The Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott visited Ferra Engineering in Brisbane Queensland on the 20th May 2015 along with The Minister for Industry and Science, The Hon Ian Macfarlane, and the Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta MP, to provide Ferra with a million grant under the Manufacturing Transition Programme. In announcing the grant Mr Abbott described Ferra as “a really good, have a go Australian company”, and stated that the Manufacturing Transition Programme has been “designed to help out cutting edge manufacturers to move into the opportunities of the future”.
Ferra is a supplier to the some of the largest organisations in the world, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Airbus among others. Its success has been demonstrated through different awards and recognitions, which include having been named as Boeing’s Supplier of the Year, being considered one of the best performing Weapon System suppliers by Lockheed Martin for delivery of the Weapon Adapters for the Joint Strike Fighter, and having received Platinum Supplier status from Northrup Grumman. It manufactures and integrates high technology aerospace sub-assemblies for the Joint Strike Fighter, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, the MH-60R helicopter for Australian and US Forces, and most recently has commenced deliveries of the new Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM-ER) Wing Kits.
Mr Macfarlane described Ferra as “the poster child of the future of manufacturing in Australia. It is a company that has transitioned to high-value, high-technology, high-paid jobs and is, in its field, the best in the world. We have companies all over Australia who are the best in their field globally, not just here in Australia and it’s great credit not only to the team here at Ferra, but to the advanced manufacturing groups that work together. This company has around 30 suppliers spread right across Australia that help it produce highly sophisticated products that are then on-sold as export product. Australian manufacturers are making the transition to more sophisticated, high value manufacturing and that is the future for manufacturing in Australia – Ferra is the classic example of that”.
As a result of the grant provided by the Federal Government Ferra will invest in new technologies, processes and facilities for ongoing development and production of the JDAM ER Wing Kits. The project will transition Ferra into a new area of high-end defence and aerospace sub-system development, manufacturing and integration.
More information and a complete transcript can be found in the links below.
Joint Doorstep Interview
Government Acknowledgement for Ferra Engineering
