Construction has begun on a state-of-the-art precision manufacturing facility at Stärke Advanced Manufacturing Group company QPE Advanced Machining Pty Ltd that the company believes will position it as the precision machining partner of choice for large, complex parts with Defence and prime contractors supporting AUKUS.
The $2 million, 500 square-meter facility at the QPE Advanced Machining site in Gillman near Port Adelaide is being primed to accommodate an array of large, advanced machining equipment which will enable high performance and complex multi-face machining incorporating the use of advanced materials. The site will be able to process complex precision parts of up to 8 meters long and will create more than 20 highly skilled FTE job opportunities. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2026.
This capability will allow QPE to support current and upcoming defence projects in maritime, land, air and space including Collins Class and Submarine through-life and future SSN AUKUS work. It also positions QPE to meet the demanding requirements of a new international collaboration with the U.S. Navy, particularly in machining nickel-aluminium bronze components.
Stärke-AMG Co-founder & Group CEO Al Jawhari said the capital investment, which was made possible through a CDIC Strategic Industry Capability grant, will transform QPE Advanced Machining into a complex, high-capability, defence manufacturing hub, fully aligned with Australia’s sovereign defence priorities. “We have implemented a series of strategic upgrades that significantly enhance our capability, capacity, and competitiveness within the Australian and International defence sectors also allowing us to scale up our production efficiently to support the increasing demands of our industrial base,” Jawhari said. “Stärke can now deliver very complex, high-precision components for major defence programs which will help reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and we are most grateful to the Commonwealth Government and the CDIC Strategic Industry Capability Program for strengthening our role in sovereign defence manufacturing and allied global supply chains.”
The facility has undergone extensive site and structural works, including electrical, hydraulic, and fire safety infrastructure, to support the safe operation of the new equipment and expand QPE’s advanced manufacturing footprint. These improvements elevate QPE’s operational readiness, improve production efficiency and reduce lead times for clients. Through the support of the CDIC Strategic Industry Capability grant, QPE has also targeted capital investment and achieved membership in the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP), demonstrating it meets the stringent security, cyber, and governance standards required for working with Defence and prime contractors.
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