Success Stories

The Australian government wants to encourage innovation. It’s why the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive exists. But so many Aussie companies already have their hands full with the work of their core business, that they have limited resource for complex new endeavours like grant writing. Even when it means they could get money back. 

Trevaskis Engineering, based in regional Victoria, was one such company. A large engineering fabrication business, the team at Trevaskis Engineering were no strangers to the world of innovation.

“We’ve always spent time and money on R&D,” says Trevaskis Engineering Managing Director, Michael Mason, but it’s usually come at a cost to the bottom line.”

Which is exactly why this grant exists: to incentivise innovation for companies, like Trevaskis Engineering, that are capable of creating solutions to big problems. 

2017 marked the beginning of one of Australia’s worst droughts in recent history. And as the dry years stretched on, Aussie farmers felt its full weight. In a time of little rain and limited food supply, the ability to efficiently feed livestock is a must. That’s why Trevaskis Engineering began manufacturing automated sheep and cattle feeders.

“We engaged AMSLAN Consulting to assist us with our ability to access the R&D Tax Incentive,” recalls Mr Mason. “Andy and his team of experts helped us understand how to document and measure what we were doing, in order to take advantage of the tax benefits available to our business.”

But through their engagement with AMSLAN Consulting, Trevaskis Engineering received even more than that.

“Andy advised us on our business structure and taught us what constituted R&D,” Mr Mason says. 

And through this process of helping to coordinate the R&D program at Trevaskis Engineering, Andy also unearthed a number of other R&D projects. And that translates to new opportunity, increased growth, and even more money back.

“The guidance and training we received from AMSLAN Consulting, has helped us increase our R&D program,” Mr Mason reiterates. “This has brought enormous benefit to our business and allowed us to increase sales.” 

It has now been three years since these companies began working together. In that time, Trevaskis has seen great growth – it’s Feedtech business, in particular, has expanded significantly! And this is what the team at AMSLAN Consulting love about their work.

While a client’s initial engagement with AMSLAN Consulting might allow them to receive a quick injection of cash, it is a long-term relationship which will bring about the biggest benefit. 

When you see the team at AMSLAN Consulting as part of your own team, this collaboration allows us to really help you sharpen your innovation planning and implementation. The better the plan, the greater the financial outcome. And the greater the innovation outcome. 

For years and years to come.

Even companies in the business of innovation can struggle when it comes to claiming the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive. Just ask David Rosen, X-Company’s entrepreneurial Managing Director.

X-Company is a large (and growing!) international software company. It is at the frontier of developing world-leading internet technologies and applications.

“We’ve been innovating solutions for 15 years,” Mr Rosen says. “Nevertheless, we have continued to struggle with claiming R&D Tax Incentive grant, here in Australia.”

As you may know from your own experience, the complexity of compliance required for the R&D Tax Incentive is extremely high. So high, in fact, that it even stymies large companies like X-Company.

“When looking to apply in the past, it just felt overwhelming,” admits Mr Rosen. “We’ve had many missed years of opportunity as a result.”

Today, complexity remains one of the biggest barriers for companies considering applying for this particular grant. 

At least until they meet AMSLAN Consulting.

“When we engaged AMSLAN,” Mr Rosen recalls, “Andy brought his team of experts in to guide us through the application, making everything simple”.

AMSLAN Consulting worked with the team at X-Company to systemise and record their innovation strategy. This has had positive outcomes beyond their successful grant application. Including the creation of a robust framework to explore, cost, and plan new innovations. And that means X-Company is now well placed to claim the R&D Tax Incentive, every year.

“Andy is unlike any other R&D consultant I've met,” Mr Rosen states. “He actually takes time to deeply understand our business and the projects we are working on. That’s why we see Andy and AMSLAN Consulting as important partners in our future growth. He is like one of our team.”

If, like X-Company, your business is one that innovates, AMSLAN Consulting is ready to work with you, too. While you may not know where to start, it has a team of grant writing specialists who do. And remember, this grant is available to all businesses who meet the criteria.

So, don’t delay. Contact us.