Lovells Group has broken ground on a new flagship engineering, manufacturing, and retail centre in Newcastle, New South Wales, marking a significant milestone in its 95-year history.
The $12 million investment is aimed at future-proofing the company’s local operations while strengthening its position in the evolving transport and manufacturing sectors, the company stated in a news release.
The 5,000 square metre facility will be situated adjacent to Lovells’ main manufacturing site and is set to become a cornerstone of the company’s national innovation ecosystem.
It will complement existing research and development activities at the Edwardstown facility in South Australia and The Bend testing grounds, with a focus on developing products for electric vehicles, emerging drivetrain technologies, and advanced suspension systems.
“Our new Newcastle R&D Centre reinforces our commitment to local innovation, advanced engineering, and our role in supporting the future of transport,” said Simon Crane, Managing Director of Lovells Group.
The centre will create 24 new roles in engineering, advanced manufacturing, product design, and compliance, while also absorbing operations from the Lovells Special Products manufacturing and design facility.
It will house dedicated capabilities in fatigue, corrosion and performance testing, vehicle dynamic stability analysis, fitment engineering for both OEM and aftermarket applications, and the design of electro-technology solutions for EV, electric truck, and electric bus charging systems.
Manufacturing remains central to the company’s expansion, with the Newcastle facility forming part of a broader strategy to modernise operations and enhance sustainability.
As part of this strategy, Lovells Industrial Systems is transitioning its production facilities to induction heating, a move intended to eliminate gas usage, cut emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
“Induction heating gives us faster, more precise control, allowing us to heat suspension spring steel – which makes up around 40 per cent of our output – far more efficiently than gas,” said Crane. “It’s a critical step in futureproofing our facility and cutting our reliance on fossil fuels.”
The announcement follows the recent launch of a $1 million R&D facility in Edwardstown, South Australia, which employs 20 specialists and supports testing, retail, and product development across both local and international markets.
The company said its growing national footprint enhances its ability to simulate extreme road and climatic conditions for clients globally.
“Lovells is a company built on innovation,” Crane said. “This new R&D centre in Newcastle will drive our next chapter of product leadership, especially as we develop solutions tailored for EVs and next-gen vehicle platforms, while staying true to our 95-year foundation of Australian manufacturing excellence.”
Lovells exports to over 30 countries, including the USA, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Greece, Kazakhstan, and Thailand.
Under a simplified structure, Lovells Industrial Systems handles design, engineering, manufacturing and procurement, while Lovells Automotive Systems manages product distribution.
Both divisions are supported by corporate and manufacturing operations based in Newcastle.
