Aero firm’s hi-tech base

QUICKSTEP, a supplier of parts to the international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, sees Victoria as the likely place to develop opportunities in commercial aerospace.

Quickstep hosted a meeting of the growing Advanced Fibre Cluster Geelong at its R&D centre facility at Deakin University on Friday.

The Waurn Ponds centre is focused on developing prototype production processes featuring its Qure method of carbon fibre composite parts production.

Quickstep’s general manager of corporate affairs, Carl de Koning, said commercial aerospace opportunities for the hi-tech manufacturer would more likely be based in Victoria as it had established links to major international players in the industry.

Boeing, which has a significant base in Port Melbourne, has more than 1500 suppliers across Australia, of which half are small and medium-sized enterprises.

“We would see opportunity to do some commercial aerospace activity, more likely here,” Mr de Koning said.

Quickstep maintains some niche manufacturing capacity at Geelong, including making carbon fibre parts for a portable super-lightweight Xray machine being developed by South Australia’s Micro-X.

It is also producing a carbon fibre ramp for wheelchair access to trains for Victoria’s Lockelec Innovation, which in turn supplies rail operators.

Quickstep staff at the Waurn Ponds site did the design work for new advanced processes and technologies that will help increase the involvement of homegrown businesses in supplying the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program.

Quickstep chief executive Mark Burgess recently said there were plans to expand Geelong operations.

“I’m confident that over the next 12 to 24 months, we will add a good number of employees, “Mr Burgess said.

“We’ve got some really significant ambitions for the business.”