A fresh wave of Western Australian businesses is now better prepared to venture into the Defence sector, courtesy of information gleaned at the latest Meet the Primes event hosted by Babcock Australasia (Babcock).
Close to 50 small and medium businesses attended the networking forum in Perth, coordinated by the Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN), which aims to create better connections between aspiring Defence suppliers and major Primes across Australia.
The event provided a valuable platform for a diverse range of small businesses to establish connections and engage in meaningful discussions with senior Babcock leaders, as well as gain knowledge about expectations and requirements to join Defence supply chains.
Discussions centred around current and future opportunities within Babcock’s Australasian programs as well as its extensive global supply chain, which has been in the spotlight in recent week’s following Babcock’s inclusion into the Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program (GSCP).
The GSCP is designed to create greater sovereign capability and pathways for Australian suppliers to embed themselves in international markets.
JOSCAR accreditation was also a key talking point amongst suppliers with many beginning to formalise their registration which will allow them to demonstrate their adherence to industry standards and regulations on a single platform. Primes can then utilise that platform to ensure they are working with compliant and capable suppliers.
Babcock Managing Director, Marine, Simon Spratt, who spoke at the event, reaffirmed Babcock’s commitment to its partnerships with Australian defence industry.
“National security has never been more important or more complex to deliver, so we are continuously looking for depth in our sovereign supplier base so we can maintain highly responsive delivery to our Defence customers,” Mr Spratt said.
“These Meet the Primes sessions are really important because they allow us to develop relationships with companies who haven’t yet had, or are wanting more exposure to, the Defence sector locally and talk through the way our supply chain works so they can make a considered and smooth transition into this growing sector. It also helps us to better understand their offerings.”
Perth-based Brooksbank Valves Australia – a specialist manufacturer of high-specification valve solutions for use in seawater and naturally corrosive applications – attended the event seeking better local pathways to Defence work.
“As a manufacturer, the variety of specifications between platforms and Primes for a common customer presents a challenge. We often find we are asked to present an alternative solution but after offering there can be a number of barriers to overcome before accepting a new supplier or agreeing to change an existing one,” Brooksbank Valves General Manager Will Waldon said.
“The Meet the Primes event with Babcock provided us with a great opportunity to network with stakeholders and decision makers. Babcock representatives provided us with a platform to pitch our business and to receive feedback on our plans as well as offering advice and follow-up connections.
“We are a supplier to Babcock in the UK, and we plan on extending that relationship into Australia supporting Babcock with both sustainment activities and new upcoming programs like AUKUS.”
Nationwide, Babcock engages some 2,000 Australian businesses to provide goods and services across its Department of Defence contracts, including science, engineering, technical and manufacturing services.