Boeing and the Defence Materiel Organisation have agreed to extend the Office of Australian Industry Capability (OAIC) for a further two years.
The OAIC has been active in identifying capability within Australian small and medium enterprises which may be utilised by Boeing’s global supply chain. Boeing says that to date the OAIC has helped to deliver more than US$190m (A$192m) worth of contracts to Australian industry, with 10 SMEs currently competing for an additional US$260 million worth of work across a broad range of Boeing’s commercial and defence programs.
“OAIC is creating enduring value for Boeing, for Australian industry and for the Commonwealth,” said Ian Thomas, president of Boeing Australia and South Pacific. “Australia represents Boeing’s largest footprint outside the US. Through our presence here and through OAIC, we are working to ensure that we are tapping into the right tools, talent and technologies in order to be more competitive in Australia and to be a better, more agile global company.”
“The OAIC’s efforts over the past three years have been commendable and have contributed significantly to Defence’s objective of developing an internationally competitive and sustainable Australian Defence industry base,” said Terry Whelan, head of Export Programs and Industry Engagement at the DMO. “We expect an improved flow of benefits to industry as a result of this extension.”