Technology driving success for Smart State firm
Published Monday, 15 October, 2007 at 11:16 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Technology developed by a West End business is helping to train thousands of drivers in some of the world’s largest transport fleets.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said Vigil Systems was a rapidly growing high-technology company and a great Queensland success story.
“Since starting in 1999 at the Queensland Government’s Brisbane Technology Park, Vigil has evolved from a research and development-focused firm into a fully fledged and growing commercial business,” Ms Boyle said.
“In the previous financial year, Vigil’s exports have quadrupled, it’s expanded its team and won new business in Australia and abroad. It has had to move to larger premises in West End to accommodate its growth.”
The company’s flagship product VigilVanguard is an electronic assessment device fitted to vehicles, such as buses and trains, to help train professional drivers.
A combination of sensors, video, and software track factors such as speed, acceleration, following distance and passenger comfort to provide an impartial report on the driver’s skills.
Ms Boyle said Australian customers included the State Transit Authority of NSW, Brisbane Transport and RACQ.
“Vigil says its product can help reduce the cost and severity by accidents as much as 76 per cent,” she said.
Ms Boyle said Vigil had previously received a total of $20,000 in Queensland Government funding to showcase its products to potential clients at overseas trade shows.
“In addition to Australia, Vigil Systems today has growing customer bases in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as the United States and Canada, which are its major markets.”
Four of the top ten public transit agencies in the world are clients, including Los Angeles (LA) Metro, Toronto Transit Commission, Miami-Dade Transit Authority and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Vigil Systems Chief Executive Officer Ian Haynes said it secured an initial $200,000 contract with WMATA for its full suite of products late last year.
“And it’s estimated we’ll sell an additional $500,000 worth of products and services to WMATA by the end of 2007,” he said.
Mr Haynes said 2006/2007 was the company’s first profitable year, with the company turning over around $2.1 million.
“We are currently consulting with the Los Angeles Fire Department which has expressed interested in using VigilVanguard. Around 70 per cent of our current total sales now come from the US,” Mr Haynes said.
“Our international sales all up are now worth $1.4 million, a four-fold increase from the previous year. And in 2007 we’ve recruited five new staff in Brisbane and three new sales representatives in the US where we have an office in Ohio.”
Mr Haynes said in addition to the transit industry, Vigil was expanding into new markets including mining, emergency response and airside safety.
“For example, we’ve recently set up a trial of our products in mining trucks at Saraji Mine in North Queensland. VigilVanguard can basically be adapted for use in any industry where employees need to be trained to operate vehicles.”
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Vigil Systems CEO Ian Haynes: 3018 0478
15 October 2007
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said Vigil Systems was a rapidly growing high-technology company and a great Queensland success story.
“Since starting in 1999 at the Queensland Government’s Brisbane Technology Park, Vigil has evolved from a research and development-focused firm into a fully fledged and growing commercial business,” Ms Boyle said.
“In the previous financial year, Vigil’s exports have quadrupled, it’s expanded its team and won new business in Australia and abroad. It has had to move to larger premises in West End to accommodate its growth.”
The company’s flagship product VigilVanguard is an electronic assessment device fitted to vehicles, such as buses and trains, to help train professional drivers.
A combination of sensors, video, and software track factors such as speed, acceleration, following distance and passenger comfort to provide an impartial report on the driver’s skills.
Ms Boyle said Australian customers included the State Transit Authority of NSW, Brisbane Transport and RACQ.
“Vigil says its product can help reduce the cost and severity by accidents as much as 76 per cent,” she said.
Ms Boyle said Vigil had previously received a total of $20,000 in Queensland Government funding to showcase its products to potential clients at overseas trade shows.
“In addition to Australia, Vigil Systems today has growing customer bases in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as the United States and Canada, which are its major markets.”
Four of the top ten public transit agencies in the world are clients, including Los Angeles (LA) Metro, Toronto Transit Commission, Miami-Dade Transit Authority and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Vigil Systems Chief Executive Officer Ian Haynes said it secured an initial $200,000 contract with WMATA for its full suite of products late last year.
“And it’s estimated we’ll sell an additional $500,000 worth of products and services to WMATA by the end of 2007,” he said.
Mr Haynes said 2006/2007 was the company’s first profitable year, with the company turning over around $2.1 million.
“We are currently consulting with the Los Angeles Fire Department which has expressed interested in using VigilVanguard. Around 70 per cent of our current total sales now come from the US,” Mr Haynes said.
“Our international sales all up are now worth $1.4 million, a four-fold increase from the previous year. And in 2007 we’ve recruited five new staff in Brisbane and three new sales representatives in the US where we have an office in Ohio.”
Mr Haynes said in addition to the transit industry, Vigil was expanding into new markets including mining, emergency response and airside safety.
“For example, we’ve recently set up a trial of our products in mining trucks at Saraji Mine in North Queensland. VigilVanguard can basically be adapted for use in any industry where employees need to be trained to operate vehicles.”
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Vigil Systems CEO Ian Haynes: 3018 0478
15 October 2007