Life after Lockdown - the future of Australian manufacturing

 

Do we need to change the way we think about supply-chains and manufacturing in Australia?

Australia’s increasing dependence on overseas supply chains makes us vulnerable in an increasingly unstable world. Is the solution for Australia to do more of its own manufacturing? And if so, what kind of manufacturing should we be focused on?
Over the past 30 years, Australian production and consumption has become increasingly reliant on the ‘just-in-time’ philosophy. Just-in-time was a term coined by the manufacturing sector: a strategic approach to cut costs and eliminate waste by receiving supplies only as they are needed. The just-in-time method reduces inventory costs and requires producers to forecast demand accurately – but it also comes with risks, particularity when so many critical supplies are made and shipped from across the world.
Should we be using this moment to invest more broadly in Australian innovation and advanced manufacturing to create an industry that creates competitive, high-quality products and provides valuable employment opportunities for Australian workers?
Chair: Tim Schork, Associate Head of School, Architecture
Panelists:
David Chuter, CEO and Managing Director, IMCRC
June Lee Boxsell, Head of Marketing and Innovation, Street Furniture Australia
Simonne Bailey, Global Head of Strategy and Managing Director, JAHAMA - GFG Alliance
Roy Green, Special Advisor and Chair for UTS Innovation Council
Berto Pandolfo, UTS Product Design Senior Lecturer, Designer

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