Region. IT cluster takes off

The NSW Government’s Western Sydney Information Technology Cluster had reached a milestone of 350 members, according to the Minister for Small Business, Steve Whan, when speaking during a visit to Machinery Automation and Robotics, in Silverwater, as part of Small Business September 2009. Mr Whan said the Western Sydney IT Cluster's hi-tech member firms have an estimated collective industry value of more than $700 million, employ about 2500 people and are a major export force in the region. Cluster firms added more than 150 new regional jobs for Western Sydney in the last five years Almost three quarters of member companies report business growth in the last five years and more than half the membership export, with an estimated value of $400 million in export sales.