A message from Jens Goennemann

The recently announced Modern Manufacturing Strategy represents a remarkable opportunity for the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry. There is a clear realisation and recognition that manufacturing is a core capability of any strong economy. A capability that spans across all sectors while emphasising six National Manufacturing Priorities. It cannot get any better, and for further details on these priorities, be sure to take a look at this month’s AMGC News column.

The Prime Minister saw the value in addressing the entire country, and updating the Australian people, in his last formal speech before the 2020-2021 Budget on why manufacturing matters, and the power it holds to advance our country.

With a total investment of $1.5 billion by the Federal Government, the Modern Manufacturing Strategy will build scale and capture income from high-value areas of manufacturing. Fully in line with AMGC research, it will help Australian manufacturers transform to become more resilient and better able to take advantage of the opportunities in global export markets.

As part of the Strategy, AMGC will receive an additional $30 million in funding to continue supporting projects in priority areas (in consultation with the other five Industry Growth Centres as it should be). Our business model, our research, and our so far 80 projects have a wide-reaching impact—they create higher paying jobs and over $1.2 billion in revenue growth.

The Manufacturing Modernisation Fund is set to receive $52.8 million for a second round of funding that will focus on larger projects. AMGC chaired the committee during the first round of funding, to help bring the grants into impactful allocation. The second round of funding is sure to be just as effective, helping manufacturers to invest in cutting-edge technologies.

In almost five years, AMGC has focussed on helping to transform Australia’s manufacturing, particularly at the SME level, of which our industry has so many. As an aggregate, AMGC’s member network, now over 2,500-strong, can be a powerful collective force. By collaborating, and speaking with a unified voice, we can build a bold manufacturing industry. One that is agile and responsive, that delivers technically superior products and services, that competes on value—not on cost—to remain competitive on the global stage.

With an exciting road ahead for Australian manufacturing, AMGC is proud to be industry-led and industry-first—we look forward to continuing to represent all of you – and to help you scale.