R&D expertise headed out of town

Lomak chief Chris Mulcare with the keyboard and mouse designed for physically disabled users. Picture / Dean Purcell

Without the help of state-owned Industrial Research, Lomak International, which makes light-operated computer keyboards and mice, might not have made it to market.

Chief executive Chris Mulcare said his company would have "struggled to resolve the issues" without the expertise at IRL's Auckland site.

Lomak, which shares a building with IRL, has developed a keyboard that enables physically disabled people to use computers via a laser mounted on a head-set.

After working with product designers, software and electronics engineers spread across multiple locations, Mulcare said being on-site with IRL was "fantastic".

"Being able to have guys upstairs that we can go and sound out about something, it's like we've got an internal resource."

But IRL's help may not be so accessible for other local manufacturers because it intends to consolidate all its scientific work in Wellington. Mulcare said he understood the IRL division Lomak worked with would remain in Auckland.

Michael Barnett, Auckland Chamber of Commerce head, said shutting down research in the country's industrial heartlands was "quite extraordinary".