The firearms manufacturer has entered into a partnership with global counterparts to bolster its market presence.
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Lithgow Arms has partnered with Fuller Global and Outdoor Sporting Agencies (OSA) in a bid to ramp up distribution of its products in the global marketplace.
The partnership builds on Lithgow Arms’ six-year relationship with OSA, a wholesale distributor of the local manufacturer’s sporting rifles in Australia.
Lithgow Arms currently exports its CrossOver and Woomera firearms to 14 countries around the world, with the new partnership anticipating growth in overall sales of 300 per cent within the first two years.
This is tipped to generate a possible 40-50 new jobs, while also supporting the current 140 jobs in regional NSW.
“Fuller Global and Outdoor Sporting Agencies operates in all major international sporting shooter markets, and appreciates the multimillion-dollar investment by Lithgow Arms in jobs, facilities and plant & equipment to achieve this production growth to meet international sales opportunities," David Fuller, principal of OSA, said.
Graham Evenden, managing director of Lithgow Arms, said the enhance partnership could support investment in future capability.
“By growing our export markets with our partner, OSA, we will not only be able to showcase Australian made sporting firearms capability on a global stage, but also reinvest in future capability for the domestic market and grow local jobs,” Evenden said.
This comes as Lithgow Arms, owned by global defence prime Thales Australia, commences construction of a new facility, delivering an advanced manufacturing 4.0 and integration hub to facilitate the development of future locally designed weapons systems.
The facility, supported by a $6.5 million investment by Thales, will be designed to syncretise both traditional and modern manufacturing capabilities, including 3D printing, automated electro-plating and metal treatment capabilities.
It is expected that the new facility will further include purpose-built live fire test and evaluation integrations to enable system qualification tests, and enhance research into digitised small-arms weapons systems.
[Related: Thales Australia to commence Lithgow Arms facility upgrade in February]