Welcome
Welcome to the Autumn 2023 edition of Capability News. While the weather is starting to cool down, there are still plenty of hot projects on the go.
This edition we feature three Indigenous-owned companies focused not only on increasing workforce participation of First Nations people, but also supporting their communities as a whole.
South Australia’s Intract in one of the country’s largest employees of Indigenous personnel, while in the Northern Territory, TRACKS Indigenous Services is well on the way to its goal of becoming the Territory’s agency of choice for First Nations’ workforce solutions. And Western Australia’s Kalyu has grown to become a tier 1 supplier of water treatment and processing chemicals to the mining companies of Pilbara region.
Still in the Pilbara, the Onslow Iron project is expected to deliver thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in direct local investment and billions of dollars of royalties over the life of the project.
Another South Australian company with some great news to share is electronics manufacturer Redarc, which recently won a tender to supply 12,600 LED lights to BAE Systems for the first batch of three Hunter class warships.
Meanwhile, the Festival State is primed to become a world-class, low-cost green hydrogen supplier, with range of new hydrogen projects being delivered in the state.
Back to Northern Territory, Santos Ltd, has partnered with ICN NT to help identify Australian suppliers for the Bayu-Undan carbon capture and storage project, which has the potential to be the largest of its kind in the world.
Over in Queensland, local suppliers have the change to get involved in a $111.2 million upgrade of three Defence sites across Townsville and Cairns.
In Brisbane, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) are planning to convert Incitec’s Gibson Island H2’s green hydrogen into green ammonia.
Across the border in New South Wales, a new gas-fired power station planned for the Hunter Valley region is set to ensure NSW electricity supply after Muswellbrook’s Liddell Power Station shuts down in April 2023.
Further south, a 300-megawatt Walla Walla Solar Farm has received a $100 million funding boost from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, making it the largest solar farm the corporation has ever financed.
In Victoria, suppliers have the opportunity to submit expressions of interest in stage two of the $541.6 million Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment.
Finally, ICN will be at the Australian Manufacturing Week in Melbourne from May 9 to 12. Drop by stand 3M45 for advice on how ICN can introduce you to major projects around Australia.
Bettina Venner
Chair, ICN Executive Directors
Company Showcase – Redarc
Adelaide-based company lights up the Hunter Class Frigates
The culmination of five years of negotiation and networking has seen Australian company REDARC Defence & Space secure a $23 million contract to supply 12,600 LED lights to BAE Systems for the first batch of three Hunter class warships.
According to General Manager Defence Sales Mike Hartas, REDARC had been using the ICN gateway to explore options on the Hunter Class work. In 2017, company representatives met with BEA and UK company MARL International at a trade show in the UK, using REDARC’s ICN Gateway Profile to facilitate the introductions.
Company Showcase – TRACKS
Supporting Indigenous jobs
TRACKS Indigenous Services was born from a passion to support businesses looking to increase the workforce participation of First Nations people.
TRACKS, which stands for Training and Recruitment giving Aboriginal Careers a Kick Start, is a generalist recruitment company that specialises in Indigenous employment. In fact, just over 37% of its job candidates placed in work since June 2021 have been Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. And 60% of those have been women.
Company Showcase -Intract
Investment in Aboriginal staff pays off for SA-based small business
In just 13 years, South Australia’s Intract has grown into one of the country’s largest private sector employers of Indigenous personnel, boasting more than 100 Indigenous staff in 16 offices and workshops across the country.
The civil construction, building construction, building maintenance, asbestos remediation and demolition services company primarily works with the Department of Defence, Tier one contractors and the South Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport.
Company Showcase – Kalyu
Kalyu – From zero to Tier 1 in 2 years
Kalyu was founded in 2019 by Palyku Traditional Owner Jake Milroy and a partner. The team has since expanded operations and continued to build their brand. The company has grown at a rapid pace since selling bulk sanitising and hygiene products during the pandemic where there was a national shortage, to becoming a tier 1 supplier of water treatment and processing chemicals to the mining companies of Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Project News
Multimillion dollar upgrade for Ballarat Base Hospital
Victorian suppliers are encouraged to get involved with Inland Rail, Australia’s largest ever freight rail infrastructure project, that will transform how goods are moved around Australia and generate significant opportunities for our regions and our economy, now and well into the future.
$100 million investment in new solar farm
Late last year, the 300-megawatt Walla Walla Solar Farm received a $100 million funding boost from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, making it the largest solar farm the corporation has ever financed.
Approved by the Independent Planning Commission of NSW in late 2020, the solar farm will consist of around 700,000 solar panels across the 605‐hectare site and produce enough renewable energy to power about 90,000 NSW homes.
Defence to invest in Queensland sites
Three Defence sites in Queensland are set to benefit from a $111.2 million upgrade program.
The North Queensland Mid-Term Refresh Program covers RAAF Base Townsville, Townsville Field Training Area and HMAS Cairns.
Hunter Valley project to shore up NSW electricity supply
A new gas-fired power station planned for the NSW Hunter Valley region is set to ensure NSW electricity supply after Muswellbrook’s Liddell Power Station shuts down in April 2023.
The proposed Hunter Power Project will eventually supplement Snowy Hydro’s portfolio with quick generation dispatchable energy when electricity demand is high, which may be up to 12 percent of the time.
World-first green ammonia project
Brisbane is set to be the home of a green ammonia hub thanks to a partnership between Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL), FFI are planning to develop a green hydrogen plant, and Iconvert Incitec’s Gibson Island ammonia plantH2’s into a green ammonia production facility for both domestic and export markets.
Building Hydrogen Supply Chains
The global transition away from fossil fuels needs a mix of renewable, flexible, storable and safe fuels. Hydrogen has all of these characteristics.
Clean hydrogen, produced using low or zero emission sources, allows for deep decarbonisation across the energy and industrial sectors.
Major carbon capture and storage facility slated for Darwin
Australian natural Gas company, Santos Ltd, has partnered with ICN NT to help identify Australian suppliers for the Bayu-Undan carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, as well as to raise awareness of the project.
The CCS project is planned to safely and permanently store up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year at a Darwin hub. This is equivalent to about 1.5 per cent of Australia’s annual carbon emissions.
Iron Ore project worth billions to the Pilbara economy 
ICN WA is working with Mineral Resources (MinRes) to identify local suppliers for one of the largest iron ore projects ever undertaken in Western Australia.
The Onslow Iron project, 150 kilometres east of Onslow in the West Pilbara region, is expected to deliver thousands of jobs, billions of dollars of direct local investment and billions of dollars of royalties over the life of the project.
Upcoming Events
Be a Part of AMW2023!
Discover Australian Manufacturing! Why it is essential to be a part of AMW 2023!
The Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) is releasing more information about Australian Manufacturing Week 2023, to be held in Melbourne next May.
Proudly owned and operated by AMTIL, Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event. AMTIL’s longstanding advanced manufacturing expo, AMW2023 will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9 to 12 May 2023.
More information can be found here.
