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A Melbourne-based manufacturer has signed an export agreement with a LAND 400 Phase 2 contender to supply Australian-made products for armoured vehicle programs in Germany and Lithuania.
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Under the agreement, Cablex is manufacturing and supplying power distribution boxes for Rheinmetall's BOXER program supplying more than 400 armoured vehicles to the German Bundeswehr. These electronic boxes control various electrical functions in the BOXER vehicle.
The German Armed Forces already have more than 400 Boxer vehicles in different variants in use or in the procurement process. The Cablex contract is the second the company has signed for this fleet of vehicles, with the first agreement signed in September 2016.
Cablex, which recently opened an office in Poland, also signed a contract last year for the manufacture and supply of electrical wiring harnesses for the BOXER Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) Project in Lithuania. The company has now signed a second contract for the supply of additional cabling for the same project, the wire harnesses incorporating a wide variety of electrical cable assemblies for the electrical power and signal distribution system in the BOXER vehicle.
The Republic of Lithuania and ARTEC – a joint venture between RMMV and KMW – have signed a contract for the procurement of 88 BOXER vehicles in four IFV versions called “VILKAS” within the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The IFVs will be equipped with a remote controlled turret with a 30mm cannon and an anti-tank missile.
Rheinmetall is offering its BOXER CRV in Australia for the LAND 400 Phase 2 program, as well as into the UK through the ARTEC joint venture bidding for the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) program. Both programs are expected to draw on Cablex expertise and products should BOXER be downselected.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director Gary Stewart said a commitment to innovation, capability and high performance enabled Cablex to compete against international competitors to secure international contracts.
"Cablex has demonstrated how Australian manufacturing capability can open up new and exciting opportunities for local SMEs in offshore markets under our global supply chain agreement," Stewart said.
"This comes at a critical time for many Australian companies seeking new markets and Rheinmetall’s worldwide leadership in the military vehicles sector will provide a new pathway to global markets."
Cablex founder and CEO Michael Zimmer said these contracts were a result of the good relationship between the two companies and represented a major milestone for Cablex in its push into the European market.
"We have an excellent relationship with Rheinmetall and I am delighted that the work we have done so far on the Boxer in Germany and Lithuania has resulted in a greater role for us going forward," Zimmer said.
"Cablex is a global specialist in our field we look forward to further increasing our presence both in Australia and around the world."
Cablex is among companies from NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia that form part of the Rheinmetall LAND 400 Phase 2 team. Each company will deliver a range of products and services to support the manufacture of the BOXER CRV if it is selected by the government. The additional companies include Wollongong-based Bisalloy, Burnie-based Direct Edge, Brisbane-based G&O Kert, Melbourne-based Hilton Manufacturing, Perth-based Hofmann Engineering, Melbourne-based Nezkot Precision Tooling and Engineering, Adelaide-based Plasteel and Adelaide-based Redarc.
Rheinmetall said these local SME partners will also be included in the Rheinmetall global supply chain, enabling each to export their industry leading technologies globally.
