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Eight Australian SMEs have been awarded grants totalling over $3.4 million as part of the federal government’s ongoing commitment to enhancing sovereign capability.
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Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price has announced the recipients of the latest round of Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority grants.
The grants, totalling over $3.4 million, have been awarded to eight SMEs from across the country.
The largest grant ($1 million) was awarded to Victoria-based firm Amiga Engineering, to help fund its delivery of 3D printed Defence products.
The eight grant recipients include:
|
Company |
Grant amount |
Grant funding purpose |
State |
|
Terra Schwartz |
$421,432 |
Purchase of capital equipment and funding of direct labour costs to develop a 100 per cent Australian sovereign cyber-worthiness system. |
ACT |
|
Profluid |
$110,269 |
Purchase, integration and commission of specialised machinery required to establish sovereign capabilities for current shipbuilding programs and future sustainment needs. |
WA |
|
B.E. Switchcraft |
$109,492 |
Purchase and commission of new capital equipment that will enable additional switchboard manufacturing work to be completed in-house and more efficiently.
|
SA |
|
Amiga Engineering |
$1 million |
Fund factory improvements and purchase new capital equipment to continue the delivery of 3D printed Defence products.
|
VIC |
|
Weld Australia |
$89,400 |
Undertaking of the necessary training and activities to become qualified and accredited to deliver DIN2303 certification to the fusion welding of metallic materials.
|
NSW |
|
Penten |
$523,687 |
Construction of a secure facility fitted with supporting information communications technology (ICT) infrastructure.
|
ACT |
|
Australian Performance Vehicles |
$657,320 |
Expansion of current commercial testing services to support Australia's defence industry with specialist engineering, and test and evaluation services.
|
VIC |
|
Gilmour Space Technologies |
$553,819 |
Development of a large-scale composite and metal alloy structural testing facility, with testing capabilities beyond the scope of existing facilities in Australia.
|
QLD |
“It is bringing a welding accreditation to Australia, developing Australian supply chains for the LAND 400 Phase 2 project and beyond, and ensuring we have the skills in Australia to deliver and sustain critical defence capabilities.”
Minister Price made particular reference to the grants awarded to Penten, Australian Performance Vehicles, and Gilmour Space Technologies, which would help fund infrastructure upgrades.
“Gilmour Space Technologies’ testing facility will ensure the safety and reliability of Defence platforms and vehicles across a range of domains, and enhance Australia’s sovereign ability to gain maximum benefit from our capability,” Minister Price said.
“Penten’s grant will support the construction of a secure facility fitted with information communications technology infrastructure.
“I was fortunate enough to visit Penten in Canberra in November and witness first-hand the important work it is doing to help ensure the ADF maintains its capability edge well into the future.”
The grants program is part of a broader government strategy aimed at fostering innovation to improve industry’s competitiveness and secure local supply chains.
SMEs are invited to submit grant applications at any time through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability.
[Related: Defence issues new export grants to three SMEs]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
