Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare this week visited Brisbane manufacturer Ferra Engineering to congratulate the workers on winning a prestigious international award.

Last month Ferra Engineering was awarded Boeing’s International Supplier of the Year award at a ceremony held in the United States.

Ferra was selected from a pool of more than 17,500 Boeing suppliers in 50 countries worldwide.  

“This is an outstanding result and I went there to congratulate the workers at Ferra and thank them for the work they do for Australia’s Defence Force,” Mr Clare said.

“Ferra employs more than 100 workers to build things like rudder pedals for Super Hornet fighter planes and mission kits and weapons pylons for the Navy’s new Romeo combat helicopters.

“This award is recognition of the terrific work Ferra is doing and a testament to the capability of Australian small and medium manufacturers.”

Ferra won the work with Boeing through the Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program which assists Australian companies to gain access to the export markets of international defence companies.

Mr Clare said that Ferra’s award was more proof that the Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program was working.

“Ferra is one of the first businesses that signed up to the Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program in 2009,” Mr Clare said.

“The Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program has been a roaring success.

“So far, it has delivered $444.8 million worth of export contracts for Australian business and small businesses have been the big winners – winning 90 per cent of the value of that work.”

Currently six major global defence companies are engaged in the Program, including Boeing, Raytheon, Thales, Northrop Grumman and more recently BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin.

Media contact: Korena Flanagan - 0418 251 316