New program to connect SMEs with global supply chains

The Defence Teaming Centre member organisation of defence companies has launched a new program designed to help SMEs get a foothold in global markets and supply chains for defence, advanced manufacturing and cyber security sectors.

DTC’s Team.eX is a specialist business program that helps SMEs develop business maturity and collaborate to build the capacity and capability for export success.

Team.eX is centred on an eight-month executive education style program, which SMEs can join at varying levels of participation.

Depending on the level of involvement, participants will have access to face-to-face workshops, online modules, networking opportunities, legal templates, facilitated introductions, market research and one-on-one export coaching.

Defence Teaming Centre Chief Executive Officer Audra McCarthy said Team.eX will enable businesses to take on larger projects, diversify their revenue streams and capitalise on the massive growth in the defence, cyber security and advanced manufacturing sectors worldwide.

McCarthy said: “For Australian SMEs wanting to access global markets and the supply chains of large, multi-national organisations, it isn’t as simple as picking up the phone and talking to the right person.

“To be considered, even the amount of paperwork required can be overwhelming. It requires a huge amount of preparation and commitment from a business.

“The teaming concept will bring together like-minded SMEs with complementary capabilities to offer an improved, integrated solution to global customers and overcome many perceived risks such as size.”

The program will help companies build capability and scale to compete domestically and globally for work.

BAE Systems Australia’s Global Access Program Manager Tony Martin said the Team.eX program supports the company’s existing efforts to build the capability of its supplier community.

“There are significant opportunities for Australian industry in the BAE Systems’ global supply chain.

“We strongly believe Team.eX will support businesses to mature and compete domestically and globally for work.

“We find within the Australian supply community, there are many SMEs with a niche – unique capabilities which they apply very well in their own selected field. But bringing together companies with complementary capabilities, as Team.eX aims to do, can often achieve a far greater effect.”

Managing Director of specialist steel fabricator Smart Fabrication Simon Kennedy said he was excited to be one of the first companies to join the national program.

Kennedy said: “Defence is a sector we’ve been working in for over a decade now, but one thing we haven’t looked at seriously enough is the opportunity to compete in global supply chains.

“We know we can do it; we’ve got what it takes, but Team.eX will help us get there much faster. It’s exciting – we know it’ll give us the knowledge, connections and implementation support we need to take that next step and forge even stronger relationships with global defence primes.”

Team.eX has multiple levels of participation, providing access to a range of business growth and professional development opportunities.

There are a range of Federal and State Government grant funds available which participants may be able to access to offset their organisation’s cost to participate in the Team.eX program.

Foundation Partners of Team.eX are Adelaide Business School (The University of Adelaide), Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), Department for Trade and Investment, De Stefano & Co, Jones Harley Toole and Knowledge Perspectives.

The Team.eX program has received grant funding from the Australian Government’s SME Export Hubs Initiative.

Picture: De Stefano & Co

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