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Quickstep Holdings’ export success has been rewarded with a win at the NSW Premier’s Export Awards in the NSW Defence Industries category.
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Bankstown-based advanced composites manufacturer Quickstep Holdings is celebrating the win, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Trade and Investment Niall Blair welcoming the company's export success.
"We’ve got export champions that have been awarded right across our economy – from our defence, agribusiness, manufacturing and mining sectors to health, digital technologies, education, creative industries and more," Minister Blair said.
Quickstep has enjoyed a variety of key export successes for 2018, with a series of contract wins, collaborations and contract expansions on key projects with major global industry partners responsible for driving the Quickstep's growth, including:
- Boeing Defense: Quickstep continued the development for two new small contracts from Boeing Defense for F-15 and F-18 components – these contracts add a new tier one customer and business platforms and part families to Quickstep's key portfolios;
- General Atomics: Quickstep is partnering with General Atomics as part of the Team Reaper tender for remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems. The partnership is progressing and may lead to additional project opportunities and collaboration with General Atomics;
- Airbus: Quickstep is now an approved supplier to Airbus in Australia and the south Pacific. This will allow Quickstep to formally quote for new business with Airbus in Australia Pacific; and
- US market: Quickstep appointed a senior business development leader in Q4, who will be US-based. This will allow for more regular and deeper engagement with existing and potential new US customers.
- Lockheed Martin awarded Quickstep the sole supplier of composite wing flaps for the C-130J 'Super Hercules' military transport aircraft;
- Quickstep’s initial five-year memorandum of agreement (MoA) extends through to 2019 in line with Lockheed Martin's C-130J Multiyear II contract with the US Department of Defense;
- Discussions are underway for a further five-year contract for the period 2020 to 2024; and
- The business supplies wing flaps in shipsets, which comprise of four main structures – an inner and outer left and right flap. Spares supplied can be a partial shipset (one-quarter) through to a full shipset.
- Over the life of the JSF program, Quickstep will manufacture and supply more than $1 billion in JSF composite components and assemblies;
- The F-35 Lightning II JSF program is the world’s largest military aerospace program, valued in excess of US$300 billion;
- Quickstep is the key supplier globally to Northrop Grumman for 21 JSF components including doors, panels, skins and other composite parts; and
- Quickstep will also supply 700 sets of vertical tail parts over 14 years under an agreement with BAE Systems’ supplier, Marand Precision Engineering.
Quickstep CEO and managing director Mark Burgess welcomed the award, saying, "We are absolutely honoured and delighted that Quickstep has been awarded the NSW Defence Exporter of the Year at the NSW Premier's Awards."
The export success of Quickstep has allowed for closer collaboration with TAFE NSW to help develop Australia's sovereign defence industry capabilities through increased trade training; all new manufacturing employees commencing at Quickstep will attend TAFE NSW Padstow to complete 10 units of competency from the Certificate III in Polymer Processing.
"This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Quickstep team and we are pleased that we have been recognised for our defence export achievements and our contribution to NSW’s economy and job creation in the state. We are extremely proud that we have been presented this prestigious award," Burgess said.
The Premier's NSW Export Awards is an annual program that aims to recognise excellence in the export of goods and services by NSW business. The awards acknowledge the important contribution of businesses to the economy through job creation and increased prosperity for the community and for the state.
Premier’s NSW Export Awards winners from the 13 industry categories automatically progress as national finalists to the Australian Export Awards. The Australian Export Awards is a national program where industry winners from all states and territories compete for an Australian industry award, including the coveted Australian Exporter of the Year.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
