It‘s thriving at cutting edge
IN a time of major transition from low-value to high-value manufacturing in Geelong, Deakin University is playing a key role in facilitating the region’s economic transition to a globally-recognised, high-productivity knowledge economy.
Deakin has established the Future Economy Precinct at its Waurn Ponds campus to support industry and business with world-class research capabilities and industrialscale infrastructure.
One of the companies attracted was Australia’s largest independent manufacturer of carbon fibre composites, Quickstep Holdings (QS), which established a new Technology Division and relocated its R&D functions from Germany and Bankstown to the Future Economy Precinct in 2015.
The investment has paid dividends. The business has thrived since making the move, bringing jobs and new projects to the region — as well as benefits for Quickstep Holdings, its clients, associated businesses, and consumers in Australia and overseas.
Quickstep is working with researchers and PhD students at Deakin’s world-leading car- bon fibre research centre, Carbon Nexus, Deakin Research Institutes and CSIRO to enhance its products and processes and expand its business.
The company exports to the US, South Korea, France and Germany, with clients in defence, automotive, medical and other industries.
Quickstep’s relationship with Deakin spans many years, commencing in 2001, when researchers from Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) began working with Quickstep to help refine and identify applications for Quickstep’s patented “Qure Process” for out-of-autoclave production, which has played a key role in the business’s global success.
Through the move to Deakin’s Future Economy Precinct, QS gained: space for a dedicated R&D centre and demonstrator production cell; access to Deakin laboratories, researchers, ready-made employees and marketing spinoffs (through membership of Deakin’s “Carbon Cluster”); and acceleration of R&D and commercialisation.
QS manufacturing projects at Waurn Ponds are expanding, with the company set to develop composite front fenders for the European automotive market; and demonstrator parts for future submarine applications.
Deakin has been involved in a number of these projects, particularly through the Future Fibres Hub (based at Waurn Ponds), Carbon Nexus, IFM and the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI).
Professor of Composite Materials, Russell Varley and Research Fellow Dr Mandy de Souza lead a team of four Carbon Nexus researchers in collaborative activities with Quickstep, including Deakin researchers Dr Sima Kashi and Mr Ned Volk, who work closely with Quickstep through the Future Fibres Hub.
The Geelong community has also benefited, with 25 Quickstep employees, pre- dominantly specialised staff, located at Waurn Ponds. Flowon jobs resulting from collaborations such as Futuris and suppliers have contributed additional jobs.
Prof Varley said the arrangement was a “win-win” situation.
“Deakin staff, students and graduates are gaining handson experience on state-of-theart equipment for research and training purposes,” he said.
“These opportunities have led to three Deakin PhD graduates now being employed full-time at QS, and 12 Deakin/ QS students have completed their PhDs since 2006.”
He noted that the embedding of cutting edge businesses like Quickstep within the “fabric” of the university is ensuring that Deakin’s research is focused on making a difference in the “real world”.
The Geelong Future Economy Precinct has created over 1900 jobs over the past five years, and more than 400 people are now employed through a “Carbon Cluster” of businesses and research facilities oncampus. This critical mass is expected to accelerate over the coming decade, particularly as new initiatives emerge.