Defence Industry Forum

Last Friday’s Defence Industry Forum saw the launch of the ‘Wollongong Defence Advantage Strategy’, a joint venture between i3net and Advantage Wollongong.

The ‘Wollongong Defence Advantage Strategy’ has two specific components that will relate to i3net members. The first of which will be an Industry Capability Mapping Program that will include assistance to help each company develop a Department of Defence compliant Capability Quad Chart and the second phase will be a submarine grade welding bench-marking study through the Defence Material Technology Centre (DMTC) within the University of Wollongong.

As part of the strategy, former Bisalloy Steel managing director Robert Terpening has been engaged as a facilitator by Advantage Wollongong to help businesses meet the demands of defence.

Mr Terpening recently said the federal government was planning to spend as much as $195 billion in the coming years.

“The amount of investment in defence spending going forward, the Illawarra’s got to get some of it,” Mr Terpening said.

“There’s a fair bit going into Adelaide because of the manufacturing capabilities over there. But there are businesses in the Illawarra that can get part of that business.”

For more information contact the i3net executive officer.