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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-11-29 Daily Xml
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Conma Industries

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Automotive Transformation. Can the minister advise the council on an automotive supply chain company that has diversified and is now supplying products for the wine industry?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his very important question about industry and employment in South Australia. There is a company that is diversifying very well out of the auto industry, as so many others are. I had the pleasure of visiting Conma Industries, which is a wholly family-owned metal stamping manufacturer supplying pressed metal suspension exhaust components for more than 35 years. Until recently, Conma had about 40 per cent automotive revenue exposure through supplying to such other supply chain companies as Tenneco Automotive. As part of their diversification efforts, Conma has worked in close partnership with South Australian company Ocvitti. Since 2015, it has developed and manufactured an innovative and environment-friendly steel Ocloc vineyard trellis post system that replaces traditional wooden posts.

An Automotive Supplier Diversification Program grant has supported Conma in diversifying into the wine sector. The funding is being used to help manufacture specialised tooling to support their further growth in the horticultural market and to modernise and expand their current plant and equipment to develop additional products that will enhance this new steel trellis system.

It is hoped that the development of these new products will open up opportunities for increased sales and also provide the opportunity to expand across the horticultural industry, leading to the creation of even more jobs. The company has identified new vineyard products that were not commercially available in Australia. This unique partnership between the two companies who have the manufacturing and engineering expertise has provided the opportunity to get these trellis post systems into the marketplace this year.

The two companies have worked together during the product development stage where the design for manufacture experience has ensured that the products can be manufactured competitively. Both companies have benefited from the partnership through the introduction of new business clients in the horticultural industry. It has meant that the partnership has been able to cement a whole of vineyard infrastructure supply system, effectively replacing imported product suppliers who don't have this capability. This product and the collaboration is a great example of how we are growing the economy, saving jobs through this innovative area, and also supporting our premium food and wine industry.

We know that the closure of Toyota and Holden car manufacturing in Victoria, and very recently here in northern Adelaide, didn't have to happen—we have discussed it in the chamber—but it did, and what we are doing as a Labor government is making sure we are supporting workers in the manufacturing area to have good jobs, well-paid jobs and the dignity that goes with work.

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