WOW,the canopies.As the late Tom Burns MLA used to say."we will end up as "hewers of wood and carriers of water",(biblical reference).
I'm not good with sarcasm.
Canopies is one example but still multi-million dollar business............
Did you read the short article? the trailers are being made in Brisbane by Haulmark, heaps of other stuff happening here, finishing and assembly done here.........
in simple terms Australia does not have the capability to manufacture or support this type of platform and I'd much prefer our soldiers have the best equipment to work with in the field, whilst maximising the AIC (australian industry content) by procuring as much as practicable in country
I'm not defending anything but uninformed commentary doesn't help anyone
I'm not uninformed and wish to take exception to your comments.
Firstly, Australian Companies have the capability, technology and plain ability to produce anything found anywhere else in the world. We have base resources and personnel to do anything needed. Australians have invented , designed and produced the most wonderful things over time.
why don't we have a working industry ? Can't comment. don't know, above my pay grade.
But I do know that a multimillion dollar canopy contract is pennies in dollars to a multibillion dollar truck order.
If we keep buying overseas, we keep losing local capability. We are an island. If we continue to source from overseas we continue to increase our sovereign risk.
I can offer some frontline experience thanks to the great gorgon project.
During pre tender stage, the company I worked for sought a particular line of service contract.
We had the capability to carry out the task on a smaller scale and with a large investment in upscaling equipment, we would have been able to carry out the contract sought ( remembering Gorgon was the largest project of its type at the time)
We worked our way up the procurement chain until we found the senior decision maker (UK Based)
He told us in no uncertain terms, that the contract would be in 3 tranches and no Australian company would be considered on their own. He said a multinational would be granted the contract and that the multinats where told they needed to partner with a local aus company to satisfy local content requirements imposed by the govt.
Now the company I worked for had a 14 year history providing services to remote regional areas. We had significant investment in personnel and were a local leader in indigenous recruitment and training before it was 'popular'.
An award winning local business.
Fast forward a few years, through our persistence and some overseas doorknocking, we partnered pre GFC with the worlds leading supplier of our services. The tender for the Gorgon works was the largest i've ever worked on and was truly multi-million dollars in value.
During the GFC , Gorgon was looking to postpone its timetable, as many projects around the world suffered. The big company purchased our little minnow allowing the founders a graceful retirement during this financially devastating time.
The tender was won, in an Australian company name. The Australian Company now with European owners who manned the project senior roles. As the project ramped up, they closed the regional depots one by one moving the long term employed staff to the big project.
As soon as the project finished, the company was shut down. equipment sold off or moved overseas.
The company now does not exist.
no direct offense intended towards your post.