A new $1 million grant program has been launched to support South Australian manufacturers in adopting advanced technologies, aiming to boost productivity and innovation across the sector.
The Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program, offered over two competitive funding rounds, will provide grants of up to $50,000.
Businesses must match the funding dollar-for-dollar to qualify, the government said in a news release.
“Accelerating the uptake of technology is critical to driving innovation and productivity and is one of the key objectives of South Australia’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy,” said Deputy Premier Susan Close.
The program focuses on cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, data analytics, blockchain, computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), optics, and photonics.
These tools have been identified as critical to enhancing competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability in the manufacturing sector.
“Through this program, South Australian manufacturers have an opportunity to adopt transformative technologies, which will significantly bolster South Australia’s industrial competitiveness and economic complexity,” Close added.
The initiative aligns with the South Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, which aims to restore the state’s prominence in manufacturing.
Key targets of the strategy include increasing manufacturing’s contribution to the state’s economy from 6 per cent to 10 per cent and its share of value-added exports from 20 per cent to 25 per cent.
In addition to the grant program, the state’s manufacturers will benefit from approximately 20,000 new training places through the $2.3 billion National Skills Agreement between the Australian and South Australian governments.
The training is designed to equip workers with skills aligned to manufacturing needs, further strengthening the sector’s growth prospects.
“The flow-on effects will be new or enhanced products that need new markets and position manufacturers favourably for revenue and export growth,” Close concluded.
Applications for the Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program are open now and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, 28 February 2025.
To apply or learn more about the program, manufacturers are encouraged to visit statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/manufacturing.
