Ammo-box contract extended for Victorian company

A regional Victorian company that has incorporated new technologies to reuse ammunition containers has signed a $15 million contract with Defence.

FILE PHOTO (April 2020): Australian Army Cargo Specialists and Thales personnel move pallets of ammunition from an HMAS Adelaide landing craft to the wharf at Eden, NSW. Photo by Able Seaman Jarrod Mulvihill.

Pentarch Industrial, based in Wangaratta, has been awarded a six-year contract to continue to supply, refurbish and recycle ammunition containers, which will save the Australian Defence Force from having to import new containers from overseas.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said Pentarch was a fine example of Australian ingenuity in manufacturing.

“Defence has had a long and successful relationship with Pentarch Industrial and this new contract will continue to directly support Defence capability and sustain 13 jobs in regional Victoria,” Minister Price said.

“Currently, there are over 800,000 containers in circulation used by Defence to store and transport small-arms ammunition and pyrotechnics, such as flares and countermeasures.

“The quality and condition of the ammunition containers is critical as they protect the explosive ordnance and munitions from the environment, and ensure the safety of Australian Defence Force personnel.

“Pentarch’s system enables containers to be reused, rather than Defence having to resort to importing new containers from overseas.

“The partnership with Pentarch Industrial was borne(sic) out of the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Industry Plan for Munitions and Small Arms Research, Design, Development and Manufacture.

“Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities are capabilities that are critical to Defence and must be developed or supported by Australian industry.”

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