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Australian defence satellite communications specialist Blacktree Technology has unveiled a new electronics workshop in Western Australia.
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The official opening was attended by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh and federal member for Swan Zaneta Mascarenhas alongside local dignitaries and industry partners at the major expansion of its manufacturing capabilities in Belmont.
City of Belmont mayor Robert Rossi, Dylan Devenish from the Australian Space Agency, and representatives from Blacktree’s local SME suppliers also attended the event. Notably, approximately 90 per cent of Blacktree’s manufacturing supply chain is based in Western Australia.
“The strategic challenges our nation faces demand innovative capabilities and a robust industrial base. Blacktree Technology exemplifies how integrating veteran expertise with cutting-edge technology addresses these needs,” Minister Keogh said.
Located within Blacktree’s existing Belmont business and manufacturing facilities, the new electronics workshop will enhance Blacktree’s production resilience by consolidating electronics assembly and advanced manufacturing in-house.
It will also bolster Blacktree’s innovative capabilities by providing an onsite research and development testing capacity and contribute to the ongoing upskilling of Blacktree’s workforce. Forty per cent of the Blacktree team are veterans and 25 per cent of those veterans are active reservists.
“Building our future in Australia is all about tapping into local talent and making sure everyone gains from it,” Mascarenhas said.
“Since 90 per cent of Blacktree’s supply chain is right here in WA, local small and medium-sized businesses get a chance to benefit from the export opportunities created by Blacktree.”
Blacktree’s cutting-edge ultra high frequency SATCOM products play a vital role for the Australian Defence Force and international allies, including in Europe.
“The opening of our new electronics workshop is a major milestone in our innovation journey. It significantly boosts our capabilities and allows us to better meet the rising demand for our advanced solutions both within Australia and globally,” Blacktree Technology chief financial officer and director Joel Nevin said.
In the 2022–23 financial year, Blacktree achieved nearly 400 per cent growth in export sales, serving commercial and defence facilities across Asia, Europe and North America.
