AGC Tech

Mr Anthony Merry

Anthony graduated from Monash University with an Engineering degree in 1984 and his first job was with Datacraft Melbourne, where he developed DSP based data modems for leased line applications and multiplexer equipment. Whilst at Datacraft he participated in the theoretical study on Digitisation of OTC ANZCAN analog Submarine cable that runs from Sydney to Hawaii, this later led to a consulting contract on the same topic with OTC, Australia’s overseas carrier at the time. In 1988 Anthony founded Haliplex PTY LTD, initially consulting to industry. He built company cash flow based upon selling and supporting CAD/CAE software, augmenting software sales with design consulting, building a broader customer base. During this time, Anthony worked on the team that developed “Data Over Supergroup” (DOS) modems using 1024 QAM for OTC’s ANZCAN submarine cable. This was the first time 10 bits per baud had been commercially achieved. He has a patent and several papers published on the subject and by this time was intimate with most types of data modulation, forward error correction and the DSP and FPGA implementation of that technology.As Haliplex grew Anthony secured VC funding and moved to the CTO position and was responsible for research and development, technical bus-dev, company strategic direction, and hands on management of the engineering team. Haliplex developed a range of cutting edge optical communication products OEM’d to the likes of Nokia and Motorola. As a director and part of the company executive he dealt daily with high level issues and decisions. In 2013 Anthony and two ex Haliplex colleagues, Carl Che and Gordon Spremic formed a new company Utility Telecom Australia P/L. UTA has been applying its wealth of background telecoms knowledge to new industries and is developing a range of farm related products based on UAV’s, sensor networks, resilient automation, and wireless technologies. Anthony is married and now lives on a farm. UTA has its main laboratory there. Field studies are conducted on the farm, with real life needs and requirements.

Mr Gordon Spremic

Gordon has a Bachelor of Science with a first class honors degree in Electronics form LaTrobe University in Melbourne Australia. Gordon spent three years working in the GEC Hirst Research Laboratories in the UK designing full custom mixed signal integrated circuits for GEC's affiliate companies. He returned to Australia to take up the position of Application Specific Integrated Circuit design manager at a computer chip distributor Hardie Technologies Australia (AKA NSD). There he worked with many customers to define, design and send out to fabrication semi custom integrated circuits specific to the customers requirement. It is here where Gordon introduced Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA's) to the Australia market by signing up the pre-eminent FPGA company Altera and quickly became and expert in this field. After three years Gordon teamed up with the original principals of NSD and started a new computer chip distributor Veltek Australia Pty Ltd taking the Altera agency with him. Gordon's rolls ranged from Field Application Engineer to Product Manager and then Business Manager looking after a substantial percentage of the companies suppliers and associated revenue. Veltek Australia was sold to the worlds largest computer chip distributor Arrow Electronics and Gordon continued in his roll for Arrow Australia for several more years. Gordon then worked at Haliplex Australia Pty who design and manufacture high reliability communications equipment for the utility sector. Gordon's roll was initially a senior Electronics Engineer and finishing up as the Hardware Development Manager. Here Gordon was responsible for the complete development cycle of a product from initial conception through to hand off to a contract manufacturer. After Haliplex closed Gordon teamed up with Anthony Merry (Haliplex CTO) and Dr. Carl Che (Haliplex Software Development Manager) to create Utility Telecom Australia Pty Ltd. Gordon is now the sales representative for Efinix Inc.

Dr Lichang (Carl) Che  

Lichang has over twenty years’ R&D experience in embedded development. He has designed products including mission critical communication systems; consumer electronics and industrial control/testing systems. Dr. Che worked for the Broadband Division of NEC Australia for 5 years after completing his PhD project at Monash University in Melbourne Australia (2006). During this period, he was the lead developer of NEC GPON cross layer switch core. In 2011, he joined Haliplex as a senior developer to work on the Sonet/SDH Data Pump (SDP) project and was promoted one year later to the position of software development manager. He successfully led the development team to make the SDP switch fully hot-standby redundant. After Haliplex’s closure, he started Utility Telecom Australia Pty Ltd together with Anthony Merry (Haliplex CTO) and Gordon Spremic (Haliplex Hardware Development Manager). Before coming to Australia, Dr. Che worked for the R&D team at Digivision Ltd (TI joint venture in Shanghai, China) where he enjoyed bringing TI’s, ADSL and STB solution to China. In 2002, he was awarded Monash Research Scholarship (International) and started his PhD study at Monash University.