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Dr Branch originally a Tasmanian was returning from bases in New York and Europe to take up the position.

“This is a significant coup for our company and a benefit for the state to have someone with the skills and experience of Allan back home,” said Brian Wilson, the company’s founder and Managing Director.

Dr. Branch spent some 18 years developing and then dominating a global advanced technology sector that he pioneered in 1979 with the advent of the educational Tasman Turtle, which is now recognized as the world’s first successful smart mobile robot product. His clients include organizations like NASA and the CSIRO, and companies like Mitsubishi and General Electric.

He concentrated his efforts from Silicon Valley in the late 1980’s and in 1993 took over his largest US competitor, a company called Denning in Boston and which was listed on NASDAQ. After turning that company from commercial failure to become its industry leader, Branch moved on to further company turnarounds, resulting in the development of methods detailed in his soon to be released book: “Save the Day: How to Fix Any Failed or Failing Company Without Downsizing.”

In 1989/90 he spent a year as Invited Visiting Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious Robotics Institute, where he also earned his PhD and MBA. On visits back to Tasmania Allan has assisted local companies in their business development activities, and decided it was time to return permanently.

“It was a stroke of luck to find a Tasmanian company, with a significant international component, developing and manufacturing advanced technology products, and with new opportunities and growth potential that could use my skills,” Branch said. “It was as if MineCom was waiting for me.”

Along with its mine and tunnel communications and safety equipment, exported to many countries, the company has also developed and installed state of the art tagging and ID technology to ensure additional safety and efficiency at mines. These have been used in projects such as the Sydney Rail & Road and Transgrid 160kV Haymarket tunnels.

Branch’s goal is to now grow and expand the company to be the industry leader, without jeopardizing the existing reputation the company enjoys as having the best technology available.

He will be making contact with MineCom customers in the coming months to personally introduce and advise them of the innovative changes to the MineCom line up. Previous general manager Brett Wilson has been promoted to operations manager.