Murray Bridge business gets funding for strengthening Australia's defence
A local business has received almost $750,000 in federal funding to manufacture parts for vehicles that are needed to keep Australia's defences secure.
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Murray Bridge business Kennewell CNC Machining will receive almost $750,000 in federal funding, which will contribute to keeping Australia safe.
Kennewell's grant money is part of a recent round of funding from the Defence Industry Development Grants (DIDG) program.
The funding is to help businesses to invest in advanced manufacturing, expand production and deliver key components for important defence projects.
Kennewell will use the $747,754 to purchase a five-axis machining centre, vertical lift storage and associated equipment to manufacture components required for infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) platforms.
Director Brett Kennewell described some of the equipment that the funding will allow his business to obtain over the next two years.
One of the items is a vertical storage module, which is "like a giant compactus unit", and the vertical storage feature means that more space can be freed up at Kennewell to increase production volume.
Another item is a Swiss lathe, which Kennewell explained as "a small, highly complex, highly accurate specialist lathe that will us enable to make very complex parts for ships and submarines out of very difficult materials".
Mr Kennewell said that his business will be making parts for not only Australian submarines but also for the AUKUS submarine program.
He looked forward to the automation potential of the third item his company will obtain with its funding, a five-axis machining centre.
"The five-axis machine is going to be attached to our automation cell," Mr Kennewell said, "and that's why it offers such good value to government - because it's going to be fully automated."
"It'll run all night, all weekend, unmanned, so we can supply parts to Defence at a very low price; and it reduces our lead time.
"While our competitors turn their machines off and go to bed, ours is making parts."
Yet rather than leading to job losses at Kennewell CNC, the automation of the five-axis machine, along with the other future equipment, has resulted in new jobs for the company.
"We have five new employees: three apprentices and two trainees," Mr Kennewell said, "and we've employed a new tradesman who relocated from another job."
"Since this project kicked off, I think we've had a total of seven new employees, and we currently have an intern engineer who just started today."
The 17 current employees of the company are feeling highly motivated to be involved in the new projects.
"It gives us the capacity for more volume," Mr Kennewell said, "and more interesting work for our technical staff."
"Everyone's excited about the five-axis and the twin spindle Swiss lathe, and when people are excited about the technology, they have enthusiasm."
Kennewell is already planning future projects to contribute further to Australia's defence capabilities.
"Even though what we're doing is a massive project for me, and it's good," Mr Kennewell said, "the next projects will probably be more frontline.
"I'm hoping to be involved in GWEO (Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance)."
Mr Kennewell is clearly proud of how he and his team are playing their part in making Australia safer.
"Everything that we do to improve our capability in terms of defence will improve our deterrent factor, and that's what we can all hope for," he said.
