The Malinauskas Labor Government is helping a South Australian company expand into America, creating more than 100 ongoing jobs at its expanded Lonsdale manufacturing facility.
Seeley International Pty Ltd has created a new air conditioning product, the Climate Wizard Hybrid, that will initially be exported to California where there is strong demand for energy efficient cooling products.
The Climate Wizard Hybrid model utilises indirect evaporative heat exchange technology to more efficiently cool outside air in domestic and commercial applications. This new technology can reduce energy costs by 80% compared to refrigerated systems.
This new technology has been specifically designed for the roof top unit and dedicated outside air system markets in California, where it can easily replace the existing ageing infrastructure to assist in their transition to a clean energy economy.
The technology is capable of delivering five times greater energy efficiency than conventional air conditioning and is already being utilised in Australia, with the technology installed at 83 Pirie Street office tower in Adelaide.
Due to the significant market demand for this technology in the US, Seeley will substantially upgrade and expand its current Lonsdale manufacturing plant.
This will see the company expand its Australian research, design and manufacturing operations in South Australia to accommodate mass production of its new Climate Wizard Hybrid model.
The Lonsdale expansion will create 100 permanent jobs in SA within three years, with up to a further 60 positions to be created in the three years thereafter, based on Seeley's sales projections.
This expansion will create a more secure workforce, with the future permanent positions replacing the current casual and seasonal roles at the Lonsdale manufacturing plant.
Seeley has been awarded up to $5 million in financial assistance through the Economic Recovery Fund (ERF), which is a $122 million initiative to assist business and industry in key areas to grow secure, well paid jobs, improve productivity, increase exports and support innovative, value adding technologies in South Australia.
The company was also awarded a $50,000 grant from the Department for Trade and Investment as part of the 2023/24 Global Expansion program to build capacity to export to the US.
Seeley hopes to have the first units exported from Lonsdale to California in time for the US summer.
As put by Nick Champion
We want this state to be at the forefront innovation and this a great example of South Australians developing world leading technology systems that can be exported to major international markets.
Seeley's Lonsdale expansion will provide a major boost to the local economy creating more than 100 full time jobs, further strengthening South Australia's reputation as an advanced manufacturing hub.
The Malinauskas Government is backing local businesses to help grow the local workforce, support innovation and increase our state's exports.
As put by Jon Seeley, Group Managing Director
Innovation sits at the heart of our company, driving greater energy efficiency in our products, reducing the load on our energy systems, lowering emissions, and slashing energy costs for consumers.
The Climate Wizard Hybrid model is a revolution in air conditioning and heating _ break-through technology that is Australian designed, Australian built and Australian owned. It is a whole new category of cool.
It is tremendous to have the support of the South Australian Government as it continues to empower Australian manufacturing and champion innovation, working hand-in-hand with local businesses to turbocharge the State's industrial base.
