- RCR Advanced Technologies second recipient under Cook Government's $8 million Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program
- $2 million in co-investment funding to support the production of wind energy componentry in WA
- Project to create up to 48 jobs and generate $36 million in revenue
A Bunbury company will employ more workers and pursue new manufacturing opportunities in the wind energy sector after receiving more than $2 million under a partnership program established by the Cook Government.
RCR Advanced Technologies, part of the half-century-old RCR Mining Technologies, is the second recipient under the $8 million Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, delivered in collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).
The $5.3 million project is set to strengthen Western Australia's capability to produce wind energy componentry locally and support the development of clean energy projects, facilitating Western Australia's broader energy transition.
The Bunbury-based company will receive $2,047,900 in co-investment funding to pilot the production of innovative transition flanges for wind turbines.
Transition flanges connect the turbine tower to the foundation and are currently manufactured overseas. RCR is in talks with turbine manufacturers to build the flanges in WA, to reduce shipping logistics and deliver supply chain reliability.
RCR will modernise and expand its workshop capability, purchase state-of-the-art machinery and upgrade quality control processes to meet the standards of large wind energy developers.
It will also use the investments to upskill its workforce to be capable of undertaking future refurbishment of wind turbine components such as gearboxes and drive shafts.
Leveraging this co-investment and its extensive manufacturing expertise in materials handling equipment for the resources sector, RCR will strengthen its collaboration with global original equipment manufacturers, such as Vestas, and engage with other major renewable energy project developers.
The project is expected to create up to 48 new jobs and generate $36 million in new revenue over the next five years.
The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program provides financial and non-financial support to help local manufacturers increase their participation in wind energy supply chains.
It offers up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs, with industry partners required to match the funding, ensuring a strong collaborative approach.
The program supports manufacturers at various stages of development through two funding streams, related to market entry and growth. It is being delivered in partnership between the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification and the AMGC.
RCR joins Australian Winders as the second recipient under the program, which has so far committed more than $2.5 million in co-investment funding to support WA's growing wind energy manufacturing sector.
Western Australia has multiple large wind farms scheduled for development in the coming decades, several being above one gigawatt in scale.
For more information, visit: https://www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/
As stated by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"RCR Advanced Technologies is harnessing its strong track record in manufacturing by expanding its capabilities and creating new jobs to deliver critical components for the growing wind energy sector.
"Through the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, we're enabling local companies to scale up, invest in advanced equipment, and secure their place in global clean energy supply chains.
"This project demonstrates the WA Government's commitment to building a competitive, future-focused manufacturing base that drives decarbonisation and creates quality jobs for Western Australians."
As stated by South West Minister and Bunbury MLA Don Punch:
"By supporting local companies like RCR Advanced Technologies, through the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, we are not only investing in the business but also in the local community.
"The project will help RCR to modernise and expand its capabilities while also creating dozens of new jobs and generate more than $30 million in revenue."
As stated by RCR Advanced Technologies Manager Neville Kelly:
"This will have a significant impact in the region we operate in and offers opportunities for us, our workforce, and the region to adapt.
"RCR is in a prime position to upskill local workers and provide employment related to modern energy sources, while leveraging our mining sector heritage in engineering projects to meet burgeoning demand from the onshore wind energy supply chain in Western Australia."
Comments attributed Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre WA State Director Ellen McGarrity:
"Through this program, AMGC aims to highlight the real opportunities in growing manufacturing capability. RCR is leveraging its expertise in heavy, precision-engineered equipment to deliver a locally unmatched solution for a new customer base.
"RCR is extending their heritage, reducing delivery times, and helping address demands from industry and the State for the clean energy this era will be powered by."
