AusInnovate

AEROSPACE giant Boeing has officially opened its Australian Phantom Works research and development operation, giving a much needed shot in the arm for the local innovation community.

While Boeing has a 20-year working relationship with local researchers at the CSIRO and Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), opening a Phantom Works in Australia will significantly deepen the relationship.

Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister Kim Carr said the operation would help strengthen the links between local researchers and global supply chains – and bolster Australia’s innovation capacity.

Boeing Phantom Works Australia’s newly appointed general manager Dr Al Bryant is a featured speaker at AusInnovate conference at CeBIT Australia this year on May 20.

AusInnovate is being held at CeBIT Australia 2008 on behalf of partners NICTA, CSIRO ICT Centre and the DSTO to promote the links between Australian R&D and the business sector.

Senator Carr said Phantom Works fostered innovative technologies in-house but also engaged with top government, private and university researchers internationally.

“Innovation is critical to securing the future of Australian industry, and R&D is critical to the innovation process,” Senator Carr said.

“Phantom Works shows how the manufacturing sector can pioneer processes, systems and organisational methods that transform the way all sectors do business.”

“The operation will strengthen the links between local industry, researchers and global supply chains. We know that working with international customers and collaborators helps push Australian firms to new heights of innovation,” Senator Carr said.

“We also know that boosting innovation is the best way to keep Australian industry internationally competitive. It’s a powerful circle – more innovation leads to more export capability and more international exposure leads to more innovation.”

Boeing chief technology officer Dr John Tracy said the Australian arm of the Phantom Works operation would give the company access some of the best research and development talent in the world.

“We are very selective about where we open research centres and we only pick the best of the best,” he said.

“A Phantom Works branch in Australia means that we believe that this is the best place in the world for us to continue our technology journey.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 7:20 pm and is filed under Business Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.