CSIRO's Future Manufacturing Flagship will provide innovative technology and materials to grow new manufacturing businesses, renew existing industries and help the Australian manufacturing sector address major national challenges such as energy, health, climate and waste.
Australian manufacturing industry
The Australian manufacturing industry operates in a highly competitive global marketplace, with increasing competition from low-cost producers, global sourcing, fewer supply chains and the emergence of low-cost base economies as global manufacturing centres.
In spite of these challenges there are significant opportunities emerging for Australian manufacturing, particularly in niche industries based on advances in materials science, including nanotechnology.
The Future Manufacturing National Research Flagship's goal is to create new or significantly transform existing high value-adding, export-oriented sectors to improve the future competitiveness of Australian manufacturing delivering A$3 billion of impact by 2020.
Future Manufacturing Flagship aims
A new Flagship for Future Manufacturing, with a budget of A$36.2 million over four years, will:
CSIRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship will provide transformational innovation for the Australian manufacturing industry.
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help existing high value segments of the manufacturing industry become more competitive in global supply chains
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develop globally competitive medical products
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identify next generation fabricated devices
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capture value from nanotechnology for new materials
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develop new products and processes exhibiting low environmental footprint, and addressing CO2 and other emission targets
- consider health, safety and environmental issues of nanotechnology.
CSIRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship will provide transformational innovation for the Australian manufacturing industry through our world competitive research and development strengths, enabling outcomes that will enhance the manufacturing value chain, delivering high value, export oriented products to global markets.
The Flagship is well placed to ensure that innovation drives success across the key sectors of the manufacturing economy.
Central to achieving success will be partnering with industry to understand their market environment, ensuring our research is driven by industry needs to deliver the greatest impact for Australia.
We are adopting a holistic approach encompassing innovation together with market integration, to streamline the innovation pathway for Australian manufacturing, crucial to improving future competitiveness.
Research themes
The Future Manufacturing Flagship research themes include:
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Biomedical Manufacturing: improving health and well-being through the development of manufactured biomedical devices, materials and technologies, for local and global export markets.
Theme Leader: Dr Scott Martin
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Cleantech Manufacturing: will support the growth of green jobs in the Australian manufacturing sector through the development of new products and processes for the efficient use and conservation of natural resources and waste industrial products.
Theme Leader: Dr Tony Hughes
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Flexible Electronics: will develop disruptive technologies and products such as photovoltaic cells and printable polymer electronics delivering outcomes in the energy, materials, health and environment domains.
Theme Leader: Dr Gerry Wilson
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Nanosafety: will ensure that Australia captures the benefits of nanotechnology in a safe and socially responsible way.
Theme Leader: Dr Maxine McCall
Learn more about National Research Flagships.
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