by brandsa2018

Henschke moves ahead by taking heed of history

History is of great importance to Stephen Henschke. As the Henschke family celebrates 150 years of winemaking in South Australia through six generations, the celebrated winemaker has much to reflect on – and look forward to.

For starters, there is a new cellar door at Henschke’s Keyneton winery in the Barossa, featuring the stone walls of the farm’s original grain barn, to complement the adjacent cellars constructed in the 1860s by Johann Christian Henschke.

The new tasting space will be open to visitors from early November.

Being respectful of history is important to Stephen and his viticulturist wife Prue. “We all live in a continuing history, and times are moving fast,” Stephen says.

“I delve into history to make sense of what generations of my family have achieved. I’m a serious student of the past to learn what worked and what failed. Understanding this defines the provenance of what we have with our vineyards and winery, and why ours is like no other.”

The new cellar door at Henschke’s Keyneton winery.

This care is reflected in the painstaking recent reconstruction of The Julius Room, another private tasting room at Henschke’s Keyneton winery.

The room was moved stone-by-stone from within the belly of the winery to its new home among the gardens, still with it’s forked bough supports for the roof, original timber-framed windows, and with historical family photographs and documents lining the walls.

Stephen says his passion for uncovering history has accelerated recently, as his and Prue’s three children Johann, Justine and Andreas proceed through adulthood, and with the recent arrival of first granddaughter Matilda.

“You build on history, and this is our challenge as generations change and a winery of our modest size sets itself to move into the future,” he says.

The opening of the new cellar door coincides with the release of an outstanding crop of elite new Henschke wines – including the stellar 2013 vintage of the winery’s flagship Hill of Grace single vineyard shiraz, along with new additions to the portfolio, being the 2015 The Wheelwright Shiraz, and matured sparkling wine Johanne Ida Selma Blanc de Noir MD.

The 2013 Hill of Grace Shiraz.

Presenting these wines to the media for the first time, Stephen offered examples of Hill of Grace vintages across six decades for comparative tasting, dating from 1962.

“Here it is on the table before us – my lifetime with Hill of Grace,” says Stephen.

“It’s all about memories – memories that we cherish.”

Beyond receiving global accolades for the large suite of Henschke wines, Stephen also likes to shine a light on his family’s achievers, especially those whose toil was not widely recognised during the war years, when German influence in the Barossa was frowned upon and quelled by government administrators.

This includes gifted sculptor and stonemason Albert Julius Henschke, whose 1920s masterwork, carved from Angaston marble, is the giant angels that stand as centerpiece of the National War Memorial on North Terrace, Adelaide.

He also carved war memorials in Tanunda and Freeling, but was refused a commission for the Gawler South war memorial in 1920 solely because of his German name.

Winemaker Stephen Henschke.

Stephen even embarked on a campaign to restore the original Germanic name of the small river that runs close to the Henschke winery, called the North Rhine by the area’s Silesian founders, then changed to the Somme in 1918, reflecting strong anti-German sentiment after World War I.

It was one of many German names in the Barossa changed under the Nomenclature Act of 1917, but Stephen’s rigorous public campaign saw it officially gazetted once again as the North Rhine River.

He’s not just curious about his family’s German history. Stephen has become a student of Aboriginal culture and influence throughout the Eden Valley, learning about the movements, settlements and harvesting by different Indigenous people in the long history before colonial settlement.

“Through this, I’ve learned a much deeper history, that gives me a more complete understanding about the story of this land,” he says.

Prue Henschke in the Mt Edelstone vineyard, located in the Eden Valley. Photo by Dragan Radocaj.

Stephen, who was recently invited by the University of Adelaide to deliver a public lecture in the city about what happened to the Barossa’s German descendants between the two World Wars, tells tales of Henschke history from the heart, with a mixture of awe, deliberation and pride.

The family is also the subject of a commemorative hardcover book, Hill of Grace: 150 Years of Henschke Under Southern Skies (Hardie Grant Books, $60), tracing the history of the Henschke family’s flight from religious persecution in Germany during 1841, through its continued nurturing of the Hill of Grace vines at Keyneton, planted from the early 1860s.

The book is completed by historical photographs, colour plates by Barossa photographer Dragan Radocaj, and tasting notes of Hill of Grace vintages, from their first bottling as a single vineyard expression in 1958.

“History is such an important part of who we are and what we do,” says Stephen. “We’re fortunate that we have it on the page, in pictures, and in the incredible living library of wine that comes out of our cellars.”

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Life reinstated to much-loved Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary

When wildlife lovers David Cobbold and Narelle MacPherson heard that Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills was for sale, they saw an opportunity to “reinvigorate a national treasure”.

The couple, who own Peel Zoo in Western Australia, packed up their lives and relocated to Mylor in the Adelaide Hills, home of the closed but not forgotten sanctuary once famous for its Australian wildlife conservation efforts.

In September Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary reopened for the first time in more than five years and has since attracted thousands of visitors who come to learn about native wildlife and the environment.

“We’re only into our fifth week and it (visitation) seems to be building quite nicely,” David says.

“Just over the last week we’ve had a couple of hundred people through.”

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary owners Narelle MacPherson and David Cobbold with four-legged friend, Bear. Photo courtesy of Weekender Herald.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary was closed in 2013 after a long history in wildlife conservation and efforts by its founder Dr John Wamsley to eradicate feral pests and restore habitat.

Dr Wamsley purchased the property in 1969, eradicating feral plants and animals and putting up a 2.1m feral-proof fence to keep out roaming cats and foxes.

Warrawong soon became a thriving eco-system with native Australian wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, potoroos, bettongs and birds.

In 1993, Dr Wamsley made news headlines when he wore a hat made from feral cat skins to make a point about the destruction feral cats have on native wildlife.

The stunt brought about fierce debate between cat lovers and those who believed feral cats were wreaking havoc on native species.

An aerial view of Warrawong, located on Stock Road, Mylor, in the Adelaide Hills.

Eventually Dr Wamsley’s campaign led to a change in feral cat laws, allowing him to legally shoot them in his sanctuary.

Warrawong expanded into Earth Sanctuaries and was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, but later fell into financial difficulty, with Dr Wamsley and wife Proo Geddes leaving in 2005.

The sanctuary has since fallen under ownership of Zoos SA and the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority before it closed to the public in 2013.

It remained that way for the next five years, until David and Narelle heard the property was on the market.

“We heard that Warrawong was coming up, and we thought it wasn’t only interesting from a business point of view, where you think wow, great location, lots of infrastructure, huge potential … but you also realise it’s the cat hat guy, who I saw on TV as a young boy,” David says.

“When you realise that you’re not only hopefully creating a future for your family, but also reinvigorating a national treasure, the birthplace of the feral proof fence … it turns into a little personal crusade.”

Warrawong Wildlife Keeper Erin introduces some of the sanctuary’s friendly locals to visitors.

Now Warrawong is well on its way to being reinstated as a popular tourism destination, with opportunities for animal research and education.

One of the centrepieces is the platypus pond, and David says he envisages plans for platypus research and breeding facilities.

However, he admits there is still much work to be done including ensuring the property is once again free from pests, including a sneaky fox which has made its way onto the property.

“As we speak we have a fox on the property,” David says. “Dr Wamsley finished the (feral proof) fence in 1982 so the youngest part of the fence is 36 years old.”

He says birdwatching has been a popular activity at Warrawong since the reopening, with 110 species spotted so far.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary employs about half-a-dozen casual staff, and is about to put on a full-timer.

Warrawong is open to visitors seven days a week.

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by brandsa2018

State Opera set for new era of drama in 2019

The State Opera of South Australia (SOSA) is entering a new era with an impressive line-up of imaginative firsts and a rejuvenated education program to help engage communities in the dramatic art.

The State Opera has revealed its 2019 program, unveiling plans to rediscover three of Australia’s ‘lost operas’ in The Lost Operas of Oz.

Among these Australian works is Martin Wesley-Smith’s Boojum! originally premiered by State Opera in 1986, and based on the legendary poem The Hunting of the Snark by Louis Carroll.

Boojum! is described as a “deadly serious choral fantasy” showing at the Dunstan Playhouse in July, 2019, and will also provide opportunities for SOSA’s new Winter School students to be involved.

The oldest remaining in-tact theatre on mainland Australia – the Queen’s Theatre on Playhouse Lane – will host Christina’s World by Ross Edwards and Madeline Lee by John Haddock.

A program image of Christina’s World.

Christina’s World is about a middle-aged woman obsessed by a desire about returning to the house of her youth, while Madeline Lee tells the story of B24 bomber Lady Be Good and the 9-man crew who disappeared without a trace over Libya in North Africa in 1943.

Premiering in Sydney in 2004, the work went on to receive widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for seven Helpmann Awards.

“Creating new opera is very important to State Opera, but often in the push to produce new work, many great works only receive one outing,” says recently appointed State Opera artistic director Stuart Maunder AM.

“In 2019, State Opera will be leading the charge to showcase existing Australian opera. Not only are we dedicated to creating more opera, but we are reflecting on history and creating an opportunity for audiences to engage with these fantastic pieces.”

Families and younger audiences will be drawn to the world of opera with the 2019 season’s headlining “summer outdoor spectacular”, Carmen in the Square.

The passionate and feisty Carmen will come alive in Victoria Square.

The family-friendly performance, directed by Stuart Maunder, will take over Victoria Square Tarntanyangga on March 23, featuring the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera Chorus.

Set in Spain with “strutting bull-fighters, beautiful girls, jealousy and passion”, the production will also be filmed and simulcast to two regional theatres ensuring country communities can enjoy the city action.

The Adelaide Showground will host child-friendly opera Cunning Little Vixen, which SOSA says is a perfect introduction to opera for families and newbies.

State Opera executive director Yarmila Alfonzetti says the 2019 season belongs to the people.

“Stuart (Maunder) and I have strived to deliver on one of the simplest but more profound of arts aspirations – more opera for more people,” she says.

A scene from Cunning Little Vixen.

“From large scale family-friendly events such as Carmen and the magical world of Cunning Little Vixen, right through to intimate offerings in a diverse range of SA venues and an education program for all ages. We are very excited for what lies ahead.”

State Opera will also rebirth its education series including a primary schools tour of Elixir of Love, and a partnership program, The Opera Effect, which will engage high school students with the opera by offering discounted tickets, work experience opportunities and links to SACE achievements.

A new initiative between SOSA and the Helpmann Academy will also be launched, allowing an aspiring director to hone their craft and work alongside the creative team on opera productions.

For more information on the State Opera 2019 season visit the website.

by brandsa2018

Thornby Premium Lamb shares prime produce with the world

Thornby Premium Lamb has diversified its business model by entering the export market for the first time with its self-branded lamb products.

Thornby Premium Lamb products, including retail and consumer-ready packs, hit Japan in July this year, with plans also underway to target the Chinese market.

The longstanding family business is run by Paul McGorman, his brother Alex and father John who operate the family farm at Sanderston on the outskirts of the Murray Mallee.

They also run a premium breeding property on Kangaroo Island, mating merino ewes to white Suffolk rams to produce high quality lambs raised for meat.

Paul McGorman says the family farm supplied to wholesale markets before making the decision to value-add to the business by launching their own premium meat brand, now spotted in butchers and restaurants across SA and interstate.

Alex, left, Paul and John McGorman of Thornby Premium Lamb, which won the title of Australia’s Best Lamb in 2014.

A full-time sales and marketing role was created recently to help push the Thornby brand.

“We have always been big on diversification,” Paul says.

“While we sell our own branded product in Adelaide and Melbourne butchers and restaurants, we’re very excited by our first export to Japan this year.

“We’re taking full control and we’re also looking actively into the Chinese market – we’re going to a trade show in Shanghai in November.”

Paul says the decision to branch out from the farm’s traditional ties to the saleyard market was spurred after Thornby snagged the title of Australia’s Best Lamb at Lambex in 2014.

“We always thought that one day we’d have our own premium branded products and after winning a few awards we decided it was time to put our lamb out there,” he says.

“We’ve identified that there is a trend in the food industry where people want to know where their food is coming from.”

About 6000 lambs are bred at Thornby’s Kangaroo Island property, where they are raised until they reach weaning at about six months of age.

They are then brought to the Thornby feedlot at Sanderston where they are fed a grain-based diet for about 10 weeks before reaching the end stage of production.

The McGormans crop about 2400ha per year of wheat, barley and hay to feed the livestock. They also practice in wool production.

“With our self-feeders, the lambs can access high-quality grain 24/7 and there is plenty of room for them to roam naturally.

“They therefore grow at a faster rate because they’re eating a good quality diet and not having to forage for grass all day long. You end up with produce that is tender, with a milder flavour.”

Paul, front, and Alex McGorman are behind Thornby Premium Lamb which begun exporting its own branded products this year.

Thornby Premium Lamb turns over more than 50,000 lambs a year, breeding about 6000 of them while buying in the remainder from other farmers.

The business employs a team of 14 and Paul says many of its workers are in their mid ‘20s, proving that a career in South Australia’s agribusiness industry is still a viable pathway.

“The average age of our employees is about 23, and we employ attitudes not skills. Our employees are keen to learn and willing to get involved,” he says.

“There is strong jobs growth in agriculture and the meat and wool prices are going up, so it’s definitely a good time to be involved in agriculture.

“We’re excited by the future, enough so that we are significantly investing in a new shearing shed with a purpose-built showroom to display our product range.”

Thornby Premium Lamb products can be found at The Barossa Co-op,Feast! Fine Foods at Unley, Norwood, and the Adelaide Central Market, and increasingly in a number of SA restaurants supplied by Galipo Food Company.

“When you support local brands you’re supporting local farmers,” Paul adds.

Industry in focus: Agribusiness

Throughout the month of October, the state’s agribusiness industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

South Australian farmers, producers, agricultural researchers and biosecurity workers are the lifeblood of our country communities and are big players in the state’s overall economic welfare. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Ugly veggies live it up with perfect puree and tasty vodka

Blind tastings to find the perfect potato vodka are revealing left over starch from making potato crisps is the choice ingredient for a top drop.

In fact, the starch cake sourced from PepsiCo’s Adelaide crisp factory is proving so good that Adelaide Hills Distillery is now working towards launching its unique new vodka in January.

“We’re creating a vodka with flavour that’s mindfully sourced and sustainably made,” Potatoes South Australia CEO Robbie Davis says.

It was Ms Davis’s peak industry body that began work on creating the unusual new vodka with Adelaide Hills Distillery and the University of Adelaide last year.

They won a $30,000 grant from the former Labor State Government with the idea of finding new ways to use potato waste, and soon began trials using potato peel, the starch cake left over after making crisps and potato water.

Potatoes SA CEO Robbie Davis. Photo: PIRSA.

“This is a vodka that tells a story,” Robbie says.

“This has a taste to it, it’s slightly earthy, and that’s what is unique; it has some flavour.”

The boutique spirit is a successful research and development project undertaken by the forward-thinking industry body that represents the state’s largest horticulture industry.

SA produces 80% of the nation’s fresh washed potatoes and Robbie is leading the charge to find fresh ways to slash the corresponding waste.

In 2016, she travelled to Europe to see how different countries were trying to reduce pre-farm gate food waste after being named the state’s Rural Woman of the Year.

Now, she is also a director on the new $133 million Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre based at Adelaide’s Waite Institute that is targeting food waste and has 57 participants around Australia and overseas.

Who knew the humble potato could be so versatile!

She is also committed to another Potatoes SA project well underway with the university – this one focusing on scientifically creating a long-lasting, high-quality puree that ensures more “ugly potatoes” meet a more useful end.

At the moment, shoppers demanding perfect potatoes in supermarkets are forcing primary producers to bin up to 40% of produce.

This project takes on the ugly ducklings and purees them, skin and all.

“What we’ve perfected is a puree which is pure potato and some water with no added colour or preservatives and it will last a year if it’s chilled and has a shelf life of six months,” Robbie says.

“(Famed cook) Maggie Beer has bought the product and is very happy with it and has been using it in some of her products through the farm shop in the Barossa Valley.”

It has enormous export potential along with use in nursing homes and hospitals or in the baby or toddler food market.

Robbie says the university has been using it to make gnocchi, sorbet and meat pies as well as a gluten-free ingredient in bread and crackers.

A new company established by the association called Puree Australia is currently working out the best way to get the product to market so the industry can use more of the estimated 80,000 tonnes of potatoes that don’t make it into supermarkets each year.

Ugly potatoes are made into puree that’s used to make sorbet, gnocchi and meat pies.

It’s also triggered another collaborative research project with the University of Adelaide to develop nutrient dense foods for ageing South Australians.

Together with Test Kitchen SA, dietician Joyce Gibson, Obela Fresh Dips and Spreads and Thomas Farms Kitchen, the goal is to use the puree to develop a range of 10 nutrient-enriched, sophisticated and fun lifestyle-driven food products for ageing South Australians.

They include easy-to-swallow sauces, gravies, dips, spreads, desserts and smoothies with Robbie saying the work would look at ensuring older people can eat foods that satisfy their increasing need for protein.

“We want to see food in nursing homes, hospitals and residential villages that is beautiful, tastes yummy, has health claims and that isn’t stodge,” Robbie says.

She passionately believes SA’s economic future is tied to this kind of work, in producing food sustainably, innovatively and competitively.

That’s partly why the association is a Friend of Champions 12.3, a United Nations General Assembly working to halve waste by 2030 and reduce food loss along the value chain.

This month, those working to make that happen come together to celebrate all that is potato at the industry’s annual dinner at the National Wine Centre.

Among them will be some of the industry’s heavy hitters, The Mitolo Group, Zerella Fresh-Parilla Premium and Thomas Foods International Fresh Produce, with one of the key elements of the night – the auction of new season baby potatoes.

Last year, the 10kg lot sold for $10,250 with proceeds going to the Little Heroes Association, and Robbie hopes for an even larger bid this year.

“We’re always looking for more,” she adds.

Industry in focus: Agribusiness

Throughout the month of October, the state’s agribusiness industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

South Australian farmers, producers, agricultural researchers and biosecurity workers are the lifeblood of our country communities and are big players in the state’s overall economic welfare. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Agribusiness the backbone of SA economy

They help put food on our tables, contribute enormously to the state’s economy and uphold the livelihood of our regions.

South Australian farmers are the lifeblood of our country communities and are big players in the state’s overall economic welfare, with agriculture contributing to 25% of our economy.

Our agricultural researchers and biosecurity workers are equally important to our state’s reputation for being clean, green, pest free and one of the most sustainable food and wine growing regions on the planet.

Throughout October, Brand SA News will bring you success stories and the latest innovations from the state’s agribusiness industry, as part of Brand South Australia’s successful I Choose SA campaign.

We’ll take you inside the dairy industry and why you should be hunting down local dairy labels on your weekly shop, how multi-generational farming businesses have diversified, and how women are leading the way.

Food producers at B.-d Farm Paris Creek in the Adelaide Hills, makers of dairy products including yoghurt, cheese, butter and milk. Photo: PIRSA.

First up, we will deliver an article on Thornby Premium Lamb, a longstanding family-owned farming business with a presence at Sanderston on the outskirts of the Murray Mallee, as well as on Kangaroo Island.

We’ll also hear from Grain Producers SA’s first female boss, Caroline Rhodes, who will talk to the state’s grain industry, one that last year produced an 11 million tonne harvest worth a total farm gate value of $2.2 billion*.

Wheat is our primary grain, with 4500 farms across the state contributing to the grain industry, helping keep us and our livestock fed, and assisting in the manufacturing of a range of everyday products.

We’ll also bring you something a little weird – the world of potato waste.

Potatoes SA plans to tackle food waste by using discarded potato peel and pulp to make premium vodka (which we’re happy to taste test).

Brand South Australia’s I Choose SA for agribusiness ambassadors will also be revealed, and their experiences and industry predications shared.

Our coverage of agribusiness will take you inside some of our regions – our food bowls free from fruit fly and the vine-destroying phylloxera pest.

SA is the only Australian mainland state free from fruit fly and we spend about $5 million a year trying to keep it that way through prevention, detection and eradication measures.

Aside from knowing where our food grows, we’ll also find out where it goes, with China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand among others being some of our largest export markets.

And the wine, let’s not forget the wine. SA’s 3400 grape growers produce yearly crops valued at $658 million.

 

Eighty per cent of Australia’s premium wine comes from SA, proving we definitely know how to make a good drop.

To help kickstart the month of agribusiness exploration, Brand South Australia will host an Industry Briefing on October 9, where guests will learn about key innovations and the range of careers and available pathways.

Guests will hear from Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Tim Whetstone, Pork SA chairman Mark McLean and Grain Producers SA CEO Caroline Rhodes.

What: Brand South Australia I Choose SA for Agribusiness Industry Briefing
When: October 9, 4.30–6.30pm.
Where: Adelaide Showground, The Old Ram Shed.
Tickets: From $25–$49

Register for the event here.

*Statistics and industry figures sourced from PIRSA.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

H&M announces opening date for Rundle Mall Plaza store

Fashionistas, make room in your wardrobe because global fashion giant H&M is almost here.

Shoppers have been eagerly awaiting the details surrounding the opening of international fashion retailer H&M’s first South Australian store.

The Swedish fashion company will open its doors in the redeveloped Rundle Mall Plaza on November 2.

The H&M store will span across 3000 sq m over two levels, offering apparel, underwear and accessories for men, women and children.

It will also include an H&M Home concept featuring homewares, curtains, rugs, bed linen, cushions, blankets, storage, serving-ware and decorations.

“We are excited to finally be able to announce the opening date for our Rundle Mall Plaza store on November 2 and to offer our customers an incredible fashion shopping destination within Adelaide,” says Thomas Coellner, Australian Country Manager for H&M.

“We are also looking forward to introducing our H&M Home concept to Adelaide as we feel this really rounds out our wide assortment offering.”

H&M will be the major tenant in the redeveloped Rundle Mall Plaza. Photo supplied by Hames Sharley.

H&M will be the major tenant of Rundle Mall Plaza which has been under redevelopment for most of 2018.

The overall plaza redevelopment, undertaken by owner The Weinert Group, spans over four lower levels of the nine-storey building.

In addition to H&M, a ‘tech hub’ with offices and co-working spaces, a higher-end dining level, and health and well being precinct are also envisaged for the building.

The higher-end dining precinct will offer quality dining experiences that still cater to the lunchtime trade.

Large glass windows in the dining precinct overlooking Rundle Mall will be a feature of the building, as will the relocated Progress status, a welded copper structure created by Lyndon Dadswell in 1959.

H&M entered the Australian market in 2014 and now has 31 stores across the country.

It is understood that about 100 jobs including management positions are being filled within H&M’s Adelaide store.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

REDARC Electronics recharges Adelaide’s south with jobs, factory expansion

Advanced manufacturing company REDARC Electronics has come a long way since its beginnings in the late ‘90s, as an eight-person business operating out of a tin shed in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

Fast forward more than two decades and the Lonsdale-based company has expanded its product offerings from just voltage converters to a range of vehicle power solutions manufactured by a local workforce and exported across the world.

REDARC recently completed its 15th consecutive year of an average 20% growth. It’s also recently diversified into the defence and medical device industry, and has grown to have 180 FTEs on the books with plans to recruit more.

Managing director Anthony Kittel says the company has a five-year plan to reach $100 million in sales, employ more than 250 staff, and also complete a factory expansion allowing for a boost in exports.

The $20 million expansion of its Lonsdale factory began in 2017 and will see the company grow its workforce and penetrate new markets including defence and medical devices.

REDARC Electronics managing director Anthony Kittel.

New state-of-the-art machinery and specialist testing equipment are currently being installed, with the company on the look out for workers with various expertise.

“REDARC are planning to hire electronic engineers, computer systems engineers, project managers, sales, business development and marketing staff while also providing traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities,” Anthony says.

“REDARC are heavily involved and committed to the community by nurturing and developing the skills of young people as they enter the workforce, and by providing many work experience opportunities for high school students and undergraduates in various areas of business.”

The factory expansion is expected to be finished by late November.

“We are currently completing the installation of advanced manufacturing equipment,” Anthony says.

“We have also completed the installation of a 100kW PV solar power system which will allow REDARC to offset CO2 carbon emissions by 80 tonnes per year.

“We’ve also added a Tesla Powerwall to store energy from our solar system and a diesel generator allowing uninterrupted operations.”

Today the company sells more than 500 products sold globally into North America, Europe, UAE, South Africa, UK, South Korea and Singapore.

Its road to manufacturing success was laid in 1979 when the company was founded by electronics engineer Robin (Bob) William Mackie, who hand-built vehicle ignition systems and voltage converters.

Bob passed away in 1997 and Anthony and Michele Kittel, along with Michele’s father Denis Brion, purchased the business which they believed had potential but “needed a lot of work”.

“I knew we had a lot of work to do and since that time we have had a motto, ‘customer is king’. It took almost three years to stabilise the business and develop a vision for the future,” Anthony says.

REDARC built its reputation on the high quality manufacturing of vehicle power solutions.

Six of the eight original staff from the ‘90s are still with the company which has since built upon its team-based culture and diversified into the development of products for the 4WD and caravan industry.

These products include inverters, power supplies, battery chargers, brake controllers, trailer braking products, and portable solar panels.

REDARC services a range of other industries including heavy trucking, emergency services, mining, industrial, marine and recreational vehicles and, more recently, the defence and medical device industries.

SA’s burgeoning defence industry is one of the company’s key targets and for the last five years has offered the Australian defence sector a range of electronic solutions for vehicles.

REDARC is an SME (small-to-medium enterprise) partner for Rheinmetall, which won the LAND400 phase 2 contract to deliver more than 200 combat reconnaissance vehicles for the Australian Army.

The REDARC workforce is expanding, with job roles in various fields.

REDARC is also an SME partner to BAE Systems Australia on the SEA5000 Future Frigates project that will deliver nine new Hunter Class ships built by ASC Shipbuilding at Osborne from 2020.

Aside from its branching out into defence, REDARC has also experienced growth in its usual sectors, namely through the acquisition of NSW company Hummingbird Electronics in 2015.

In 2017/18 REDARC signed eTrailer Corporation and Keystone Automotive Operations as two distribution partners for North America.

Despite the Adelaide-born company reaching global heights, its managing director says SA is the “best place in the world to live and operate a business”.

“We have long-established networks and connections, our families live here,” he says.

“It’s great to see the growth and confidence in the SA economy, employment creation and infrastructure development. We are passionate about Australian manufacturing and employing local people.”

I Choose SA for Advanced Manufacturing stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

Industry in focus: Advanced Manufacturing

Throughout the month of September, the state’s advanced manufacturing industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

As SA transforms away from traditional manufacturing processes, innovative and sophisticated products and services are taking their place, creating new jobs and investment opportunities for the state. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Shop the maker: Kindred Self

There’s a saying that’s been floating around recently: “people don’t buy from businesses – they buy from people.”

And so, with the brand new Shop South Australia up and running, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on the people behind the local brands and businesses you can shop from on the purely SA online marketplace.

The first maker we’d like you to meet is Kyrie from Kindred Self.

A former graphic designer turned counsellor, Kyrie had the “strong inkling” that one day she would work in “some kind of healing modality”.

Kyrie was first introduced to essential oils 15 years ago when her specialist informed her that she had breast cancer – and handed her a tissue infused with lavender oil.

From there, the connection to essential oils became stronger and, fast forward 12 years, Kyrie set out to create her own range of essential oil products.

Kyrie, left, with her one of the handmade essential oil products.

How did the idea for Kindred Self come about?
After completing my formal counselling studies, I reflected on my personal experience of using essential oils for emotional support when I had cancer, and all of a sudden, the connection between counselling and aromatherapy seemed so obvious to me. And so, in a very organic way, the Kindred Self product range for self-care came to be.

What sets Kindred Self apart?
As a counsellor, my point of difference is how openly I connect with people by sharing my passion for oils, my life and personal insights. I often find myself at markets or in the shop having deep conversations and the essential oils are the gentle segue for this to happen. Feeling supported and heard is a big part of the Kindred Self experience.

What do you love most about being based in South Australia?
Adelaide is the perfect place for small start-ups, especially if you benefit from a bit of old-fashioned marketing such as ‘word of mouth’!

What have been some highlights for Kindred Self so far?
The biggest highlight is watching my little business grow – literally. When I first started, I leased a vestibule of an old church hall in Croydon. From there I moved into my shopfront in Grange. In October, I move into a much larger space in Port Adelaide, which feels extremely grown up!

Another highlight is witnessing my customers resonating with what my business is all about. My products are ‘heart crafted’ in small batches – a lot of time and love goes into what I do, and that energy is felt by many who come into contact with Kindred Self. I receive so much support and positive feedback from the community, which is so encouraging for me.

Kyrie outside her shopfront in Grange.

What’s next for Kindred Self?
Quite a lot actually! I’m about to setup a new workspace in Port Adelaide called Urban Wellness. This space will be HQ to Kindred Self, but also a shared space for likeminded wellness practitioners. The space will be a haven to connect, share, cultivate, heal and be well.

I’m also about to launch a spring/summer workshop series focusing on creative self-care, which will run at a few locations around Adelaide from October to February, and I’m developing some new products to launch in the new year.

Connect with Kindred Self on Facebook and Instagram.

Shop South Australia hot pick

May I Be Nurtured Pulse Point

A hug in a bottle, this pulse point roller is a blend that can improve sleep quality and ease symptoms of fear and anxiety.

It’s a synergy of lavender, cedarwood and chamomile that can be rolled onto the soles of your feet as you jump into bed, supporting a more restful sleep!

Shop South Australia is home to a unique collection of over 300 South Australian gifts and goods from more than 70 local makers and producers. Choose local and Shop South Australia.

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by brandsa2018

Axiom is moulding a new manufacturing future

In his 12 years working with Axiom Precision Manufacturing, Shannon Wride has seen a transformation in the way the business operates.

“We’ve strived to take on that high end work, and as a company we’ve always tried to do the jobs other people say they can’t do,” says the company’s operations supervisor and Brand South Australia’s latest I Choose SA ambassador.

“We’ve had people come to us saying no one else is willing to touch this and we’re always willing to give it a crack.”

When Shannon started out with Axiom as an apprentice in 2006 the company was then called Diemould Tooling and was based in Edwardstown, the work focused around the state’s automotive industry in producing plastic injection moulds.

As automotive work slowed down and China began taking over an increasing slice of the sector’s manufacturing pie, the SA-owned company took stock and began looking to change the way it operated.

The business began courting defence and aerospace companies and, eventually, new jobs began to roll into the workshops.

Axiom Precision Manufacturing operations supervisor Shannon Wride is an I Choose SA ambassador for the advanced manufacturing industry.

Before long, Diemould Tooling was merged with Numetric Manufacturers in Wingfield and the company renamed Axiom Precision Manufacturing.

Now the family owned business that started in 1979 works extensively on high-end metal component design and manufacturing jobs for the aerospace and defence industries.

It has worked hard to achieve AS9100 accreditation – meaning its quality system meets top level aerospace requirements, and the business has its highest ever staff numbers at about 60.

There are also plans to further develop land owned by the company next door to its Wingfield site, where its purpose-built manufacturing facility, delivering special purpose equipment, tooling and injection moulded components, is based.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround for a company relatively new to the nation’s defence industry. And it’s one that saw the company win a 2016 Defence Industry award for Most Outstanding Small-Medium Enterprise from the state’s Defence Teaming Centre.

The award recognised how it had excelled in engaging with the defence industry “to build their capability and to work in defence”.

Shannon, who first completed a four-year tool making apprenticeship, is now in charge of “day-to-day operations”, scheduling machine loadings and overseeing the inspection department.

He is in charge of “trouble shooting” and ensures orders reach customers on time with Shannon saying the company’s client base stretches across Australia.

He says one of the jobs he’s proudest of overseeing involves making moulds for a device that protects frontline defence forces from bomb detonations.

Shannon went through a four-year tool making apprenticeship and now works in an SA company that is taking advantage of the state’s growing advanced manufacturing sector.

“We’ve heard first-hand from people who have come in and seen these devices work in the field,” Shannon says.

“It’s saved lives, just hearing that is so rewarding, we are contributing to the protection of our defence forces.”

The company’s capabilities in precision machining also has seen it selected to manufacture components for space projects, from world class telescopes to high precision components supplied to Orbital ATK.

This space company manufactured fuel cells that launched the space shuttles to the International Space Station.

Axiom also makes components for the Australian Collins Class Submarines, ranging from precision-machined engine components to electronic hardware and the manufacture of tooling for battery components.

And it has a decade of experience in manufacturing medical devices and components including producing bone plates, dental implant components and specialised surgical equipment.

It’s this range of work – from defence to mining, food and beverage and medical devices industries – that’s kept Shannon committed to his role in a company that is not only growing but also taking on apprentices to train staff for high-end manufacturing in the future.

The business currently has three in-house apprentices and is looking to have another start next year with Shannon saying the state has a bright future.

“We hear that manufacturing in SA has been through a rough time but the ones who have managed to diversify early enough, we are booming, we haven’t had a quiet spell in years,” he says.

“And we’re attractive as employers, we’ve got a guy working here from South Africa and he picked SA because of the liveability and cheaper housing and with talk of the state being a defence hub as well.”

I Choose SA for Advanced Manufacturing stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

Industry in focus: Advanced Manufacturing

Throughout the month of September, the state’s advanced manufacturing industry will be under the magnifying glass as part of I Choose SA.

As SA transforms away from traditional manufacturing processes, innovative and sophisticated products and services are taking their place, creating new jobs and investment opportunities for the state. Read more stories here.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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