Australian Government through the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, as well as to its shareholders, Australian woolgrowers.

In 1993, the AWRAP Board consisted of nine directors under the Chairmanship of Mac Drysdale, who was also the Chairman of the International Wool Secretariat (IWS). AWRAP provided the majority of funds for the IWS and held majority membership of the IWS board.

All AWRAP activities were aimed at building demand for Australian wool. These included:

. IWS advertising and other activities to promote the generic
  attributes of wool using the Woolmark;
. International market development
. The provision of technical advice and assistance to processors and
  manufacturers within Australia and overseas and;
. Research and development activities aimed at developing new
  products and processes which meet the needs of wool processors and
  consumers.              
  (refer to Part 2, Section 6 AWRAP Act 1993)

In addition, AWRAP promoted improved quality arrangements for wool by assisting the industry to adopt quality assurance schemes which ensured that it was more responsive to the needs of its customers.

AWRAP progressively transferred its functions to other bodies over a two year period from 1993. From January 1994, the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) took over the inspection of wool for the maintenance of clip preparation standards. As of 1 July 1995, AWEX took over the wool classer registration scheme. By 1 January 1996, AWEX took over the monitoring of standards for woolpacks and TAFE took over shearer education. The freight rate regulation function ceased as of 30 June 1994. The function of market reporting went to CA 8416, Wool International. Other functions which were divested included tracing back of chemical residue and other contaminants in wool, and engineering development work. AWRAP's remaining function was to
receive the wool levy and to report on the use of the levy to government and growers.

In 1994,the Boston Consulting Group conducted a review to determine the best way of managing a closer working relationship between AWRAP and the International Wool Secretariat (IWS). The IWS was formed in 1937 as a result of international efforts for instituting a fund for wool publicity campaigns throughout the world. It was responsible for world wide promotion of wool, along with research and development of the product beyond early-stage processing. AWRAP controlled IWS policy through common board members but the day-to-day operations of the IWS were in the hands of IWS management.

Following the review, the decision was made to integrate the operations of the two organisations so that Australian woolgrowers would have one organisation to represent them in Australia and internationally. AWRAP and IWS were to remain as separate legal entities but operate under the IWS name. 

By August 1994, the single line of management was in place with the majority of functions integrated over the following 12 months.

By 1997, the International Wool Secretariat (IWS) had become an incorporated body known as IWS International Pty Limited, covering all aspects of global operations. AWRAP and Cape Wools SA were shareholders in the company and the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat (Secretariado Uruguyao de la Lana) was an associate member. Existing IWS Board members transferred to the incorporated IWS, while AWRAP's structure as the Australian statutory authority conducting activities on behalf of Australian woolgrowers remained unchanged.

Incorporation was seen to strengthen the commitment to seek out commercial opportunities and provide the appropriate infrastructure for generating additional income through fee-for-service activities.

Funding from woolgrowers and industry supports research, development and promotional activities, which in turn helps ensure that the wool producers and wool textile manufacturers remain competitive and viable in the long term.

In 1994, the chairman of IWS was Mr Mac Drysdale.

On 1 January 2001, AWRAP was privatised and replaced by Australian Wool Services. Two subsidiaries, Australian Wool Innovation Limited and The Woolmark Company were established. Records controlled by AWRAP are now controlled by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CA 8610).


Sources

1. Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation Act 1993
2. "Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation - an
   Explanation" pamphlet published by AWRAP undated; distributed late
   1993/early 1994
3. Wool News, Volume 4, No 2, June 1994, Australian Wool Research and
   Promotion Organisation
4. Financial Review, Wednesday 15/6/94 Historical agency address 1993- : Wool House, 369 Royal Parade, Parkville Vic Legislation administered Creation: Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation Act No 63 of 1993.
5. The Woolmark Company history accessed 30 August 2002 from http://www.woolmark.com/about/history.shtml.
Previous agency unregistered
1993: International Wool Secretariat