$5.3m commitment to power RCR’s wind manufacturing hub in Western Australia

With assistance from the Western Australian Government, RCR Advanced Technologies, part of the half-century-old RCR Mining Technologies, will undertake a $5.31 million project to drive a transition into the growing wind energy sector.

Leveraging the company’s deep manufacturing experience in materials handling products for the resources sector, the company will pilot manufacturing innovative transition flanges, modernise its Bunbury operations to seize new market opportunities, and play a key role in supporting Western Australia’s broader energy transition.

The 18-month project will deliver two key outcomes. It will enable RCR to develop local capability in producing transition flanges – a critical component in the base of wind towers that connects the turbine tower to its foundation and are currently sourced from overseas. It will also make further use of investments in advanced machinery, such as robotic welding and painting cells, as well as an upskilled workforce to target the future refurbishment of wind turbine components like gearboxes and drive shafts.

To support the company’s diversification, $2.05 million in co-funding has been awarded via the Western Australian Government’s Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program initiative, designed and delivered in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).

The project will link RCR with global wind energy manufacturer Vestas. In addition, RCR has held early discussions with renewable energy project developer Green Wind Renewables on possible future involvement in their large portfolio. Green Wind Renewables is currently developing a number of large-scale wind farms in the South West Interconnected System.

The transition flanges that RCR are manufacturing represent an impressive solution that meets a current challenge: the scale of base sections for wind towers, reaching around 5.5 metres in diameter, and the logistical challenges at our ports associated with importing these for onshore wind farm projects.

“This project will have a significant positive impact in the area we operate in and offers opportunities for us, our workforce, and the region to adapt,” said Neville Kelly, RCR Advanced Technologies Manager.

“RCR is in a prime position to upskill local workers and provide employment related to modern energy sources, while leveraging our mining sector heritage in engineering projects to meet burgeoning demand from the onshore wind energy supply chain in Western Australia.”

The project is expected to create 48 jobs and $36 million in revenue at RCR over the next five years.

Western Australia’s Industry Minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, said: “RCR Mining Technologies is harnessing its strong track record in manufacturing by expanding its capabilities and creating new jobs to deliver critical components for the growing wind energy sector.

“Through the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, we’re enabling local companies to scale up, invest in advanced equipment, and secure their place in global clean energy supply chains.

“This project demonstrates the WA Government’s commitment to building a competitive, future-focused manufacturing base that drives decarbonisation and creates quality jobs for Western Australians.”

Administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), RCR’s project is the second business to receive co-investment through via the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, which was launched in late 2024. Across all projects to date, the program has spurred manufacturing activity, which is expected to create over 70 new jobs and generate almost $54 million in new revenues for the State’s economy in its first five years.

Program and State Director for the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), Ellen McGarrity, said: “Through this program, AMGC aims to highlight the real opportunities in growing manufacturing capability. RCR is leveraging its expertise in heavy, precision-engineered equipment to deliver a locally unmatched solution for a new customer base,

“RCR is extending its heritage, reducing supply-chain complexity and delivery times, and helping address demands from industry and the state for the clean energy this era will be powered by.”

Applications to the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program are open, continuous, and competitive until available funding has been exhausted. The co-investment program consists of two streams:

• Market entry stream: Capability-focused, indicative project size $20K-$60K (co-investment contribution $10K-$30K). This stream supports pre-qualification and accreditation processes, niche software, process improvement and alike.
• Market growth stream: capacity and capability focused, including capital and/or operating expenditure. Indicative project size $500K-$1 million (Co-investment contribution $250K-$500K). This stream supports plant and equipment enhancement (up to 25% of total project cost), R&D projects to create a competitive advantage, and associated investment in ‘market entry’ projects.

Manufacturers interested in applying for funds under either of the two program streams can access written guidelines and a pre-recorded webinar via https://www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/

Program details, eligibility criteria and application portal can also be found at:  www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/

Over the past eight years, AMGC has facilitated more than 500 national collaborations and co-funded over 161 industry projects, while creating more than 4,300 jobs across the country. It has invested over $137 million of combined industry and Government funds into manufacturing projects, resulting in an estimated $1.62 billion in additional national revenue.