MEDIA RELEASE – February 18, 2020
PMG secures boxer CRV contract with German military seating partner
NSW manufacturer Precision Metal Group (PMG) is pleased to confirm it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with German seating systems group Probatec AG for the manufacture and export of high-quality seating for military vehicles including the BOXER Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV).
The partnership between Probatec and PMG will see the Western Sydney-based company commence specialised product exports into Germany in early 2020. It will also underpin an agreement between the two companies to work together – through technology transfer to Australia – to deliver seating for the fleet of BOXER CRVs Rheinmetall Defence Australia is delivering to the Commonwealth of Australia under the Land 400 Phase 2 program.
Military-grade seating is critical for the protection of soldiers positioned in the back of armoured combat vehicles. This seating, known as blast attenuation seating, prevents spinal compression injuries protecting troops and the vehicle crew.
PMG Chief Executive Officer Jason Elias said the partnership with Probatec would expand the company’s footprint in Defence industry globally and create jobs in Western Sydney.
“Our agreement with Probatec establishes a local manufacturing capability that can deliver world class seat parts and products that will protect soldiers in Australia and overseas,” Mr Elias said.
“We have started testing and training our team to develop the products Probatec requires and expect to begin exporting parts to Germany by April this year.”
PMG is the first Australian company to achieve a German military welding certification -known as DIN2303 Q2 – and is growing rapidly as it expands its footprint in the Australian Defence Industry supply chain. The company has already been announced as a supplier of products including battery boxes to the first 25 of the 211 BOXER vehicles Rheinmetall is delivering to the Australian Army under Land 400 Phase 2.
Probatec is based at Amburg in Germany and has been a long-term supplier of military seating systems to Rheinmetall. Mr Elias said gaining the DIN2303 Q2 certification enabled PMG to enter the international defence supply chain and establish contact with Probatec with a view to working together.
Mr Elias said the PMG delegation also met with a number of other European companies currently delivering to defence forces internationally and gained an improved understanding of customer expectations around quality. These companies also included Amco Metal Services in Germany.
PMG has also ordered critical new manufacturing capability for delivery early in 2020 in line with the company’s strategy to increase the proportion of plant and equipment at industry 4.0 technology levels of connectivity and automation.
“These insights will support the work we already have underway at PMG to ensure we deliver the best possible products for our Defence customers in Australia,” he said.
Army, “To become involved in AIC plans in the Australian Defence Industry contracts many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will need to learn and understand the nature of the Defence sector and adapt to the specific requirements in Australia to be successful moving forward.”.
Jason Elias, Managing Director, Precision Metal Group, with Reiner Ley, Senior Vice President, Rheinmetall Land system, with a prototype of the blast attenuated seating for the BOXER 8×8 CRV.
