Sunshine Coast-based Helimods lands multimillion-dollar Canadian air ambulance deal

SUNSHINE Coast-based aerospace company Helimods has won a multimillion-dollar contract to install a potentially lifesaving stretcher loading system on a fleet of Canadian air ambulances.

Helimods managing director Will Shrapnel at Caloundra airport. Picture: Lachie Millard

SUNSHINE Coast-based aerospace company Helimods has won a multimillion-dollar contract to install its lifesaving stretcher loading system on a fleet of Canadian air ambulances.

Helimods managing director Will Shrapnel said the company was in the process of putting the push-button powered Pal loading system on 11 helicopters operated by Ontario-based Ornge, a not-for-profit organisation that co-ordinates the province’s air ambulance system. Mr Shrapnel said the patented technology allowed a patient to be loaded and unloaded onto a helicopter without the need for manual lifting or to transfer the person to a specialised aeromedical stretcher.

“In emergencies they talk about the ‘golden hour’ where a rapid response following an incident is critical,” said Mr Shrapnel. “The system can load a patient weighing up to 300kg in 20 seconds.”

He said the Ornge contract should open the door to more opportunities in the North American market, both in the civil and defence sectors.

With its global expansion, Mr Shrapnel has ambitions to increase Helimods’ turnover to about $100 million within five years.

Helimods, which was named the Telstra Queensland Business of the Year in 2018, was founded in 2002 by Mr Shrapnel, a descendant of British army officer Henry Shrapnel who invented the long-range artillery shell.

The company, initially started with an investment of $10,000, now modifies helicopters across Australia so they can be used by a range of emergency services.

The modifications can include everything from installing stretchers and oxygen tanks to communications panels and cameras.

Mr Shrapnel said the company was planning to expand its operations at the Caloundra airport as it took on more work.

“We will need more space for engineering and other activities,” said Mr Shrapnel, who said the company now employs about 40 people.

Helimods was an early adopter of Computer Assisted Design (CAD) technology, digital lathes and 3D printers, allowing parts to be manufactured more efficiently and the designs stored for future use. Previously most work involved hand-making a part or other components, a time-consuming and costly exercise.

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