Australia’s Advanced Manufacturing capabilities include:

  • leading research institutions
  • innovative critical and enabling technologies
  • strong support from government initiatives to enhance its global competitiveness.
  • government funding programs like Australia’s A$15 billion National Reconstruction Fund (NRF). This has over A$1Billion committed to developing advanced manufacturing, plus A$1Billion to develop critical technologies.
  • newly created Future Made in Australia Act. This will bring together a package of initiatives to  boost investment and boost domestic manufacturing.

Australia is known for its capabilities in automation, advanced materials, nanotechnology, robotics, 3D printing, automotive components manufacturing and quantum computing. Being process winners they make use of technology, so they can operate with greater capital intensity. 

Australia's niche expertise

With institutions such the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and world leading universities, Australia is a hub of technological advancement. We have a skilled workforce, with access and availability to natural resources such as minerals and metals essential for manufacturing. Our focus on sustainability, means that Australia is at the forefront on developing and implementing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in manufacturing.

Investors will discover a strategic location for advanced manufacturing. Australia is a springboard for exports into the Asia-Pacific region.

Australia welcomes investment in advanced manufacturing. There is strong domestic demand for advanced manufacturing in energy, infrastructure, defence, aerospace, health and agrifood. Investors benefit from:

  • access to locally sourced materials, including critical minerals
  • a deep talent pool of engineers and materials scientists
  • strategic access to customers in key export markets
  • world-leading research and development (R&D) and advanced manufacturing hubs.

Investors also benefit from sustained support, through Australia’s NRF. Enabling technologies is one of the 7 strategic focuses of NRF funding.

Australian companies have been successful on a global stage in the areas of defence, precision engineering, 3D printing, autonomous systems, composites, robotics and AI. We have cross sectoral applications into Defence, Health, Mining and Space sectors. Australia contributes significantly to global supply chains and generates innovative solutions.

  • Adelaide-based FCT Combustion designs and makes burner systems for furnaces and kilns. FCT Combustion expertise in kiln burners to produce low emission ‘calcined clay’ as a partial substitute for clinker can reduce cement emissions by 40%. FCT Combustion currently responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide.
  • REDARC Electronics has 40 years’ experience in the research, design, development and manufacture full range of electronic components that improve capability, safety, and flexibility of a variety of vehicles and applications across automotive, defence, and mining sectors worldwide.
  • Rhima is an Australian owned company specialising in high end equipment washing systems, with supply a range of medical, Industrial and Commercial washing equipment off the shelf or custom built to your specifications, successfully entered to SEA market recently.

How we can help

Incentives, grants and support

Australia will commit A$1 billion of the National Reconstruction Fund to advanced manufacturing. We will also commit $1.5 billion to medical manufacturing and A$1 billion to critical technologies.

NSW’s 20 year roadmap includes building two world-class facilities, Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility and Australia’s first ever commercial- scale viral vector Manufacturing facility.

Snapshot


Earnings

Grew A$7.6 billion and 17.8% in 2021-22, with A$118 billion foreign direct investment into the sector in 2022.


Expertise

Australia is home to 12 of the world’s top 200 institutions for materials science.


Employment

927,000 Australians were employed in manufacturing in March 2023. 

Sources:

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (December 2023)
  2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (December 2023)
  3. QS World University Rankings for Materials Sciences 2023 | Top Universities

Collaborative efforts between industry, academia, and government have fostered innovation in areas such as additive manufacturing, robotics, and automation. Additionally, initiatives such as the Modern Manufacturing Strategy aim to further boost Australia's competitiveness in the global manufacturing landscape.

Australia seeks to grow and attract best-in-class technologies. This will trigger innovation across Australia’s economy and boost productivity. Our goals include:

  • an increase in sovereign manufacturing capabilities
  • exports of higher value products
  • improved manufacturing competitiveness
  • world-leading robotics and automation.

Our entrepreneurs solve manufacturing challenges through fresh design and home-grown technology. Demand comes from our biggest industries, including energy, infrastructure, defence, aerospace, space, health and agrifood. Our success is built on:

  • Australia has a competitive, productive and highly resilient advanced manufacturing ecosystem with high-energy collaboration networks working together across various sectors to develop world leading technologies. CSIRO conducting cutting edge R&D in materials science, robotics, additive manufacturing and other technologies crucial for advanced manufacturing processes. 
  • Lab 22, Innovation Centre for Additive Manufacturing provides a comprehensive array of equipment and technologies accessible by industry for production purposes.The Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites Cooperative Research Centre (SoMAC CRC) at the RMIT University is a national consortium of universities and industry partners by providing relevant training and education of the workforce aligned to composites.
  • Advanced Fibre Cluster: An initiative of highly innovative companies and organisations centred around Deakin University and the region, accelerating the growth of Australian advanced fibre and composites capabilities.

Innovations hubs and tech hotspots include:

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