4WD Industry Council welcomes Ryco expert

Ryco’s Emma Laukens brings automotive supply chain expertise to the Australian 4WD Industry Council

In Australia, the interests of recreational off-road enthusiasts sometimes require mediation to find fair, sustainable and commonsense solutions in shared spaces. Decisions made at the regulator level can flow on to hobbyists, sporting groups, vehicle manufacturers, parts suppliers, and affect the larger automotive industry. The Australian 4WD Industry Council is best known for its advocacy of the non-competitive 4WD lifestyle, boosting the 4x4 industry and consulting with governments on their strategic approach to issues that affect the 4WD community. The council is a vital link between community, industry, and regulators, helping all parties have a voice in the process of making 4WDing safer, more accessible, and enjoyable. As a Business Development Manager and former Territory Manager for Ryco, Emma Laukens stands out as a natural fit for membership with the 4WD council. She joins the council to provide informed guidance and opinions on automotive supply chain logistics as both an industry expert and longtime 4x4 enthusiast. Emma says she believes that her “industry credentials and longtime personal interest make [her] an ideal partner to help steer discussion and policy alongside the council.” Emma has spent the majority of her career growing Ryco’s relationships with strategic partners around the company’s core range of products. Emma works directly with business owners and distributors to improve processes and standards across the industry as a whole, while also helping to grow the Ryco brand. She brings to the Australian 4WD council an extensive, hands-on knowledge of automotive supply chain logistics and years of experience successfully managing the broader business interests of Ryco and other automotive brands. Recognised by Ryco as an eager learner with upward trajectory in the organisation, Emma is wellregarded internally for taking on new, difficult tasks, with a string of wins in her relatively short career. More recently, Emma’s success within Ryco led to her taking responsibility for their large-scale overhaul of 4WD parts distribution channels. Emma also liaises with supply chain decision makers to improve and scale up sales of the Ryco branded product range. Emma says the supply chain redesign project has been transformative, both for its obvious efficiency gains, and enhancing her own automotive supply chain knowledge through hands-on experience. “Optimising 4WD supply chain distribution channels has improved how we ensure responsive supply of parts to dealers and end users across the country,” Emma said. “Because the environment we work in is so reactive, the dynamics can shift very quickly. Leveraging my experience to help the 4WD council make better-informed decisions, and improve 4x4 for the community, while bringing learnings back to Ryco is an exciting opportunity.” For more from Ryco, visit www.ryco.com.au For more on the Australian 4WD Industry Council, visit www.4wdcouncil.com.au

UTILISING LOCAL POWER POLES FOR STREET-SIDE EV CHARGING

If a new trial is successful, a wider rollout of chargers on a commercial basis could be in the works

On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) recently announced $871,000 in funding to Intellihub for an Australian first deployment of 50 electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed on street side power poles for EV owners without offstreet parking across New South Wales. Intellihub will install EV chargers on power poles across nine local government areas in New South Wales to cater for EV owners who live in apartments, townhouses or units that do not have access to EV charging on-site. Intellihub’s $2.04 million project is supported by Schneider Electric who will provide the EV charging infrastructure, and EVSE who will be managing the charging service. Schneider Electric’s EV chargers will allow for convenient top ups, as well as overnight charging. Origin Energy will supply 100 percent GreenPower for the project, meaning all of the energy required to charge the vehicles will be matched with the equivalent amount of certified renewable energy added to the grid. The nine local councils taking part in the project include Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick, Lake Macquarie, Ryde, Singleton, Parramatta, Northern Beaches and Inner West local councils. The trial aims to highlight that there are currently no regulatory barriers to using existing infrastructure that already has power running to it, such as street power poles, and will also help to understand the impact of EV chargers on the electricity network. If the trial is successful, then Intellihub aims to pursue a wider rollout of chargers to more local councils on a commercial basis. ARENA Chief Executive Officer, Darren Miller, said power pole charging provided the perfect solution to increasing public EV chargers. “Not all electric vehicle owners have the ability to charge their vehicle at home, which is why we’re excited to partner with Intellihub on this trial that utilises street side power poles, providing a great opportunity to pair with EV charging,” Darren said. “We look forward to seeing the results of the trial from Intellihub and hope to see it rolled out right across Australia.” “It is expected that as many as 10 percent of new car sales in Australia will be electric vehicles by 2025,” Intellihub Chief Executive Officer, Wes Ballantine, said. “That equates to an extra 120,000 new EVs on our local streets each year. It is likely that many of these car owners may be unable to charge their EVs from home. “Power poles line most of our public streets and that presents an opportunity for the EV charging market. They’re an accessible, safe, and practical option for EV charging.” For more information on the project, visit www.arena.gov.au/projects and www.intellihub.com.au