Darwin business blown away by half-million dollar manufacturing grant

A Territory business has been awarded a $500,000 manufacturing grant that will not only mean its viability in Australia, but better conditions for the NT.

A Darwin company specialising in insulated panels and climate controlled environments has been awarded a $500,000 advanced manufacturing grant to commercialise insulated panels developed in the Territory.

East Arm manufacturer Arctic Installations is the Territory’s only insulated panel manufacturer and controlled environment installer.

The company has developed insulated panels with widespread application in the Top End and other sweltering tropical locations in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Managing director Gary Burns said the $500,000 grant combined with the company’s matching co-contribution will allow the company to cyclone-proof its product which would mean wider usage and more applications.

AMGC NT director Charmaine Phillips, Advanced Manufacturing Minister Nicole Manison and Arctic Installations managing director Gary Burns tour the workshop floor where cold room installation panels are prepared. Picture: Floss Adams.

It will allow the company to increase its workforce, ramp-up production and develop additional export markets, with an early focus on East Timor.

Arctic makes trim deck profile for roofing used in verandas, carports patios “and everything you need to keep yourself cool in the Darwin wet season”, Mr Burns said.

It also makes cool-room panels which can also be used in transportable buildings and remote housing.

The company’s products are used widely by demountable home builders across the Territory.

The manufacturing grant means Arctic Installations will be able to freight “three truckloads” of sample panels to James Cook University in Townsville for wind-tunnel testing to ensure they comply with building cyclone codes in the tropics.

“We’ve developed our product to meet a cyclonic requirement so we can use it here in the Territory,” Mr Burns said.

“Lots of companies in the southern states don’t have cyclonic testing and we’re going that extra mile.

“This extra funding will allow us to blow our panels to pieces (to test their cyclone preparedness).”

Arctic Installations is a leading specialist in cold room installation and controlled environments using quality insulated panels in Darwin and Adelaide. Picture: Floss Adams.

Arctic Installations began in Darwin in 2014 and as well as supplying regulation insulated panels, has also focused on developing the cyclone-proof product.

“It’s been eight years for us to become an actual manufacturer, eight years showing the bank that we’re financially capable to pay a massive loan back,” Mr Burns said.

“It’s been eight years of hard work just constantly saving, saving and investing for this.

“This was my complete dream and it has been since we started.

“This will mean no more trucks on the road with loads of insulated panels. It will be made right here in the Top End.”

The Northern Territory Government has committed $8.75m over five years to grow manufacturing through the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund administered by the AMGC.

Arctic’s is the fourth AMGC grant awarded in the Territory.

Other recipients are Palmerston company Corosion Instruments which received $110,000 to develop cathodic protection, monitoring and measurement equipment; automation manufacturer Diverseco which received $450,000 and Alice Springs company AirTip which received $276,500 to develop a side-tipper.

Mr Burns expects the additional work resulting from the grant will allow him to increase staffing levels from about 15 to 40 at his East Arm factory.

Advanced Manufacturing Minister Nicole Manison wants Arctic’s innovation and production model to be replicated by other Territory manufacturers.

“Covid showed the world that you want to firm up your supply chains and your local manufacturing capability,” she said.

“This is why we’ve got this grant bucket. It’s about helping local businesses build their manufacturing capability and capacity here in the Northern Territory.

“It’s about helping drive down the costs of construction or service delivery in the Territory as well as growing this economy.

“The best way to do that is to diversify the economy.”

Styrofoam panels being prepared on the Arctic Installations workshop floor. Arctic Installations is a leading specialist in cold room installation and controlled environments using quality insulated panels in Darwin and Adelaide. Picture: Floss Adams.

AMGC NT director Charmaine Phillips said Arctic had shown the importance of developing products for Territory conditions.

“Arctic Installations demonstrates that we can and should be leveraging our unique climatic and weather conditions to develop better solutions for our region and beyond our shores,” she said.

“This project adds to the list of Australian innovators seeing that imported products sometimes don’t meet our tough local conditions, then coming up with something better.”

Originally published as Darwin business blown away by half-million dollar manufacturing grant