The Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay region are primed to be industry trailblazers following a landmark agreement to boost Australia’s sovereign defence priorities. Market leaders from across the nation gathered at the Sunshine Coast to inform an industry-led communique to not only pave the way but revolutionise the country’s approach to defence industrial capability, specifically the manufacturing of bare Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
The event was spearheaded by representatives from Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast (RDAMBSC), Australian Industry and Defence Network, Manufacturing Excellence Forum Sunshine Coast and Elexon Electronics who signed a communique, advocating to make electronic manufacturing a priority at the national level and aiming for more robust discussion on the topic.
“If we start building and expanding capability for PCB production now, we have a real opportunity for our region, and Australia more broadly, to be a major player in electronics and all the industries and capabilities that this supports from biomedical, agtech, robotics, defence, national security and more,” RDAMBSC Chair Gavin Keeley said. “We believe that having a centre of competency here in Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast makes good economic sense and would attract other business that play in the field of electronics and related industries. It would also support a national drive to address this issue and create change envisioned by the partners. We need to make inroads on this PCB opportunity through a suite of activations and investments from all parts of the ecosystem, and rally behind each other to drive this further and faster.”
Keeley said the region was primed to be the epicentre of this future staple of Australian defence manufacturing, boasting a number of attractive attributes. These include:
- Being a major economic growth corridor
- Proximity to the capital city, industrial land and road/rail/port/air infrastructure
- High speed digital infrastructure and connectivity
- A good quality and expanding manufacturing industry base, and
- Access to skills, talent, research and education facilities.
The signing of the communique last month follows a Leader’s Roundtable to consider factors that make sovereign capability of PCBs both compelling and urgent, as well as exploring next steps towards unlocking advanced manufacturing as part of the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia initiative.
Frank Faller of Elexon Electronics said: “This important conversation couldn’t be happening at a more timely or critical time. COVID taught us the vulnerability of our global supply chains and that we need to pay more attention to critical risk points that can cripple our industries and our economy. We have high aspirations to reinvigorate manufacturing in Australia and this requires strategic investments in complex economy opportunities like PCB manufacturing.” Faller said.
The PCB Connect: Enabling Sovereign Capability Forum and Expo (held at Queensland Air Museum Caloundra on February 26) is just the beginning. Security of the PCB supply chain is essential for the sectors of defence, national security and intelligence, with PCBs sourced through non-Five Eyes (USA, Canada, United Kingdon, New Zealand and Australia) countries considered potentially high risk.
The ensuing communique is a resource for industry, research and government leaders to advance discussions and go to the next stage of investment to re-establish Australia’s position as an at scale manufacturer of PCBs and create a viable and secure alternative to overseas suppliers.
Communique signatories:
- Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay Sunshine Coast (RDAMBSC) Chair Gavin Keeley
- Australian Industry and Defence Network National Chairperson Carl Quarterman
- Manufacturing Excellence Forum Sunshine Coast Director Tim Kelly
- Elexon Electronics Chief Executive Officer Frank Faller
RDAMBSC – one of 50 RDAs funded by the Federal Government around the nation – represents a voice for investment, impact and inclusion through region-led partnerships that will sustain the Moreton Bay-Sunshine Coast-Noosa economic growth corridor to 2032 and beyond. RDAMBSC, formed in April 2024, does not award grants but instead works with stakeholders to drive economic growth.
