Five-year Bell Bay energy agreement protects jobs and strengthens Tasmania’s industrial future
This agreement was an important outcome for Tasmania’s industrial economy.
Regional Insights Tour
Tasmania’s North West Coast | August 2024
Delivered by TMEC, Department of State Growth and University of Tasmania
From electric motors to whisky, this is a pretty great way to learn...
13 people across varied industries tour 7 different businesses with the opportunity to be inspired by new ideas and see how others tackle similar challenges.
Opportunities to expand our thinking and build new alliances with complementary industries and government are key reasons why the Regional Insight Tours are so valuable. We welcomed participants from ACL Bearing Company, Harbro Engineering, PT Motorsport Australia, Temtrol Technologies, Southern Ocean SubSea, Cromarty, Tas Steel Solutions, Mitchell Plastic Welding and Alpha Electrics & Water.
A big thank you to everyone involved. And here are who our delegates visited…
Ashgrove
The Ashgrove milk and cheese factory, nestled in Elizabeth Town, Northern Tasmania, boasts a rich heritage dating back to the 1880s. Established by Michael and John Bennett with their wives in 1983, the Ashgrove Farms partnership transitioned to focus on dairy in response to market shifts. In 1993, they launched the Ashgrove Cheese factory, aiming to produce premium cheese from their own milk.
The factory expanded significantly, with a new facility completed in 2011 that doubled production capacity. Ashgrove Cheese began bottling fresh milk and cream in 2008. The company has received numerous awards, including Sydney Royal Show Champion Butter in 2015 and National Gold for Non-Homogenised Milk and Cloth Aged Cheddar in 2016. John Bennett was named Australian Farming Legend in 2017. Today, Ashgrove Cheese stands as a proud landmark, known for its quality and the dedication of its family and local team.
Participants commented on Ashgroves focus on provenance and sustainability aligned to their brand, the circular initiative of using wastewater from production on the farm, the diversification of operations around seasonality and their collaboration with other businesses in developing new product.
Penguin Composites
Founded in 1976, Penguin Composites began as a water sport manufacturer and now specializes in composite components using polyesters, vinylesters, and epoxies, combined with various fibers and core materials. Serving industrial, military, commercial, and domestic markets, the company is known for its problem-solving and product development expertise.
Penguin Composites holds ISO 9001 certification and adheres to AS/NZ1546.1:2008 standards. The company operates with a 3500 sq m workshop across two sites, equipped with advanced machinery including filament winders, resin transfer moulding machines, and a CNC router.
Their facilities support RV assembly, metal workshops, and panel manufacturing, while engineering staff utilise CAD for custom and volume production. Penguin Composites is also focused on 5S and Lean manufacturing practices and uses an advanced ERP system for operations.
Participants commented on Penguin Composites' strong level of collaboration and leveraging key strengths, the continuous improvement/lean journey, different directions of challenges and the mix of having their own products to the consumer, while also providing components to a broader range of industries.
Hellyers Road Distillery
By every stretch, Hellyers Road Distillery is without equal. With many unique characteristics, the distillery is proud to produce single malt whiskies of unrivalled distinction.
But how you ask?
• Home to one of the world's most unique whisky stills
• Recognised for having an incredibly unique and distinctive signature style.
• Brew our own wort for mashing, distil our own newmake spirit and bottle our own whisky. One of the very few true craft distilleries in Australia to do this.
• Produce a variety of highly recognised and unique peated whisky styles that are awarded on the world stage.
• Release our single malts at an average age of 7 years old.
• One of only a few distilleries in the world to make truly fresh cream single malt whisky liqueurs.
Our famous and award winning Hellyers Road Distillery Visitor Centre, Hellyers Road Restaurant and Whisky Walk Distillery Interpretation Tours lie in the picturesque area of Havenview just outside of Burnie.
Participants noted how far head the business plans, supply chain challenges to ensure the consistent quality of items such as barley, working with other businesses such as Ashgrove, and the budgeting well in advance.
SED Graders
SED Graders are global leaders in automatic oyster grading technology. For over 17 years, they've supported oyster producers worldwide with Australian-designed and made graders. Australia’s leadership in oyster growing and grading technology is reflected in the quality of our oysters.
SED Graders use cutting-edge vision technology to deliver speed and precision, boosting productivity by up to 400%. They enhance throughput, lower labour costs, and reduce mortality and damage compared to traditional hand grading.
Innovation drives them. When the Tasmanian Government sought ways to boost local oyster industry productivity, they responded with a decisive yes. Their expertise led to the development of the SED Vision Grader after a dedicated seven-year effort. SED Graders continue to push the boundaries of technology and problem-solving.
Delegates commented on the level of continuous innovation, the development oif product and refinement driven by a close relationship with customers, the recognition of challenges to maintain compliance with ISO uqality systems in an agile environment and the almost generational length of customer relationships.
Alpha Electrics & Water
Alpha Electrics and Water is a leading provider of electrical and water solutions in Tasmania, serving the industry for over 50 years. As Tasmania’s largest supplier and repairer of electric motors, the company is known for its innovative approaches and dedication to meeting the present and future needs of its customers.
Founded by the Phillips brothers, the business has grown with a highly skilled workforce, emphasising customer focus, results, and a passion for problem-solving.
Owned and operated by Eddie Maguire and Kent Wyllie, both proud natives of Tasmania's North West Coast, Alpha Electrics and Water is committed to remaining a Tasmanian-owned enterprise that supports local employment. The company employs over 55 people and operates three branches across the state: the head office in Somerset, and additional branches in Latrobe and Kingston. All branches are equipped with a job tracking program to monitor and store job progress and information for future reference.
Reflections by our delegates included an appreciation of the focus and approach around training and apprentices, sponsoring student competitions, clarity of forward planning, provision of flexible work arrangements and 4 day week, amd the use of integrated lean systems.
Jayben Group
Jayben Group is a Tasmanian-based engineering and manufacturing company specialising in power train products, light to medium industrial equipment, and off-highway power solutions. They provide comprehensive services, including research and development, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution both domestically and internationally.
With a focus on innovation and continuous improvement, Jayben offers a range of specialised products like Sewell Sweepers and Superior Brooms. The company takes a holistic approach to operations, integrating advanced technology and expertise at every stage to deliver high-quality solutions for industrial and agricultural applications.
Participants noted this is an impressive business with a high level of organisation, the lean principles ingrained through the DNA. of the business, cobot integration (pictured top right) for a 50% productivity gain designed with staff for implementation and partnerships such as the one with Grange to create the wall scaler.
Van Diemens Land Creamery
Established in 2005, Van Diemens Land Creamery was created by a Tasmanian dairy farming family. Using milk from their farm, Jan and Paul Amourgis began making some of the freshest ice cream available, with some batches going from cow to consumer in less than 24 hours.
While Paul milked the cows, Jan made the ice cream, and together they attended Tasmanian events to connect with consumers. Their appetite for bringing others joy through unique artisan ice cream grew. Today, Van Diemens Land Creamery's product can be found in premium restaurants, delicatessens and scoop outlets right around Australia.
Other than a delicious visit, delegates noted their staffing challenges to getting the right people for the right roles and thinking broader such as making provision for close by housing for backpackers, the inventory management system, use of Monday to support communication, being very clear about who our market is, and being prepared to pause growth to get things in place.
Sparked some interest?
2026 Emergency Response Competition
Cement Australia, Cornwall Coal will host the 2026 Tasmanian Minerals Emergency Response Competition at their Fingal Site from Friday 16th and Saturday 17th October 2026.
TasPorts Industry Pathway Program
Thinking about a career change, returning to work or looking for stable local employment? Build practical skills, explore real workplaces and connect with employers through the TasPorts Industry Pathway Program.