WPCA Industry Update - February 2023
A cracking start to 2023 – New Grants for Business, Tenders, Investment Opportunities and Skills Training
Welcome to our first industry update for 2023... and what a year it’s going to be as we continue to create incredible opportunities across the Western Parkland City.
We are shaping the Parkland City as the social, economic and environmental powerhouse of Australia. By 2036, the Parkland City will accommodate approximately 20 per cent of the state's population growth. By 2056, it will be home to two million people and five times the size of Canberra.
This growth brings significant opportunities and we’re working with our partners to deliver new industries and jobs to dramatically improve the lives of our communities, whilst securing the country's economic future. We've created a range of ways organisations of all shapes and sizes can get involved in our work.
This update is packed with information including:
- A new Government grant for projects that use smart sensors;
- Current Tenders and EOI’s in the Western Parkland City;
- Local Business Case Studies; and
- Training opportunities.
For a look ahead at all of our planned activities please see this indicative table listing partnership opportunities for 2023 to 2024.
If you’d like more information, or if you’d like to explore the support of our business concierge service, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
The WPCA team is ready for a big 2023. I look forward to working with you to optimise every opportunity for investment and job growth across our Western Parkland City
Dr Sarah Hill
CEO
Western Parkland City Authority
NSW Government programs to support your business
NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) Grand Challenges
The NSSN Grand Challenges offer funding for projects that utilise smart sensing to respond to an issue and use technological innovation to create significant change. The Fund offers grants of up to $100,000 per project, with five NSSN Grand Challenges in 2023 in the areas of: Ageing, Bushfires, Clean Tech, Smart Places & Buildings, and Water. Applications close 20 February 2023 at 5pm.
Find out more about the NSSN Grand Challenges funding here.
Seeking first partners for cutting edge manufacturing facility
Seeking first partners for cutting edge manufacturing facility Work on Australia’s most advanced city is ramping up, with global manufacturing businesses, innovators and researchers and technology providers invited to partner with the first stage of Bradfield City Centre’s state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF).
We’re holding an online briefing on Tuesday, 21 February 2023 at 9am (Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time), to highlight the opportunities available to industry.
Located in Bradfield City Centre’s First Building and expected to open in 2024, the first stage of our AMRF will provide unprecedented access to advanced manufacturing equipment, boosting capacity and capability on an industrial scale. Building Two will house the full scale facility and is set to be delivered in 2026.
Through the AMRF, partners will have access to cutting-edge technology and equipment, allowing them to drive increased productivity and quality, reduce costs and leverage unique collaboration opportunities.
Attendees will learn about working with the AMRF and the significant benefits and opportunities it will provide to their businesses.
Following the briefing, information will be made available regarding the formal process to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Artist impression of Bradfield City Centre. Indicative only.
Bradfield City Centre First Building Advanced Industry Hub
We are calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from experienced operators of business incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces to run an Advanced Industry Hub within Bradfield City Centre’s landmark First Building. The successful applicants will partner with us and play a pivotal role in activating the new city centre.
The Advanced Industry Hub will be a place where start-ups can develop and grow their businesses in a shared workspace. The Hub will play a role in connecting start-ups to shared equipment and resources to develop, design and test new products and processes.
The Hub will be co-located in up to 250sqm of office floor space. It will sit alongside the first stage of our Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility and global technology giant Hitachi's Kyoso (collaborative creation) Centre.
EOI’s close on 13 March 2023.
Artist impression of Bradfield City Centre. Indicative only.
Bradfield City Centre Floorspace Opportunities
We are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from tenants interested in leasing floorspace in Bradfield City Centre - Australia’s newest city.
We are releasing the following opportunities for universities, research institutions and innovative businesses in advanced and emerging industries:
- Opportunity 1: up to 6,000sqm of floorspace in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF)
- Opportunity 2: up to 25,000sqm of floorspace in buildings 4 and 5, next to the AMRF
- Opportunity 3: indications of interest in other future developments
Successful proponents will have access to high-quality offices, education facilities, short-term workspaces and flexible labs or cleanrooms.
Join us on Friday 17 February at 10am for an online market briefing to learn more.
Read more about Bradfield City Centre Floorspace Opportunities and express your interest here.
Market Sounding - Energy, digital, cyber and circular economy systems
Companies from across the globe are being asked to offer up innovative solutions for energy, digital, cyber and circular economy systems that will service stage one of the Bradfield City Centre development.
We are using a market sounding process for the 30-hectare stage one site to unlock innovative ideas.
We’re asking the market for cutting-edge solutions, capabilities and partnerships to optimise government investment and reduce costs to customers.
The systems we are seeking must be customer centric, sustainable, flexible and future proofed. This work will kickstart development across the city centre and help us attract new investment and deliver better paid and more diverse local jobs.
Key industries, innovators and partners are invited to participate in this unique opportunity.
Read more about the Market Sounding and register here.
Registrations close at 5pm on 24 February 2023.
Bradfield City Centre under construction
Construction of the First Building and early enabling works is now well and truly underway at Bradfield City Centre. The world-class city centre will supercharge the creation of jobs and economic opportunities across Western Sydney.
The First Building, a sustainably designed 3,840 square metre multi-purpose facility, will house office, exhibition and event spaces, Hitachi's Kyoso Creation Centre and the first stage of a new Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility.
You can hear about what's next for Australia's newest city, from Director of Development and Place Peter Anderson, in the video below.
Other exciting developments include:
- The commencement of the final construction package of the New Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, which will create a seamless passenger entry and exit point. With all three major building projects at the site now underway, the airport is ramping up to its peak phase of construction.
- Sydney Metro recently announced a new project site at St Marys, which will house more than 200 contractors working on the stations, system, trains, operations and maintenance contract of the driverless 23-kilometre metro line. It will be a vital transport link from St Marys to the centre of the new Aerotropolis at Bradfield, via the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, with six stations to be built along the alignment.
Read transcript
[Beginning of recorded material]
[Music]
Sarah Hill:
Well here we are in Bradfield City Centre, what we envisage to be the most green, connected and advanced city in all of Australia. So Peter tell us a little bit about the significance of where we're standing right now.
Peter Anderson:
Sarah, today we marked the start of the first building. So this is the commencement of the city, it's something we've been waiting for some time and it means that we're now underway and we're now about to create the most green, advanced and connected city in the country.
Sarah Hill:
So Peter if this is stage one what happens after building one, what's the next steps?
Peter Anderson:
Sarah we'll get building one underway, we'll build all the infrastructure that the city needs to come in -- so we'll bring all the roads in, all the servicing in as part of the work we're doing -- connect to the new Metro station that's coming up, making sure the public transport can access the new Metro station. Once we've finish that we move on to more buildings, you know the full Advanced Manufacturing Facility will be the next to come. After that will be CSIRO. And that gives us that great opportunity to then bring that ecosystem of innovation and research and Technology to Bradfield.
Sarah Hill:
So Peter tell us a little bit about the mix of uses that we'll see in this City Centre?
Peter Anderson:
It'll have all the things that we need. We'll have the advanced manufacturing and we'll have the research, we'll focus on education so that we have that innovative ecosystem that we've been talking about. There'll be arts and culture so there's entertainment for Western Sydney, so people can visit here as well. There will be retail, there'll be hospitality, community facilities to support a brand new city and those people who will work and live here.
Sarah Hill:
So we're in the Parkland City, we have some beautiful environment here, how we're going to protect and enhance that for our community members?
Peter Anderson:
We'll have almost 37 hectares of parklands here to support the city. It will be incredible to it and it'll be able to activate all sorts of things here we'll have a range of public spaces - from large central parks, to protecting the environmental vegetation that's here as well.
Sarah Hill:
So Peter you're really passionate about our City Centre and you have a great vision, in your own words what would you like the city to become over the next 20 to 30 years?
Peter Anderson:
I've spent nearly 50 years of my life in Western Sydney and I really want this to be a place that people from Western Sydney can be really proud about, that they can go to that it offers them an opportunity for a high value job you know. And really what you want to do is that for people in Western Sydney there, they can turn to their friends and go "have you been to Bradfield?" and really make it a showcase piece, a destination that is connected to the world.
So Sarah a question for you now is, now that we've got this milestone under our belt what's next for the authority?
Sarah Hill:
Well I think what's really key to me is keeping momentum up, so this is a major milestone and our first critical step. Now we need to move on and make sure we really capitalise on this, we get the site ready for private sector investment and we start to really generate those jobs of the future that we achieve too -- and that means setting the site up, attracting a whole mix of uses from not only Western Sydney but around the world.
Well it's great to be here in the heart of Bradfield City Centre, thanks for your time Peter.
Peter Anderson:
Thanks Sarah.
[End of recorded material]
Local case studies - Business growth in the Western Parkland City
- Viridi Group is manufacturing modular homes to provide housing for flood-affected residents in Lismore. The company is retrofitting school demountables into 2- and 3-bedroom modular houses in their Campbelltown facility, an initiative of School Infrastructure NSW. You can hear more this initiative in this 7 News video segment.
- BOC Limited is a major supplier of industrial, medical and special gases. The company opened the new BOC Application Technology Centre in Minto during November 2022. The facility allows customers (e.g. metal fabricators) to test different blends of gas to improve precision and speed in welding. The facility includes start-of-the-art equipment such as a welding co-bot, arc projectors and a shielding gas performance line. You can find out more in this news article published by Industry Update Manufacturing Magazine.
- River Stone Aquaculture Innovations was recently awarded a Smart50 Sustainability Award for the development of its sustainable fertiliser alternative. The company manufactures the Swift Grow product in the Hawkesbury, utilising barramundi to produce an organic solution that restores depleted natural soil microbiology, that then increases crop yield and sequesters atmospheric carbon. You can read more about this award win on Smart50’s website.
Semiconductor courses launched as part of New Education and Training Model
To help strengthen Western Sydney businesses, the WPCA is delivering a range of short courses (micro-credentials) to plug gaps in traditional workforce training in collaboration with industry and education and training providers. The $37 million New Education and Training Model (NETM) micro-credentials are focused on skills in priority industries, including advanced manufacturing, freight and logistics, aerospace and defence, pharmaceutical manufacturing and agribusiness.
We’ve recently introduced three new micro-credentials in semiconductor design with the University of Sydney and Cadence Design Systems. The courses will build future-focussed skills and knowledge, create jobs and help Western Sydney residents secure a more prosperous future.
Building export capability in Western Sydney
Fourteen local Western Sydney businesses participated in an Export Workshop at Fairfield City late last year.
Facilitated by Investment NSW’s Export Capability Building Program and the Export Council of Australia, businesses learnt about IncotTerms, freight forwarding, HS codes, advantages of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and more.
Local businesses can tap into the expertise of NSW Export Advisers for coaching and support.