South Australian manufacturers REDARC Defence & Space, entX and AML3D have been awarded financial assistance of more than $4 million to support key defence projects through the Economic Recovery Fund (ERF).

The State Government fund was established in 2023 to boost the state’s economy and to help local businesses and industry in key areas to grow secure, well-paid jobs, improve productivity, increase exports and support innovative, value adding technologies.

Aimed at the priority areas of Manufacturing Innovation and Regional Tourism Infrastructure Development, Round 1 of the ERF saw nearly 300 applications across both streams.

The State Government allocated $14.8 million towards Manufacturing Innovation projects, with AML3D among the local manufacturers to receive funding.

AML3D will match the $1.12 million grant received from the fund to accelerate its ARCEMY® Increase Deposition Rates (AIDR) project. The project utilises AML3D’s proprietary WAM® technology to support the US Navy’s submarine industrial base, the Australian Defence and Science Technology Group and its tier 1 global customers.

Sean Albert AML3D CEO said that the company is proud to contribute to technology leadership and economic development in South Australia.

“Having the South Australian Government support the development of the next generation of our ARCEMY® technology is expected to keep AML3D and South Australia at the forefront of advanced manufacturing in the years to come.”

REDARC will receive $2 million in funding assistance to complete stage 1 of its Defence & Space – Centre of Excellence. Earlier this year, the company announced the acquisition of a 1.237ha historic Adelaide factory in Lonsdale, spearheading its move into the defence and space sectors.

Contributing to South Australia’s job creation, the allocation will also go towards employing 60 new full-time staff and upskilling 23 current staff members, with Stage 1 expected to help grow REDARC’s exports to $24.3 million – an increase of 145 per cent.

EntX will match the $1.9 million grant received to accelerate its efforts to advancing sovereign nuclear supply chains through manufacturing innovation as the company works to develop breakthroughs in clean energy and nuclear medicine technologies.

There are more than 6,700 manufacturing businesses in the state contributing an estimated 5.8 per cent of South Australia’s annual output and 20 per cent of business research and development.

Round 2 of the Economic Recovery Fund will open soon. Learn more