Background
The Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council (Future Manufacturing Council) is one of a number of Industry Innovation Councils established by the Australian Government. The Council's focus is on innovation-intensive, high technology, high value-add, high-skill, export-orientated manufacturing. Its primary role is to advise the Portfolio ministers. It is also championing innovation in manufacturing and helping to build connections between government and industry stakeholders.
As will be seen from the Future Manufacturing Council Fact Sheet, the Council's particular focus is manufacturers using advanced processes, materials and technologies. These include the scientific and medical instruments, specialist engineering and aerospace industries, and related services.
Membership
The Future Manufacturing Council was established in October 2008, and Mr Philip Binns, Vice-President and General Manager, Spectroscopy Business, Agilent Technologies, appointed as its Chair.
Members of the Council include leaders in innovation from business, the science and research communities, unions, professional associations and the Australian Government.
The Future Manufacturing Council first met on 2 December 2008, and has held 13 meetings. The most recent on 7 February 2012.
Industry engagement
Industry Innovation Councils have a leadership role in transforming industry. They provide strategic advice on innovation priorities to Portfolio ministers, champion innovation in industry and build connections and collaborate across Councils and with other innovation initiatives and organisations.
In this role, the Future Manufacturing Council sponsored a workshop on Manufacturing for a Sustainable Built Environment in Melbourne on 8 March 2011. The workshop was conducted in collaboration with Supplier Advocates and the Built Environment and Information Technology Industry Innovation Councils. The aim of the event was to engage with stakeholders from industry, research, unions and government to identify Australian R&D and manufacturing capabilities in the sustainable built environment. The workshop also examined how these capabilities could be converted to opportunities for the manufacture of water and energy efficient products and services for use in the built environment.
The outcomes of the workshop [
PDF 260KB] [
RTF 442KB] have been considered by the other Councils, Supplier Advocates and industry. The findings have contributed to the preparation of advice to the Minister.
The Future Manufacturing Council prepared the foresighting discussion paper Trends in manufacturing to 2020 on current and emerging trends that are affecting, and are expected to affect and influence, Australian manufacturers up to 2020 and possibly beyond. The paper collates views from a range of leaders from industry, the R&D community, innovation advisory bodies, unions and the public sector. The paper informed the Manufacturing Roundtable of 20 September 2011, and the Future Jobs Forum of 6 October 2011 and is being used by the Prime Minister's Taskforce on Manufacturing.
Achievements
The Future Manufacturing Council's achievements to date include:
- Contributing the foresighting discussion paper Trends in manufacturing to 2020 [PDF 567KB] [RTF 10MB], to the Manufacturing Roundtable of 20 September 2011 and the Future Jobs Forum of 6 October 2011.
- Providing the Minister with proposals on the strategic priorities of firm productivity, access to capital, and market-driven collaborative innovation.
- Sponsoring the Manufacturing for a Sustainable Built Environment workshop.
- Contributing to the establishment of the Government’s Commercialisation Australia initiative.
- Securing positive exposure for innovative manufacturing in Australia.
- Providing advice to the Minister on a range of Government initiatives.
- Preparation of a Strategic Roadmap [PDF 44KB] [RTF 68KB] to guide the future direction of the Future Manufacturing Council.
- Developing, with the Australian Institute for Commercialisation, an innovation quiz [PDF 523KB] to stimulate interest in innovation across Australia.
- Commissioning reports outlining Australian Future Manufacturing, and exploring potential manufacturing opportunities in the renewable energy and water sectors.
Innovation profiles
Innovation Profiles are real stories of innovation in Australian industry. Twenty five members of the industry innovation councils, including six from the Future Manufacturing Council, share their views and experiences as innovation leaders on-line in web, video and print formats.
Contacts
Secretariat support to the Future Manufacturing Council is provided by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Contact details are:
Email: Futuremanufacturing@innovation.gov.au
Phone: (02) 6213 7787
Postal address:
Manager, Future Manufacturing
Manufacturing Division
Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
GPO Box 9839
CANBERRA ACT 2601