This International Women’s Day, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre has recognised female leaders who are pushing the boundaries and challenging stereotypes and misconceptions in pursuing a career in manufacturing.
Manufacturing has long been viewed as a smokey and masculine industry, which could not be farther from reality, according to AMGC.
However, when viewed from a broader perspective, including the entirety of the value chain, female participation increases threefold. This large chunk of the workforce within the industry is comprised of researchers, designers, engineers, marketers, sales staff and is considered critical roles underpinning a manufacturing business.
“Embracing the full manufacturing value chain highlights roles where women are much more likely to participate. These include positions ranging from R&D to design through to sales and services. The importance of doing so is highlighted by some of the outstanding leaders we are profiling on IWD 2023,” said Dr Jens Goennemann, managing director of AMGC.
Crawford Boots
Penny Crawford, a podiatrist by training, founded Crawford Boots in Gunnedah 27 years ago after noticing a lot of patients who worked in the local mines came in with issues due to gumboots.
“The gumboots they were wearing in 2013 when I first started this journey were the same gumboots that people wore in the 1950s. And these are people walking up to 12 kilometres a day on uneven ground in dark environments, hazardous areas,” Crawford said.
Crawford describes her products as footwear with the comfort and stability of a work boot, but the waterproofing of a gumboot.
The New South Wales-based company is currently involved in an AMGC Commercialisation Fund-backed collaborative project led by Molycop, where they recycling end-of-life products such as gumboots to lower carbon emissions from electric arc furnace steelmaking.
“When you develop a product from a concept to an actual, tangible item for that product to be successful and viable you need to understand your manufacturing process and your supply chain,” said.
Circuitwise
Serena Ross stepped up as CEO of her family’s electronics business Circuitwise in 2019, where she helped implement a strategic reset that enabled the company to grow by 30 per cent year-on-year.
The 35-year-old business produces printed circuit board assemblies for clients in highly regulated industries, such as medical technology and defence.
Ross said the business has taken a more strategic approach to works the company takes on, instead of “trying to be everything to everybody.”
“More young people are getting into the industry and there is a lot more focus on improving the culture in manufacturing now. That’s a huge focus for us. I believe manufacturing is going to grow into a really exciting industry, like the tech industry. And we’re always going to need manufacturing.”
Harvest B
Kristi Riordan co-founded plant-based ingredient startup Harvest B in 2020 after moving from the United States to Australia on a Global Talent Visa in 2019.
The company, described as a “climate-positive” venture, received backing from AMGC to address a shortage of onshore processing capabilities and a lack of innovation on both taste and cost in the plant-based meat market.
“As founders and builders, we thrive on having that opportunity to work in multiple different areas of the business versus being very siloed – this is often the magic of a startup,” Riordan said.
“If you’re a young woman and you find yourself connected to any part of agrifood and manufacturing, find a pathway in, find somebody you connect with, find a business, find a mentor, find a sponsor and just start pulling the threads on the things that you’re excited about,” she added.
To read about more female manufacturing leaders spearheading change in the manufacturing industry, visit amgc.org.au.
