Manufacturers Pavilion takes centre stage

Located right at the heart of this year’s Austech exhibition, the Manufacturers Pavilion highlights the capabilities of Australia’s precision engineering and advanced manufacturing industry. The Pavilion provides Australian component manufacturers, precision engineering firms, toolmakers, advanced manufacturers and general engineering companies the opportunity to exhibit their unique capabilities to an expected audience of more than 10,000 visitors.

“The importance of our precision engineering and advanced manufacturers in this country having the opportunity to promote the capabilities and capacity they have to offer is critical in view of international competition,” explains AMTIL’s CEO and Exhibition Director Shane Infanti. “The Manufacturers Pavilion provides the perfect forum for these companies to put themselves in front of Austech visitors, many of whom outsource and contract out their work.”

Among the manufacturers participating in the Pavilion this year are such highly respected companies as Ultimate Laser, Barden Fabrications, Hardman, Fountainline IMS, Bennett Precision Tooling and Harrop Engineering. The Manufacturers Pavilion will help these companies to promote their capabilities and connect with organisations significant to their business, such as State and Commonwealth Government.

“It all comes back to how we help manufacturers integrate into supply chains,” says Infanti. “Traditionally Australian manufacturers aren’t good at marketing themselves. They’re very good at what they do, but traditionally marketing is not a strong point.”

The South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) will also host several of its members in a specially dedicated stand, and there will be major exhibits from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as GP Graders and MTM Automotive Components, who will have a Tomcar on display. One of the hits of the 2013 Pavilion, the Tomcar is an ultra-functional, durable, versatile, and Australian-made off-road utility vehicle. The Department of Industry and Science will also have a major stand within the Pavilion.

Alongside the companies and organisations exhibiting, the Manufacturers Pavilion will also serve as the venue for a four-day speaker program covering a diverse array of topics. An impressive line-up of speakers has been confirmed, including:

• Professor Guy Littlefair, Deakin University
• Roger LaSalle, Matrix Thinking
• Steve Bryant, QMI Solutions
• Don Matthews, Industry Capability Network (ICN)
• Professor the Hon Stephen Martin, Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA)

The Pavilion is particularly timely for companies in the struggling Australian automotive manufacturing sector, and provides the opportunity for them to leverage global connections, right here on their doorstep. As a result, the speaker program will cover this important topic, with presentations by Linsey Siede, Director of Automotive Supplier Excellence Australia (ASEA), and Richard Reilly, Chief Executive of the Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers (FAPM), who will explore future opportunities for automotive suppliers and ways of transitioning out of automotive.

Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Pavilion will act as an informal social hub throughout the duration of Austech, with a café providing a comfortable setting for impromptu meetings and discussions, and exclusive networking functions scheduled during the week.

“A lot of the initiatives AMTIL has are around helping companies to promote their capabilities and market themselves,” says Infanti. “The Manufacturers Pavilion is just another way in which we can give a focus to our manufacturing companies and hopefully assist them in developing supply chains with OEMs and international Prime contractors.”