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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.
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]
