ANCIENT HISTORY 1978 - 89

The business commenced operations in Sydney in 1978 as SCOTT-XTEK Pty Ltd. The purpose of the Company was to provide specialised counter-terrorist equipment to Federal and State Governments. Recent events in Europe and America indicated that Australia could not long remain immune from terrorism - the February 1979 Hilton bombing in Sydney during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting proved the accuracy of that prediction. After that incident the Commonwealth Government acted to enable the States to coordinate their response to future acts of terrorism by forming a cell within the Department of Administrative Services, the Protective Services Coordination Centre (PSCC) and by instituting a Standing Advisory Committee for Commonwealth and States for the Protection Against Violence (SACPAV). SACPAV authorises the PSCC to provide doctrinal guidance, counter terrorist training and, importantly for XTEK, equipment, to the Police Forces so that a viable counter terrorist capability is maintained in Australia. PSCC (now Protective Security Coordination Centre) is currently located within the Attorney-General's Department.

In the early, post-Hilton days, the emphasis was on bomb-related equipment for search and "render safe". SCOTT-XTEK prospered as a result of this activity; it was at this time that then Managing Director, NJ (Nigel) French first came into contact with the Company, as an Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer responsible for sourcing equipment to prepare the AFP for its counter-terrorist role.

As a result of SCOTT-XTEK's central position and it's excellent contacts within Police and Government Departments the Company was frequently asked to source other counter-terrorist equipment leading it to develop Surveillance and Counter Surveillance into another major product line. In order to provide a service and repair facility for it's clients and to develop it's own security product range the Company moved, in 1983, to a factory site in Botany (NSW).

In late 1987 the LOMAH Corporation, a public company which had recently acquired DART Defence Industries (makers of target systems) bought the security business and appointed Nigel French as General Manager for their new Company, XTEK SECURITY SYSTEMS Pty Ltd.

LOMAH concentrated its efforts on DART, and XTEK was left to continue the same style of trade.
Over the ensuing two years LOMAH's fortunes in Albury, NSW, where DART was located, declined, whilst XTEK, despite two changes of location, made steady, if unspectacular, progress. Continuing financial pressure obliged LOMAH to wind up its operations; DART was sold to Australian Defence Industries (ADI) and French was offered XTEK. French acquired the Company in 1989 and made the move to Canberra.

MODERN HISTORY 1989 - Present

XTEK is an agency business registered in the ACT, engaged in importing high quality security, forensic and diagnostic equipment for sale to government agencies, Police and the Armed Forces.
Agencies are established with companies throughout the world, but principally in the UK, Europe and the USA.
The Company has a sophisticated repair and maintenance workshop facility in the Canberra offices at XTEK Towers, a regional office in Sydney and distributors in Melbourne, Adelaide and presentation in Perth and Brisbane.

In 1994 XTEK Management Pty Ltd (XTEK Management Pty Ltd) was formed to market and administer XTEK Towers (serviced offices and an extensive commercial secure storage area located at 25 Yallourn Street in Fyshwick, ACT). The Counter Surveillance subsidiary company, Scott-XTEK, was relocated to Canberra from Sydney in 1998 and continues to trade in the CS market but with a greater emphasis on IT security and government business. In November 2000 XTEK formed XTEK Consulting Services Pty (consulting@xtek.net) jointly with Don Williams.

XTEK played a prominent part in providing specialist equipment to the successful Sydney Olympic Games - the company was a major supplier to the specialist security (military) support elements (principally IEDD and High Risk search equipment) as well as the provider of all the archway and hand held metal detectors at every Olympic venue in conjunction with the XTEK sub-distributors and Garrett Metal Detectors.
At the end of October 2004, XTEK became a non-listed public company and changed from XTEK Pty Ltd to XTEK Ltd.