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Australian companies are proving they can compete on a global scale with the right niche products, manufactured to a high standard.
Wodonga-based advanced manufacturer Omega Manufacturing Group has been transforming its CNC (Computer Numerical Control) manufacturing facility using automation and vertical integration, allowing for end-to-end production of precision parts for a range of industries.
Emma Forbes, the Finance and Commercial Support Manager at Omega Manufacturing Group, highlights the company's multifaceted operations. The company provides subcontracting services under the Omega Technical Engineering banner while simultaneously developing their own proprietary product line, Ross Performance Parts, for the after-market high performance automotive sector.
“Automation is something that we have been transitioning to over the past three to five years to enhance operational efficiency,” she said.
“It’s not about reducing headcount, or downsizing the workforce, but rather, it’s about using the skilled people we have to undertake high-value tasks instead of the mundane loading and unloading of machines. Manufacturing requires high-capital investment, so we are optimising usage to get the most productivity we can out of those investments.”
By day, the company focuses on labour intensive machine setup, proving out programs, and handling one-off small batch subcontracting work for sectors including agriculture, defence, food processing, MedTech, hydraulics / pneumatics and high-end recreational sporting industries. At night, the machines are dedicated to completing batch runs and carrying out machining processes for their own proprietary product, seamlessly achieving ‘lights out production’.
Their Ross Performance Parts harmonic dampers, EFI trigger kits and oiling systems are now a successful export product, with almost 40% of production going to the US, Europe, Japan and New Zealand.
“Part of it is finding a niche and setting yourself up to be able to manufacture as efficiently as you can in that niche,” she said.
The company has plans to accelerate growth via further expansion into the US with negotiations underway to acquire a complimentary business, facilitating import replacement and additional export opportunities.
RSM is helping Omega Manufacturing Group take significant strides in advancing their business.
Their proactive approach includes tapping into the R&D tax incentive since FY20, as well as securing successful grant applications for both the Made in Victoria Manufacturing Growth Program (in 2023) and the Victorian Technology Adoption and Innovation Program (in 2021).
These initiatives are centred around strategic investments in additional capital equipment to facilitate the transition towards automation, bolstering the workforce and maintaining a steadfast commitment to ongoing research and development. Notably, a substantial R&D project is underway, enabling a direct performance comparison between their product and the leading US market counterpart. “With the right product, and data-driven validation, we have the ability to compete on a global scale,” she said.
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