A new scaleup hub for budding manufacturers will be offered to users of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility when the first stage of construction is completed later this year.
Located at Bradfield City Centre near the incoming Western Sydney International Airport, AMRF Connect will feature a co-working space that also provides access to experts-in-residence, special classes and networking events.
The hub will be run by the CSIRO and the team that manages the Western Sydney University’s Launch Pad program but is not an extension of the tech incubator program focused on digital technologies like machine learning and additive manufacturing.
AMRF Connect will be housed alongside other industry tenants in the first stage of the AMRF building, which has been under construction since 2022.
The first stage is expected to be complete before the end of the year, although there has been no public update on progress since April. It was originally slated to be finished in mid-2024.
Bradfield Development Authority executive director for investment, industry, and partnerships Ariel Ellis told InnovationAus.com that construction is “nearing completion” and to expect an announcement on the opening date “very soon”.
The AMRF Connect co-working space will feature around 30 desks and will be run in a similar way to the Tech Central Scaleup Hub. The hub will also help businesses access research expertise at Western Sydney University, as well as CSIRO’s existing innovation programs.
The Bradfield Development Authority, formerly known as the Westland Parkland City Authority, will undertake an open application process to fill its experts-in-residence program.
The rotating program will target experts from the local manufacturing industry, technology experts, investors, and training specialists.
The New South Wales government committed $260 million to the 15,000 square metre shared-use manufacturing research facility in mid-2022, based on the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, United Kingdom.
It is unclear how much of the funding will be used for AMRF Connect. Mr Ellis said the cost of the hub are subject to commercial-in-confidence sensitivities.
Bradfield Development Authority chief executive Ken Morrison said AMRF Connect will grant local manufacturers unprecedented access to manufacturing capability and networks as it sits “alongside the unique technical and expertise offerings of the AMRF”.
The first stage facility will house specialised additive manufacturing, precision machining, composite manufacturing, and metrology equipment for SMEs to trial production processes and build prototypes.
The second stage of the facility is expected to open in late 2026 and will focus on advanced semi-conductor and electronics manufacturing particularly to support the defence and aerospace industries.
Construction on the second stage, which accounts for 12,800 square metres of the AMRF, is due to commence in 2025.
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