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George Collins, CEO, CAST

What does the global financial crisis mean for innovation in Australia’s manufacturing sector? CAST CEO George Collins reflects on the future for R&D in the highly competitive area of metals manufacturing.

CAST is a Cooperative Research Centre that conducts industrydriven research in metals technology. Its expertise includes the processing of metals in the liquid state, alloying procedures, casting and forming, heat treatment, surface engineering and manufacture. By bringing industry and researchers together, it aims to help Australian companies meet the challenges of globalisation by supplying innovative solutions to technological problems.

Traditionally, CAST’s research concentrated on the light metals – aluminium and magnesium – and the supply chains for these metals, including primary producers, equipment and component manufacturers and automotive companies. But over the last few years, its research has diversifi ed to include titanium and the ferrous metals, involving companies in aerospace, minerals and defence.

New challenges and opportunities

Australia’s metals manufacturing sector is competitive, highly specialised, exportintensive and constantly restructuring. Th e sector is heavily reliant on R&D to compete globally, increase market share and sustain profits.

The credit drought and the inevitability of increases in energy prices add to the already considerable pressure on profi t margins for Australian manufacturers. Conversely, this situation also generates consumer demand for smart, lightweight, fuel-effi cient transport solutions and the need for environmentally-friendly processing technologies. This creates significant opportunities for Australia’s metal manufacturers and for CAST researchers.

Green technology

Government initiatives, like the Green Car Innovation Fund, have an important role to play in assisting companies to develop technologies that signifi cantly reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The successful development and implementation of such technologies depends on nurturing collaboration all the way along the innovation pipeline.

The missing link: CAST

CAST is a virtual organisation with well-developed systems and a culture that facilitates collaboration across the metals manufacturing sector. CAST’s business model is based on the creation of collaborative teams drawn from industry, SMEs and research providers across the complete value/supply chain. Th is ensures that its developments address issues and opportunities that will create additional value for all participants. CAST has a particular focus on SMEs and specialises in technology transfer to these important links in Australia’s manufacturing value chains.

Close interaction with industry is a key motivator for its researchers and ensures that research goals are well defi ned. CAST has also sparked collaboration between its industry partners, and this has helped to shape the direction of its research program. Such cooperation demonstrates the importance of considering the entire value chain in defining the needs of industry, driving innovation and implementing new technologies.

Skills shortage

There are signifi cant skills shortages across the metals manufacturing sector. CAST and its partners supply approximately 75% of all light metal education and training in Australia at the vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition to its fostering of technical skills, CAST is also keen to increase the skills and capacity of Australian companies to adapt to changing markets and technologies.

There has never been a greater need for such an organisation in the Australian manufacturing sector. CAST exists to support Australian metals manufacturers to develop new products and services and to improve their processes to achieve lean, green manufacturing and to provide them with the capability to take up new technologies and market knowledge and apply it effectively.

Website: www.cast.org.au

Republished from Australian Innovation 2009 – the print publication