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Seven small businesses in three states have secured Defence grants as part of the federal government’s efforts to bolster sovereign industrial capability.
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Grants totalling $7 million have been issued to businesses across South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria under the Commonwealth government’s Sovereign Industrial Capability Program (SICP).
The latest recipients include:
- Alfatron (SA), which has secured almost $1.4 million to establish a Printed Circuit Board Fabrication Line to support the sovereign manufacture of electronic technology;
- Bambach Wires & Cables (Victoria), which has secured over $1.2 million to enhance existing manufacturing capability to enable the manufacture of small, medium and large diameter low voltage silicone copper cables essential for use in submarine and shipbuilding;
- Craig International Ballistics (Queensland), which has secured over $1.2 million to invest in acquisition, installation and commissioning of autoclave technology for ballistic protection product manufacturing;
- Century Products (SA), which has secured almost $1.2 million to develop a production scale CNC line with complex milling and turning functionality for supply onto a number of land, sea and air programs.
- Mincham Aviation (SA), which has secured over $1 million to develop, manufacture and repair a range of aerospace and defence equipment, including aerial delivery systems, UAVs and naval components’
- Cryoclock (SA), which has secured just under $600,000 to build high-performance clocks and oscillators to provide a strategically critical technical function for Defence capability; and
- Consunet (SA), which has secured over $400,000 for the design, construction, accreditation and certification of multi-zoned facility to enable delivery, support and sustainment of sovereign projects.
These are the latest of almost 90 Australian SMEs to secure grants under the SICP, which has issued approximately $47 million since November 2018.
“The range of capabilities being developed by these latest grant recipients is a vital investment in our sovereign industrial base,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said.
“Their dedication and foresight is enabling the Australian Defence Force to maintain a leading edge and increase its self-reliance in an increasingly congested strategic environment.”
Minister Price concluded: “The SICP grants enable businesses to grow and encourage them to become involved and partners in our commitment to develop a strong, sustainable and secure Australian defence industry,”
[Related: Defence issues latest round of SICP grants]
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.
