Building capability in SME manufacturers

The South Australian Government has granted Flinders University $4 million to establish a Manufacturing Growth Accelerator at the Tonsley Innovation District Factory of the Future site.

This new funding, to be provided in instalments over a four-year period, will allow the university’s Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI) to work with industry to accelerate the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies amongst the SME community.

It’s part of the South Australian Government’s broader $10 million commitment to bolster the state’s local manufacturing sector, equipping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the knowledge and technologies required to remain competitive in global supply chains.

Eligible businesses will have the opportunity to engage with the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator by participating in information sessions, bespoke accelerator projects, and/or Industry 4.0 assessment sessions.

Business planning for the Manufacturing Growth Accelerator is already underway, with the program’s launch scheduled for late 2022.

The Factory of the Future and Manufacturing Growth Accelerator are primed for engagement with more than 200 enterprises, generating projected employment opportunities for some 800 highly skilled jobs.

A foundation project has already begun with leading South Australian welding company K-Tig, which will be working with Flinders University researchers on trials of their innovative welding technology.

The South Australian Government’s $4 million will complement the $10 million recently pledged by the Australian Government in May 2022 to enable a significant expansion of the Factory of the Future facility.