Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently had the great pleasure of travelling to the south of Adelaide and visiting a great South Australian success story. REDARC Electronics is a remarkable organisation which has had an incredible journey of growth, not just in size but also, importantly, in its capability to deliver increasingly advanced and sophisticated products that are now desired by our defence sector. It is a credit not only to the vision of Anthony and Michele Kittel, who purchased the business in its early days, but also to their unrelenting commitment to excellence as well as their desire to invest in and develop their staff.

REDARC Electronics was founded in 1979 and named after the red arc spark, developed in the first ignition system it manufactured. In 1997 they operated out of a tin shed with only eight staff. Since then, the company has become a world-class advanced electronics manufacturer, serving domestic and international markets, having now grown to 275 employees across three locations in Australia. Anthony and Michele Kittel bought into the business in 1997 before purchasing 100 per cent of the business in 2002. The firm is engaged in the research, design, development and manufacture of a range of electronic equipment for vehicles such as voltage converters, battery chargers and brake controllers. In other words, their products are attached to any vehicle that uses a battery.

In more recent times, REDARC launched its defence systems arm, which has grown and now proudly supports many of our nation's defence partners, including working on the Hunter class frigates as well as a number of land projects. The great work being carried out by the REDARC staff has meant that the company has been awarded almost $400,000 from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Fund for its Smart Factory project and is receiving a $150,000 Defence Global Competitiveness Grant to support REDARC's export capability.

I had the privilege of being guided on my tour by Anthony Kittel and the defence general manager Mike Hartis. It was great to see how the Commonwealth funding can transform businesses and, in turn, create amazing job opportunities for our graduates. REDARC has taken on 60 new staff within the last two months alone. The company—or, should I say, community, because that is what it feels like when you walk the floors and engage with staff—has a unique team culture. Employees are inspired and celebrated, and their skills are recognised and nurtured. The result is that the average length of service of employees is almost six years, and that's credited to REDARC's overall vision and values, which include integrity, quality, innovation and respect for the environment.

I was also incredibly impressed by REDARC's substantial and long-term commitment to supporting local community organisations such as Catherine House and the Red Cross blood service, as well as a number of southern sporting teams. REDARC has been recognised with multiple awards for their innovation, culture and success. These awards include being named Telstra Australian Business of the Year in 2014 and being named Australian manufacturer of the year in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

As a South Australian, I think it is critically important to bring to prominence these organisations which are providing opportunities for our youth. They partner with all of our key educational institutions. It is because of the innovation and success of companies such as REDARC, coupled with crucial support from the Morrison Liberal government, that South Australia's place as our nation's defence state remains secure. The next frontier for the company is the space sector. I wish them every success. REDARC's mission is to ensure that REDARC product and service is the benchmark by which the competition is measured. The company is achieving its mission.