A sustainable steel industry that supports more jobs is the driving force behind Australia's only Steel Research Hub opened by Minister for Education Jason Clare today.
The Minister was joined by Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes and Global Ambassador for the University of Wollongong Adam Gilchrist to officially open the Hub today.
The Australian Government is investing $5 million in the Hub located at the University of Wollongong.
It brings together the research power of nine leading Australian universities and 10 industry partners.
The purpose is to develop new, higher-value added products and more advanced manufacturing processes to build a stronger, more competitive Australian industry backed by world leading research.
For example, researchers at the Hub are currently looking at how to use waste from steel production to build roads.
Australian steel is already world-renowned for its quality.
Around 5.3 million tonnes of steel a year worth about $29 billion is produced here.
The industry employs about 100,000 Australians.
The Steel Research Hub is funded through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research Program (ITRP), which engages Australia's best researchers in issues facing the new industrial economies and training a future workforce.
As well as the University of Wollongong, other partner universities are the Australian National University, Deakin University, Monash University, University of NSW, RMIT, University of Sydney, Swinburne University, University of Newcastle.
Industry partners include AiG, Bluescope, Infrabuild, Arcelor Mittal, Liberty, Aust Steel Institute, Bissaloy, Weld Australia and the National Association for Steel Framed Housing and the Australian Research Council.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:
"A future made in Australia requires steel and we make some of the best in the world right here in the Illawarra.
"That's why this investment in research-led innovations to manufacturing and product is so important.
"I can think of no better place for the Steel Research Hub than Steel City itself."
Quotes attributable to Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes:
"Our economy has been built on the quality of the steel manufactured by local people over decades.
"This research will help make our steel industry more competitive using better advanced manufacturing techniques.
"I'm proud that the University of Wollongong is driving this valuable research and that the Australian Government is making this important investment."
