Company Notification

December 12, 2022

Future of Ampcontrol Member Companies

From 1 February 2023, Ampcontrol Group Member Companies—Austech, Burn Brite, Captech, CPS National and Verico—will be rebranded to Ampcontrol.

Ampcontrol is Australia’s largest privately-owned electrical engineering company leading advanced global manufacturing of award-winning innovations, products, solutions and service to the resources, infrastructure and energy sectors.

 

What business details are changing?

Burn Brite

Business entity and banking details will remain the same.

Entity: Ampcontrol Burn Brite Pty Ltd

Trading as: Ampcontrol Burn Brite

ACN: 128 065 216

Austech

Business entity and banking details will remain the same.

Entity: Ampcontrol CSM Pty Ltd

Trading as: Ampcontrol CSM

ACN: 000 770 141

Captech

Business entity and banking details will remain the same. There will be a change in business name for Capacitor Technologies Pty Ltd which will trade as Ampcontrol Captech.

Entity: Capacitor Technologies Pty Ltd

Trading as: Ampcontrol Captech

ACN: 106 461 385

CPS National

Business entity and banking details will remain the same. There will be a change in business name for Complete Power Solutions Pty Ltd which will trade as Ampcontrol CPS.

Entity: Complete Power Solutions Pty Ltd

Trading as: Ampcontrol CPS

ACN: 083 371 653

Verico

Business entity and banking details will remain the same.

Entity: Ampcontrol SWG Pty Ltd

Trading as: Ampcontrol SWG

ACN: 001 737 533

 

Will there be any changes to product and service offerings?

The existing product and service offerings from Ampcontrol Member Companies will remain the same and form part of the trusted and reputable Ampcontrol offering.

Legal entities will not be affected, meaning all existing contracts and standard terms and conditions remain unchanged.

Ampcontrol is committed to supporting and servicing the products and equipment you have invested in. All certified product labels will remain the same and certifications will be unaffected.

As a part of Ampcontrol, you will have seamless access to a broader range of Ampcontrol products and services, along with strategic innovation and research and development opportunities.

 

Further questions

If you have any further questions, please contact the Ampcontrol Customer Service Team by emailing customerservice@ampcontrolgroup.com or calling 1300 267 373.

Peter Cockbain AM Wins Major Award at Engineer Australia’s Excellence Awards

October 6, 2022

On behalf of Ampcontrol, we wish to recognise and congratulate Peter Cockbain AM, Co-Founder of Ampcontrol who was awarded Engineers Australia’s most illustrious individual accolade, the Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal, at Engineer Australia’s Excellence Awards, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the field of engineering and the broader community.

With a career spanning decades, Peter is a distinguished innovator, entrepreneur, industrialist, philanthropist, and one of Australia’s most highly regarded and influential engineers. He has been a passionate member of Engineers Australia for more than 50 years, including a stint as National President and has served as a board member of Standards Australia, the University of Newcastle Council and the Prime Ministers Science, Engineering, and Innovation Council.

In 2010, Engineers Australia named Peter one of Australia’s 100 Engineering Leaders of the past century. In 2015 he became a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant services to
engineering.

On winning the Peter Nicol Russell Career Achievement Memorial Medal, Peter Cockbain AM said, “I have only ever been a willing participant in very talented teams. Collectively, we’ve achieved a lot. Ampcontrol’s company motto is: ‘I can’t do it. You can’t do it. But we can’. It’s always been about what we could achieve together, not the individual achievement of one person.”

With the many collaborations and partnerships Ampcontrol is part of, the aphorism “I can’t do it, you can’t do it, but we can” attributed to Peter is representative of how Ampcontrol values collaboration and group innovation, both internally and externally.

Peters vision, energy and determination to continuously improve and innovate is supported by Ampcontrol’s investment in research, development and commercialisation practices that have seen the company thrive over the last 50 years to become the global success story it is today.

The long list of high-profile awards Ampcontrol has received for innovation, design, and technology is a testament to Peter’s founding philosophies set down when he and fellow Co-Founders established Ampcontrol in 1968.

Earlier this year Washington H. Sul Pattinson acquired 100% of the shareholdings from other investors including Ampcontrol Co-Founder Peter Cockbain.

Read More Here.

COBOT Project

June 27, 2022

Ampcontrol’s Collaborative Robot (COBOT) project is being undertaken by undergraduate mechanical and mechatronics engineer Jasper Harvey in Ampcontrol’s technology location in Cameron Park, NSW. Graduating at the end of the year, Jasper joined Ampcontrol through an undergraduate engineer position and has had the opportunity to learn from experienced engineers while applying his knowledge from university practically.

The project aims to develop Ampcontrol’s ability to harness advanced manufacturing capabilities. By highlighting tasks in the workshop that can be automated with the COBOT, Ampcontrol can improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce the exposure of hazardous tasks to employees.

Collaborative robots are a type of industrial robot that are intended for use in environments where people will be working close by. The collaborative nature of these robots mean that they are safe to operate around people, and do not require significant guarding or exclusion zones. These robots have force sensing capabilities, so if contact does occur with a person, the robot will stop operation and enter a paused state without causing injury.

A key area that has been highlighted for use with the COBOT is automated testing of Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA’s). The testing sequences often have large amounts of wait time associated with them, so by making use of a COBOT to test PCBA’s, workshop staff are able to shift their focus to other aspects of a project that cannot be automated. The only project of it’s type ongoing at Ampcontrol, Jasper has had the unique opportunity to work on an innovative solution before finishing his degree, when asked why he chose a career in STEM, he said,

“STEM has always been an area of interest for me. I have always love to design and build things, so engineering seemed an obvious choice for me.”

To work on projects such as COBOT and other innovative electrical and mechanical project, sign up for the Ampcontrol Talent Community, where you will be the first to know about new opportunities all over Australia.

Ampcontrol Talent Community

 

AMPCONTROL EXPANDS FOOTPRINT IN PREMIER MANUFACTURING HUB, GLADSTONE

April 1, 2022

Our Australian footprint currently spans NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

Through our employee group of over 850, we are enabled to continue to deliver integrated electrical, electronic and control solutions to improve safety and efficiency in mining, renewable, infrastructure and industrial applications.

Announcing our expansion, Ampcontrol Managing Director & CEO, Rod Henderson spoke of the move into Gladstone, “Gladstone is a region of great opportunity, a region that like Ampcontrol is on an upward trajectory of expansion and growth.”

A resilient region with an established economy, underpinned by successes as Australia’s premier manufacturing and industrial hub. Adding Gladstone to our current Queensland locations of Mackay, Emerald and Moranbah will provide a greater depth of support for service delivery across central Queensland, to our existing customer network and new customers alike.

Frank Lantry, Ampcontrol Gladstone’s Service Manager shared his excitement about the official opening of the site, noting how the local business community has embraced Ampcontrol’s move to open in Gladstone.

“The energy and excitement amongst our new customers, to see Ampcontrol expand their footprint in Central Queensland has been overwhelmingly positive. I am excited to deliver Ampcontrol’s broad scoping electrical engineering capabilities for our Gladstone customers,” Frank expressed.

Gladstone’s specialist team takes Ampcontrol’s reputation and capability for delivering quality engineered electrical solutions and service with them. Delivering through their fleet services team and on-site service team whilst also offering Ampcontrol’s full suite of electrical, innovations, products and solutions.

Alongside Ampcontrol’s innate capabilities in supporting the manufacturing and resources sectors, Ampcontrol will also play its role in the economic development activities driving the Gladstone region’s capacity for sustainable growth initiatives.

Reach out to Frank and the Gladstone team today!

 

Download the Media Release.

UON Students present to Ampcontrol CEO

November 22, 2021

Ampcontrol has again in 2021 had the opportunity to provide a real-world product and organisation to be incorporated into the University of Newcastle’s Innovation and Entrepreneur course.

As part of the course students were asked to identify problems and project innovations on the product of Solar Cube, developed and delivered to market by Boundary Power, an Ampcontrol joint venture company.

On Thursday the 21st of October, Ampcontrol engineers and executives had the pleasure of listening to the 2021 cohort of students as they presented their final report and findings on Boundary Power and Solar Cube.

The groups presentations were the culmination of the student’s time in the capstone course and saw each group pitch their solutions to Ampcontrol senior leaders and CEO, Rod Henderson. As a final year course, this can also be seen as the practical application of everything a student has learnt through-out their business degree.

This years’ engagement with the University and its Innovation and Entrepreneur students is the second opportunity that Ampcontrol has had to be involved. In 2020, Ampcontrol offered the Gilghi project, an innovative water treatment plant to be used in regional and remote communities that have limited access to water, as the product for research.

Ampcontrol has a long-standing relationship with the University and is an advocate for innovative learning. Ampcontrol prides itself in working with the UoN to give students practical experiences working on real world innovative products and developing a stronger connection to the wider Newcastle community.

Key to the success of the course is the partnership and joint investment by both UoN and Ampcontrol’s team. Ampcontrol’s Chief Technology Officer, Tim Wylie, Learning & Development Specialist, Mikhaila Halford and Academic Garry Haworth came together to enable the opportunity. The partnership and engagement from both UoN and Ampcontrol is what allows the students to achieve their success.

A great opportunity for the future innovators who were involved, all who can be confident in their abilities. Congratulations to each of the students of University of Newcastle’s Innovation and Entrepreneur course on a very successful program. Well done!

Lear more about how Ampcontrol provides graduates with hands-on, practical experience in the Ampcontrol Graduate Program.

Ampcontrol and LeoLabs $240m Aussie Space Radar Project

November 10, 2021

Ampcontrol has joined forces with LeoLabs Australia, in a Commonwealth grant through the Modern Manufacturing Initiative – Collaboration (MMI-C) to build world-leading space surveillance radars. If successful, the A$240M Aussie Space Radar Project (ASRP) will catapult Australia as a global leader in space surveillance and RF electronics export.

An estimated total investment of A$240M over three years, includes a direct A$160M investment by LeoLabs Inc and partners. The financial support under the MMI-C will provide A$80M investment in three Australian modern manufacturing innovations. This will include two new manufacturing facilities in Jerrabomberra and the Hunter Region, New South Wales, along with three high capacity advanced electronics production lines including one at SRX in Dandenong, Victoria.

The ASRP is notably the largest investment by a foreign company into Australia’s space industry in decades and represents a one-of-a-kind technology transfer, available only to Australia. It will enable LeoLabs’ Australia and partners to manufacture LeoLabs’ entire next-generation global space radar system, making Australia the sole global provider of LeoLabs’ high-tech radar modules to the world. The exquisite, next generation modular radar technology, which has been developed in Silicon Valley, incorporates the latest commercially available 5G systems, and truly transforms the way objects are tracked in space.

This exciting opportunity focuses on bringing together Australian businesses to manufacture the space radar systems, create new Australian manufacturing jobs and improve Australia’s sovereign surveillance capabilities. For Ampcontrol and ResTech, the collaboration provides the opportunity to extend electrical engineering expertise and ingenuity, develop new capabilities in space and defence technology, and construct a new production facility to build and test radar modules.

 

Watch the video from LeoLabs where key stakeholders speak on the partnership:

Read the full Media Release below

Download Media Release

Ampcontrol named on Fortunes 2021 Change the World list

October 29, 2021

Ampcontrol and Aurecon have been recognised in Fortune Magazine’s Change the World List for 2021 for our joint project Gilghi. The list recognises companies that have had measurable social impact, with key consideration to the benefit that the socially impactful work brings to the company and how innovative the company’s efforts are, relative to the wider industry.

Gilghi is an innovative solution that seeks to provide remote and regional communities with clean drinking water. While groundwater is abundant in Australia, it is undrinkable due to high salinity, mineral content and the high cost of desalination. Remote and regional communities like the Gillen Bore community which until Gilghi’s installation in 2019 relied on the continued truck transport of potable water due to the high salinity, hardness and low pH levels found in their existing bore water, now have a low cost, solar powered water treatment plant the size of a shipping container that can process up to 250,000 litres of water a day.

Utilising a stand-alone hybrid power supply consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, a back-up diesel generator and battery storage, Gilghi is designed to be a renewable energy solution that can stand up to the demanding environmental conditions experienced within the isolated communities in which it is deployed.

The first Gilghi system, in the Northern Territory hamlet of Gillen Bore, has now been running successfully for two years with virtually no downtime. Its creators aim to re-create the system in other drought-stricken areas, in regions with contaminated groundwater, and in island communities

Gilghi, designed to improve the accessibility of clean drinking water within remote communities meets all key criteria for the recognition listing.

Gilghi along with other award-winning Ampcontrol projects such as Solar Cube, represent Ampcontrol’s commitment to challenging existing conditions through innovation, while working with integrity to make good decisions for our customers, our business and each other.

For further information on Gilghi and the benefits it’s able to provide to remote communities, click here: https://www.cpsnational.com.au/remote-area-water/

Ampcontrol develops hybrid diesel-electric boat together with project partners

December 11, 2020

While hybrid cars are now commonplace on our roads, the development of hybrid boats has been lagging – until now.

A collaborative partnership between Ampcontrol, The University of Newcastle and Steber International has conducted a series of highly successful bench and on-water trials of a hybrid diesel-electric boat prototype.

This week, the 22ft test rig was officially launched on the Manning River in Taree NSW. Made possible through the support of the Federal Government AusIndustry Innovation Connection grants, the hybrid diesel-electric boat project has been in development for two years.

Onboard the test rig, Ampcontrol Managing Director & CEO, Rod Henderson said it was great to get out on the water after extensive research and development and electric power system testing.

“The experience and on-water performance are impressive; there is no vibration; it’s quiet and has excellent torque and speed. It’s great to see another innovative power supply solution designed by the people of Ampcontrol put into practice,” added Mr Henderson.

Initial trials with one person on board attained 20 knots and with seven people on board the speed was 18 knots. With 9.5kVA gen-set installed and carrying a full complement of equipment and crew, a rate of 15 knots was achieved.

Steber International General Manager, Alan Steber said the exciting project has unlimited potential across the entire marine landscape.

“Potential applications include marine park boats, police boats, recreational and leisure boats, harbour foreshore inspection boats, tourist boats, yacht club tenders, security vessels, to name a few. Working with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), we will establish the additional protocols required for commercial vessel registration and use,” added Mr Steber.

Leaders in Australian boat manufacturing and industrial composite technology, Steber International approached Ampcontrol in 2018 requesting assistance to develop a prototype hybrid police boat. Ampcontrol’s leading technology and engineering expertise was applied to leverage the silence of the electric power system to enable a whisper-quiet mode for operations requiring some stealth. The diesel generator design by Ampcontrol provides power support when needed to ensure its operating range is not compromised.

The hybrid diesel/electric propulsion system allows a boat to be power efficient, quiet and be significantly more emission friendly without suffering any loss of cruising range. The application of batteries and an electric motor facilitates a reduction in the size of the diesel engines required, while maintaining the same, or higher, power ratings for the vessel.

“Ampcontrol and the University of Newcastle have added their considerable skills making this a genuinely collaborative effort on all levels. Ampcontrol delivers integrated electrical and electronic solutions, responding to challenges with agility and ingenuity. The University of Newcastle has provided research input right down to the granular level and testing facilities, helping to ensure the project meets the latest Australian safety standards,” commented Mr Steber.

“This project showcases the incredible work that is enabled by university, industry and government partnerships. We have such highly advanced manufacturing capability and ingenuity in our country. It is so important that we collaborate so that we can continue to produce innovative solutions and products here in Australia that make a difference in people’s lives around the globe,” concluded Mr Henderson.

Christmas and New Year

November 23, 2020

Ampcontrol has you covered this festive season. Some of our business units are taking a short break, however our 24/7 customer service will continue to operate across Christmas and New Year via customerservice@ampcontrolgroup.com and 1300 267 373.

For individual site closure dates, please click here.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Stay safe and enjoy.

Re-thinking Traditional Fixed Infrastructure

April 30, 2020

Traditionally, the construction of permanent electrical infrastructure has been thought of as just that, permanent. It’s constructed using time consuming and site labour intensive bricks and mortar construction techniques. But does it need to be? What if fixed infrastructure was in fact relocatable? What benefits would this bring to infrastructure projects?

Typical Applications

Surface and underground mines typically employ relocatable power equipment. They do so to accommodate the dynamic nature of a mine site, where the electrical system must move, regularly extended and be rapidly deployed as mining progresses. This equipment is invariably relocatable, compact and relatively high voltage. In addition, it’s designed for transport with minimal disassembly and reassembly with an aim to streamline site works.

Mining substation

A typical relocatable substation used in above ground mining applications 

Non-Typical Applications

We’ve seen this type of relocatable and rapidly deployable power equipment becoming used in a range of non-typical applications. At Australia’s two largest solar farms in Broken Hill and Nyngan, Ampcontrol completed 117 identical power conversion skids housing control panels, inverters and transformers.

Using the rapidly deployable model these electrical skids were fully manufactured and assembled at Ampcontrol’s workshops before being transferred to site as complete units. This resulted in significantly simplified onsite works and ensured the skids could be delivered at a rate of four per week.

Modular electrical equipmentPower conversion skids being manufactured in Ampcontrol’s workshops

Power conversion skids

Power conversion skids installed at the solar farms 

Due to the dynamic nature of their environment, the tunnelling industry is familiar with rapidly deployable power equipment during the construction phase. It is not however typically used for permanent electrical infrastructure within tunnels post construction.

Westconnex, Australia’s largest infrastructure project, recently implemented this rapidly deployable style of infrastructure for their 46 Electrical Equipment Rooms (EERs). The EERs all included a transformer, switches, circuits and communication systems but were all individual in design, dependent on location and requirements.

These EERs were manufactured in Ampcontrol’s Tomago NSW workshops before being transported to the Sydney tunnelling site at a rate of two rooms per week.

Westconnex was the first tunnelling project in Australia where EERs were manufactured offsite and installed directly into the tunnel, compared to the traditional method of building them in-situ. This approach resulted in significantly reduced and simplified civil works, and faster installation with fewer people underground.

relocatable power infrastructure Power infrastructure tunnellingEERs being delivered and installed in the Westconnex tunnels

The Benefits

Manufacturing in a dedicated workshop enables many variables to be easily controlled, ensuring a safer, better cost controlled and time managed build.

Safety improvements

  • Minimal staff required for underground siteworks, installation and commissioning
  • Construction managed offsite in a controlled environment where risks can be better managed

Cost control

  • Manufacturing efficiencies are gained through modularised repeated assemblies, designed specifically for a workshop environment

Time management

  • Fast install and commissioning
  • Manufacturing, transport, installation and commissioning can all happen simultaneously ensuring project construction continues unimpeded by siteworks

Rapidly deployable relocatable equipment for fixed applications is a viable option for a variety of industries and applications. Ampcontrol is expertly positioned and experienced in the design, manufacture, testing, installation and commissioning of this type of equipment across typical and non-typical applications.

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