$21 million investment sees Northern Territory advanced manufacturer launch specialty glass facility
The Northern Territory’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem reached a major milestone today with the opening of Northern Glass Solutions’ (NGS) state-of-the-art automated glass manufacturing facility in East Arm, Darwin.
The $21 million facility, supported in part by the Northern Territory Government and officially opened by Treasurer Bill Yan MLA and Minister for Advanced Manufacturing, Robyn Cahill OAM MLA, strengthens local manufacturing capability, improves supply chain resilience, and cuts lead times by bringing glass production 3,000 kilometres closer to the Territory.
Supported by the Northern Territory Government and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) through the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF), the facility will produce special-purpose products including triple- and quadruple-glazed, laminated, tempered, acoustic, fire-resistant, cyclone-resistant, safety, and bullet-resistant glass, the latter not previously manufactured in Australia.
The purpose-built facility represents a total commitment of $21 million by NGS in the Northern Territory. To date, more than $4.8 million in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment has been installed, enabling high-precision cutting, processing, and quality control previously unavailable locally.
In just over six months, the project has created 12 jobs for Territorians, including four office and technical roles in administration, scheduling, procurement, and technical support, and eight factory roles covering production, machine maintenance, quality control, and dispatch.
Jiayun Li, Owner of Northern Glass Solutions, said: “Without the support of the Northern Territory Government and AMGC, this diversification would not have been possible. Co-investment through the AMEF gave our project partners and investors the confidence to back a bold idea and build something entirely new for the Territory.”
Upon opening, NGS is supplying architects, builders, engineers, window fabricators, and property developers with a broad product range, including NTough, VistaLam, ZenPane Acoustic, InsulPane, DuoPane, ClimaLam, ClimaSmart, ResiShield, SentriShield, PatternaPane, HuesPane, ArtiPane, and N Mirrors, covering high-performance, acoustic, safety, and decorative glass needs.
NGS will also collaborate with the Australian Glass & Window Association, James Cook University and RMIT University to research, prototype and test special-purpose glass products for cooling climate zones and cyclonic regions. Through its newly established in-house R&D capability and these partnerships, NGS will leverage leading expertise and the latest research to strengthen innovation and advanced manufacturing capability in the NT glass industry.
The Honourable Robyn Cahill OAM MLA, NT Minister for Advanced Manufacturing, Trade, Business and Asian Relations said: “Northern Glass Solutions project is a great example of how a business can diversify its services to not only fill a gap in the market but to also build regionally important capabilities. This project is driving real industry growth, which is in turn creating real opportunities for Territorians, now and into the future.”
As part of the project, NGS received a $668,072 co-investment from the NT Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF), administered by AMGC. NGS matched the co-investment in cash and contributed an additional $4.1 million, bringing the total project value to $5.4 million.
Northern Territory Treasurer, Bill Yan MLA said: “Today’s opening shows what is possible when local industry backs the Northern Territory and the Territory Government backs industry. Through targeted investments via the AMEF, we are growing the local economy, creating skilled jobs, and strengthening supply chain resilience for major projects across the north.”
With strong local and export potential to the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, the NGS project is expected to generate $12.6 million in new revenue and 22 jobs within five years.
AMGC Director for the Northern Territory Charmaine Phillips said: “The success of the AMEF program demonstrates how targeted co-investment can unlock private sector confidence, accelerate advanced manufacturing capability, and deliver long-term economic benefits for the Northern Territory.”
Northern Glass Solutions is one of 16 projects to receive co-investment through AMEF. Since the program’s launch in 2021, AMEF has injected $32.1 million into NT manufacturing, supporting over 310 new jobs and generating more than $163 million in revenue over five years. Over the same period, AMGC has undertaken more than 700 stakeholder engagements, almost 200 site visits, 25 regional visits, and 140 interstate engagements, strengthening industry connections and capability across the Northern Territory.
Further project details are available at: https://www.amgc.org.au/media-releases/multi-million-dollar-nt-manufacturing-investment-creates-a-window-to-a-more-prosperous-future/
