Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins visited the Hanwha Defence Australia stand at the 2024 Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition to announce the successful recipients of rounds 3 and 4 of the Supply Chain Uplift Program (SCUP).

Funding of $827,000 has been awarded to 13* Victorian businesses to help them better compete for and win projects as part of the supply chain for Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) and other major defence businesses – creating new jobs, export opportunities, and attracting investment to Victoria.

The successful companies in these two rounds includes:

1. Amiga Engineering P/L

2. Anywise Consulting

3. Brockman Engineering

4. Copamate

5. Corvus Technology Solutions

6. Diamond Defence

7. Electric Motor Power

8. NanoCube

9. Parish Engineering

10. Secure Bits

11. Sutton Tools

12. Tickford Racing

“The Supply Chain Uplift Program is giving our local manufacturers the best shot at securing new contracts – creating new jobs for Victorians and boosting our economy,” Minister Hutchins said.

The matched co-funded grants of up to $100,000 will support manufacturers to undertake business improvement projects, such as systems or facility upgrades, obtaining necessary industry accreditations, and further research and product development programs.

“Working with the Victorian Government to support our two key defence programs means that these SMEs are able to work with us and also on other defence programs, truly uplifting the capabilities and capacities of the sector to complete both here and in Australia,” HDA Acting Managing Director Dean Michie said.

Since 2021, the Victorian Government’s $10 million Victorian Land Systems Fund and Supply Chain Uplift Program have funded business improvement projects at 22 small and medium sized Victorian businesses.

“The support provided by the Victorian Government through SCUP has enabled Diamond Defence to establish a world leading capability in Australia for the Australian defence industry,” Dr Steven Trpkovski Managing Director, Diamond Defence, said.

So far, over $1.3 million has been awarded to enable companies to engage in activities such as modernising manufacturing processes, purchasing equipment and gaining certifications and accreditations to work in the defence sector.

Victoria’s capabilities in advanced manufacturing, workforce talent and defence-related research and development contributes around $8.4 billion annually to the Victorian economy and employs over 24,300 workers.

“The support from the Victorian Government to help uplift its Defence industry has been a massive help to our efforts here in Australia,” Mr Michie said. “The opening of the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in August this year demonstrates our commitment to Victoria, the Department of Defence and our supply chain partners.”

For more information on the SCUP grant program, head to business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/victorian-land-systems-fund-supply-chain-uplift-program.

* one company has requested not to be named.

Rheinmetall, one of the largest Defence prime contractors in Australia, is building on the success of the existing Maintenance and Support Partnership established with RGM Maintenance Townsville for the Medium Heavy Capability by joining with Defence prime contractor, Supacat, to ensure a maintenance footprint across Australia.

Nathan Poyner, Managing Director, Rheinmetall Defence Australia, said the signing of the deed of agreement in 2022 was the first step in providing original equipment manufacturer supported maintenance in regions where the vehicles are located.

“These new strategic partnerships aim to reduce total cost of ownership to the Commonwealth and bring ongoing secure jobs, training and sovereign industrial capability to the regions.” 

“The deed brings together both organisations of working in region on the Medium Heavy Capability services for logistic vehicles as part of the Australian Defence Force’s Land 121 program, at RGM premises in Townsville.”

“Recently, Rheinmetall has added two additional partners, RGM Maintenance Darwin and Supacat Perth, a world leading design and technology organisation specialising in high mobility defence vehicles.” 

“These partnerships grow Rheinmetall’s ability to support the Commonwealth of Australia and allied nations, in regions where HX logistic vehicles are located with specialist expertise through the deployment of Field Service Representatives (FSRs) and assistance from technical experts.”

“The agreements allow our partners to provide value-for-money light and medium grade repairs and FSR supported heavy grade repair where the vehicles are located with OEM support.”

“Rheinmetall also gains valuable insights in to how vehicles are performing by utilising these existing trade repair relationships,” Mr Poyner added.

Mr Poyner said that representatives from both organisations participated in a course delivered by Rheinmetall trainers at facilities in regional Victoria on the HX platform focussing on systems, documentation and the associated diagnostic tools across all vehicle variants from the 40M to the 45M Heavy Recovery.

Bruce Tait, Supacat Managing Director, said, “We are delighted to continue to expand our relationship with Rheinmetall to include supporting the HX logistics vehicles from our Support Centre in Perth.” 

“Rheinmetall’s training and support program means that we are confident of being able to support the Rheinmetall vehicles with the same responsiveness and competency that we apply to our own vehicles.  Our focus remains on continuously evolving the capability and availability of Army’s vehicle fleets as it transitions to a literal and amphibious force,” Mr Tait said.

RGM Maintenance Business Development Manager, Mick Ferguson, said RGM had heavy vehicle operations throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory and has a 20+ year history of service provision to the ADF.

“RGM’s support to Rheinmetall reduces maintenance lead times for the ADF’s Land 121 fleet in region, putting vehicles back in the hands of ADF operators sooner,” Mr Ferguson said.