SUTHERLAND Shire’s push to establish a centre for robots and robotic advanced manufacturing based at Lucas Heights received praise at a federal government level last week.
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The idea was the motivating force behind the Forum on Advanced Manufacturing held by business advocacy group ShireBiz and the Southern Strength Agile Manufacturing Network last Thursday at the Royal Motor Yacht Club at Burraneer.
ShireBiz has been pursuing its vision of an advanced manufacturing business centre based in the Lucas Heights and Barden Ridge area for the past 18 months.
The idea was praised by the federal MP Bob Baldwin, the parliamentary secretary for the Minister for Industry, who was keynote speaker at the forum which was attended by more than 100 business leaders.
Mr Baldwin said the idea to establish an advanced manufacturing business centre in Sutherland sat ‘‘squarely on the page with our national agenda’’.
‘‘The proposal to produce robots and robotic components at a new centre at Lucas Heights will enable new and established local businesses to strengthen their expertise in additive manufacturing (3D printing of components), advanced materials science, nanotechnology, nuclear science and information and communication technologies,’’ he said.
"Lucas Heights is ideal as it already hosts a nucleus of science and technology providers including ANSTO, CSIRO and the University of Wollongong's Australian Centre for electro-materials sciences."
Mr Baldwin said the idea of an advanced manufacturing centre in the shire fitted in with the federal government's plan to established five industry growth centres at a cost of $188 million.
The five promising industries the growth centres will focus on are food and agribusiness; mining equipment, technology and services; oil, gas and energy resources; medical technologies and pharmaceuticals; and advanced manufacturing.
"The government wants to concentrate its push for growth in target sectors like advanced manufacturing," Mr Baldwin said.
"To see the potential for success we need not look beyond the shire's boundaries."
Speakers at the forum included Steven Britton of Britton Marine, Kevin Cullen of Braseight, Professor Gordon Wallace of University of Western Sydney, Dr Paul Di Pietro of ANSTO and Dr Sam Bucolo from UTS.
Mr Britton said Australian companies were already in the field right across the spectrum of robotic drones used in various areas.
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