DEFENCE
Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions opens history-making defence manufacturing facility Four years in the pipeline and two years after construction began, Australia’s Defence minister opens large new industrial plant in Maryborough, Queensland.
Then Minister for Defence Peter Dutton joined Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien, Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions (RNM) directors and staff in May at the new $60m artillery shell forging factory. The state-of-the-art factory includes a 1,200-tonne forging press and computerised machinery that will produce the world’s most technically advanced 155mm projectiles for the Australian Defence Force, with 50 percent of the output committed to overseas orders from allied nations. When fully operational later this year, the plant will have the capacity to produce 30,000 shell cases per year with a workforce of up to 100 from line supervisors, skilled operators, maintenance staff, labourers and apprentices. Australian company BADGE Constructions led the building phase for the project which has had multi-level government backing with a $28.5m injection from the Federal Government’s Regional Growth Fund on top of $7.5m from the Queensland Government’s Regional Jobs and Investment Fund. NIOA CEO and Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions Deputy Chairman Robert Nioa said the factory opening was a watershed moment for the region. 16
Peter Dutton
“This is more than a new factory – it is a new industry for the region,” Mr Nioa said. ‘‘When we first conceived this almost four years ago with our long-term partners Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions, it highlighted our ambition to invest back into regional Queensland. ‘We wouldn’t be standing here today without the support from all levels of government. We thank them all for their investment because this is a true example of what can be achieved with that support and a spirit of collaboration. ‘Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions embraces the government’s priority
to strengthen sovereign industrial capability because it delivers economic benefit to communities such as Maryborough, it develops new skills and it creates new export markets.” Southeast Queensland were the big winners with 55 contracts accounting for 98 percent of the project spend. Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions CEO and Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions Chairman Roman Koehne said the projectile plant put Maryborough firmly on the map as a centre of excellence for defence manufacturing. “We are proud to partner with NIOA in welcoming a new chapter in Maryborough’s manufacturing history,’’ Mr Koehne said. “This plant is one of the most advanced, high-tech facilities of its kind in the world. It will harness Rheinmetall’s global expertise combined with a highly-qualified local workforce to create the jobs of the future, right here in regional Queensland.’’ Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions is a joint venture between Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (51 percent) and NIOA (49 percent). Australian-owned NIOA is the leading supplier of weapons and munitions to the Australian Defence Force. Line of Defence
