Opinion

The blind spot in manufacturing supply chains isn’t what most people think. It’s not a lack of technology. It’s not a lack of data. After more than two decades working across transport and logistics in Australia and New Zealand, that assumption doesn’t hold up.

Australia’s mining sector is entering a defining decade. Coordination between government and industry is strengthening, particularly around critical minerals and long-term supply. This is supporting a more stable outlook and reinforcing the role mining will play in Australia’s economic growth. 

The majority of B2B manufacturers have already done the hard yards executing a digital transformation in the last decade. It’s no easy feat getting a website and buyers’ portal live, reformatting catalogues, upskilling staff and automating legacy processes.

Every time I’m having a conversation about Australian manufacturing with industry peers, someone in the room mentions cost. Input costs are high. Logistics are too expensive. It's cheaper to build it somewhere else and ship it here. Most would agree with these broad statements.

Australia’s manufacturing sector has always operated under pressure. Tight margins,  complex supply chains and rising input costs are part of the landscape. However, a quieter issue is now undermining productivity across the industry: absenteeism.

Between 2016 and 2020, a lot of organizations evaluated commercially available AM simulation tools. They took a handful of metal AM parts (usually coupons, demo brackets, simple manifolds) lined up a few software options, and asked a reasonable question, can you predict distortion?

Inflation returning creates greater urgency for Australian manufacturers to review their supply chain and logistics efficiency, as cost blowouts are common in this area.

Australia’s manufacturing sector is extremely small and niche in comparison to other global countries like the US.

In an era of tight margins, fragile supply chains, and heightened scrutiny of operational resilience, an unglamorous document is quietly becoming a strategic asset for Australian businesses: the bill of materials.

If they’re to remain competitive long term, businesses must be forward thinking, efficient, and interpret the data they need to make better decisions.