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Wangaratta-based Pentarch Industrial has signed a $15 million contract with Defence, after incorporating new technologies to reuse ammunition containers, Defence Industry Minister Melissa price has announced.
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The regional Victorian company has been awarded a six-year contract to continue to supply, refurbish and recycle ammunition containers, which will save the Australian Defence Force from having to import new containers from overseas.
The company offers specialised, environmentally acceptable solutions to the disposal of munitions and other hazardous goods, and supplies a wide range of ammunition packaging. Services provided include:
- Small arms and medium calibre ammunition disposal
- Disposal of hazardous goods and pyrotechnics
- Ammunition packaging management, production and refurbishment
Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said that Pentarch’s ability to reuse containers was a fine example of Australian ingenuity in manufacturing.
“Defence has had a long and successful relationship with Pentarch Industrial, and this new contract will continue to directly support Defence capability and sustain 13 jobs in regional Victoria,” said Minister Price.
“Currently, there are over 800,000 containers in circulation used by Defence to store and transport small arms ammunition and pyrotechnics, such as flares and countermeasures.
“The quality and condition of the ammunition containers is critical as they protect the explosive ordnance and munitions from the environment, and ensure the safety of Australian Defence Force personnel.
“Pentarch’s system enables containers to be reused rather than Defence having to resort to importing new containers from overseas.”
The partnership with Pentarch Industrial was borne out of the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Industry Plan for Munitions and Small Arms Research, Design, Development and Manufacture released by the Morrison government last year. Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities are capabilities that are critical to Defence and must be developed or supported by Australian industry.
Pentarch Industrial collects used steel packaging, M2A1, M19A1, M548 and PA125 from all the depots around Australia for inspection and refurbishment. Boxes tested and found unfit for refurbishment are sent to metal recycling facilities.
Since 1996, Pentarch has also worked on ammunition and other hazardous goods disposal for Defence and other government and private clients, on ammunition as small as 9mm and 5.56mm through various calibres up to and including specialist 105mm artillery ammunition.
