Our Projects

Plastic bottle redesign

Project description and overview:

Marco Engineering have partnered with their customer and the University of Queensland to undertake an intensive and fast-tracked design project with the objective of redesigning and relaunching their plastic bottle range on the market. It will be the world’s first 100% leak proof plastic bottle under most conditions of use such as position, temperature, etc. In addition to reflecting a modern design language, Marco Engineering will use full root cause analysis (RCA) techniques to focus on improving its usability, reliability, longevity and value for money from better features and benefits.

The Marco Engineering USP is their ability to compete on value by understanding and providing their customers with an end-to-end solution. By being integrated in the customer’s process from initial concept, they take the opportunity to ensure every efficiency in the product and manufacturing process is exploited to the benefit of the company, the customer, the distribution partners, and the consumer. By designing and then harnessing these efficiencies, the products that travel through Marco Engineering have an inherent price and value advantage over offshore manufacturing.

This project seeks to be an exemplar to counter import penetration trend by demonstrating the use of Australia’s high skilled labour to provide design modifications which will result in:

  • A better quality product for the customer – one aspect in particular will be Marco Engineering’s ability to produce a clear cup compared with the current cloudy cup supplied by their Chinese manufacturer
  • A more efficient manufacturing process with reduced rework
  • An enhanced safety reputation for the customer due the “Made in Australia” provenance

Marco Engineering intend to set the standard for Australian manufacturing sector by demonstrating the positive impact that can be created by adopting modern technology to compete with offshore manufacturers. With China becoming less attractive as a manufacturing destination due to rapid wage inflation, and a concurrent rise in artificial intelligence and automation, many successful businesses are now considering reshoring their manufacturing to Australia.

EXPECTED IMPACT

  • Advanced processes achieved through greater access to STEM skills, competing on value not on cost
  • Higher spending on R&D to keep production on shore
  • Increased market spend to relaunch bottles to the market
  • Increased collaboration with the University of Queensland on the product redesign
  • Higher product value based on many production factors

EXPECTED GROWTH

  • $300,000 in estimated sales in 2018, as customers transition from manufacturing in China
  • $20 million per year in sales, in 2019 and thereafter

EXPECTED JOBS

  • When the project is operating at full capacity:
    • Two engineers
    • Six robotic operators
    • Six automated packaging operators
    • 30 semi-skilled logistics and plant operators
Contributions:

Government Funds: $221,000 | Industry: $221,000

Project Collaborators