@AuManufacturing Conversations episode 3 – Jon Bulman from Finisar

In the third episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations With Brent Balinski, we speak to Jon Bulman, Director of Manufacturing at Finisar.

Finisar Australia – founded in 2001 as Engana – builds devices critical to transporting the data we routinely depend on.

“Optical communications networks carry mobile phone, video and internet data. Given our share of the market, it is… fair to estimate that about half the world’s internet traffic goes through our devices,” Bulman tells us.

“What surprises many is that our devices made in Sydney are not only used around the world, but they perform such a fundamental role in the networks.”

We featured a story this week on our recent visit to Finisar’s Rosebery factory, a few kilometres south of Sydney’s CBD. As promised, here is the extended interview behind that story.

Bulman talks us through his career in high-tech electronics after moving here in 1994 from London, assembling Wavelength Selective Switches and the complex supply chain that feeds into this, the team of 250 working at Rosebery, how skills shortage and supply chain issues have affected the company in recent times, and what he sees as a resurgence in high-tech manufacturing in Australia.

The discussion is available above, as well as from platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

Main picture: fibre optic cables (image credit Depositphotos/Sashkin7)

Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.