INSIDE a hangar at the Caloundra Airport lies a booming company that has won the title of Telstra Queensland Business of the Year for its world-leading helicopter technology.
Founded by multi-generational Sunshine Coast local Will Shrapnel with $5000 from his credit card in 2002 HeliMods is now at the forefront of its field globally. It takes helicopters and does all the engineering and most of the manufacturing to turn them into hi-tech emergency medical, search and rescue, or disaster relief machines in Australian and around the world.
“This award should really show that any business into tech, that has a global market, can do it from the regions,” Mr Shrapnel said after receiving his award at a gala function in Brisbane on Thursday night. “It’s a great sign for design manufacturing in our country.”
HeliMod senior engineer Tim Kelly said the business, which employs 30 people at Caloundra, was experiencing huge growth. “Our facility is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere and one of the most sophisticated in the world,” he said. “Similarly to how other companies transform vans into ambulances or police vehicles, we do the same thing for helicopters.
“A helicopter comes in and we do the complete engineering, design, manufacturing and integration.’’
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