PERTH, AU / ACCESS Newswire / June 4, 2026 / Western Air founder Carly Ascott is drawing attention to the growing role Australia’s mining and industrial infrastructure sectors are playing in the global technology economy, as demand for critical minerals accelerates alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing industries.
Through Western Air, Ascott has built a female-led business supplying high-pressure air systems and industrial solutions into Australia’s mining, drilling and energy sectors. The company has also become the highest-grossing revenue seller of Bobcat USA high-pressure air products into the Australian market, reflecting increasing demand for infrastructure supporting exploration, extraction and large-scale industrial operations. What may sound simple on the surface, “selling air,” has become a critical component of the modern mining and energy economy.
While compressed and high-pressure air systems are rarely visible in broader public conversations around technology and energy transition, Ascott said they remain essential to the operational backbone of mining and drilling activity.
“People don’t always realise how important compressed and high-pressure air systems are to drilling, exploration and mining operations,” Ascott said. “Without the infrastructure supporting drilling, there is no pathway to securing the critical minerals needed for AI, renewables and future technologies.”
The growing global focus on artificial intelligence, battery technology, semiconductor manufacturing and renewable infrastructure has intensified demand for minerals including lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements. Industry leaders increasingly point to Australia as one of the world’s most strategically important suppliers of critical mineral resources required to support emerging technologies and energy systems.
Ascott noted that while artificial intelligence is often discussed through the lens of software and digital systems, the technology economy remains heavily dependent on physical infrastructure, energy generation and mineral extraction.
“The future may be digital, but it still begins in the ground,” Ascott said. “Before AI can scale, before quantum computing evolves and before renewable infrastructure expands, somebody first has to find the minerals that make it possible.”
Western Air supplies high-pressure air and booster technologies used across mining, drilling, energy and industrial projects, particularly in remote and high-demand operating environments where equipment reliability directly impacts productivity, operational continuity and project timelines.
The company also works alongside major international manufacturing partners, including Bobcat USA, supporting growing industrial collaboration between Australian resource operations and American manufacturing capability. According to Ascott, these partnerships are becoming increasingly important as governments and industries prioritise supply chain security, sovereign capability and long-term energy resilience.
“The world is entering a new era where critical minerals, sovereign capability and energy resilience are becoming national priorities,” Ascott said. “Australia and the United States both understand the importance of building secure supply chains and investing in the industries that support future technology.”
Alongside operational growth, Western Air is also focused on supporting more efficient and sustainable industrial systems across mining and energy projects, as the sector faces increasing pressure to balance productivity with environmental and operational performance.
Ascott said the mining sector itself is undergoing significant transformation, with greater emphasis now placed on long-term strategic thinking, technology integration and operational sustainability.
“Australian drillers are the salt of the earth,” Ascott said. “They work in some of the harshest environments on the planet to uncover the resources the world depends on. The reality is, an Aussie driller is often the very first person in the global technology chain.”
As global competition intensifies around AI development, renewable infrastructure and advanced manufacturing capability, industries historically viewed as part of the traditional economy are becoming increasingly central to future economic and technological growth.
For Western Air, Ascott said the company’s role extends beyond supplying industrial equipment.
“For us, it has never just been about selling equipment,” Ascott said. “It is about supporting the people, projects and industries that make long-term progress possible.”
About Western Air
Western Air is a female-led Australian business supplying high-pressure air and booster technologies to the mining, drilling, energy and industrial sectors. Founded by Carly Ascott, the company supports projects across demanding and remote operating environments where reliability, performance and technical support are critical. Western Air works with major manufacturing partners, including Bobcat USA, to provide solutions that support exploration, extraction, energy development and Australia’s broader critical minerals supply chain.
Contact Details:
Contact Name: Carly Ascott
Website: https://www.westernairboost.com
Email: sales@westernair.net.au
SOURCE: Western Air
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