Western Sydney will be at the heart of Australia’s high-tech manufacturing capability with the investment of AU$ 260 million in a national-first shared-use research facility to be built on the doorstep of the new Western Sydney International Airport. The full-scale Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) will be the focal point of the new Bradfield City Centre, the 115ha urban and employment area next to the airport.
The region’s Premier stated that the AMRF will be at the leading edge of Australia’s advanced manufacturing revolution helping to strengthen the region’s economy now and into the future. The Premier stated that the government is securing a brighter future for families and the country, right here in Western Sydney. The NSW Government is building what matters to make Western Sydney an even better place to live, work, learn, play and raise a family.
The AMRF will create new high-paying jobs of the future in Western Sydney by making Bradfield City Centre the national capital of advanced manufacturing bringing industry and universities together. The Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Minister for Western Sydney said the AMRF was planned to be operational in 2026.
It was noted that Western Sydney has one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing businesses in Australia. The AMRF will allow manufacturers from Western Sydney the support to transition to new ways of doing business, creating the high-value components for the next generation of space, aerospace, defence and medical technologies.
This means a greater number of jobs and further investment into Western Sydney. However, more importantly, the move places Western Sydney at the centre of some of the biggest global industrial trends of this century, the Minister said.
The region’s Treasurer stated that the facility will change the face of manufacturing in Australia on the doorstep of the new International Airport. He noted that the high-tech machines that are being purchased will provide businesses and researchers in Western Sydney access to some of the most advanced manufacturing technologies in the world. This investment will return dividends for the taxpayers of NSW through private investment and premium jobs as the new city and industries grow together.
Modelled on examples of successful precincts overseas, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield UK, the AMRF will have a manufacturing hall and collaborative workspaces. It will bring together businesses, engineers and researchers to prove out new technologies, scale up and commercialise.
The Western Parkland City Authority will also be releasing the first of an AU$ 23 million package of tenders for advanced manufacturing equipment to be installed in the pilot of the AMRF due to open in 2023. The first tender package, released this week by the Western Parkland City Authority, is for precision additive manufacturing equipment to be used in the aerospace, defence, automotive and medical industries.
Over the next 20 years, Australia’s manufacturing industry will evolve into a highly integrated, collaborative and export-focused ecosystem that provides high-value customised solutions within global value chains. The sector will focus on pre-production (design, R&D) and post-production (after-sales services) value-adding, sustainable manufacturing and low volume, high margin customised manufacturing.
There are immense strategic growth opportunities for Australia’s manufacturing sector. Turning them into reality will require significant technological innovation by public and private research communities. The key science and technology areas include:
- sensors and data analytics
- advanced materials
- smart robotics and automation
- additive manufacturing (3D printing)
- augmented and virtual reality
