A pledge by Labor leader Peter Malinauskas to invest $4 million to support the next stage of the Factory of the Future development at the Tonsley Innovation District has been welcomed by Flinders University. 

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Impact) Professor John Spoehr says the funding to create a Manufacturing Growth Accelerator program (MGA) will be supplemented by a $2m investment to the new initiative by Flinders University. 

 Professor Spoehr, who’s also Director of Flinders University’s Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, says it’s good news for South Australia’s manufacturers and will help them harness opportunities available for suppliers through participation in major naval shipbuilding projects including the Hunter Class Frigate program being delivered by our foundation partner BAE Systems Maritime Australia. 

 ‘The Factory of the Future at Line Zero at Tonsley Innovation District is driving industrial transformation and positioning South Australia to be at the forefront of industry 4.0 technologies. This investment will be welcomed by small and medium enterprises and large business alike for making available a “real world” industrial scale test bed at the former automotive manufacturing plant,’ he says.  

 ‘Importantly it will make our facilities and brainpower available to more firms keen to access the abilities of our world leading researchers. 

 ‘The Factory of the Future is focused on leveraging opportunities for companies linked to the  multi-billion dollar continuous naval shipbuilding program. The new program will enable companies to test their products and systems for potential application in shipbuilding and adjacent sectors. 

 ‘The announcement demonstrates strong bipartisan commitment to manufacturing innovation in South Australia’, Professor Spoehr says.