Siemens expands Queensland manufacturing facility, boosting jobs and exports

• Major investment to quadruple facility size in new location, double workforce and deliver $300 million additional exports over next decade
• Facility to support growth of Fusesaver™ product created in Queensland and now protecting over 100,000 kms of power lines worldwide
• Fusesaver is estimated to have reduced 38 million kms of unnecessary travel for network repairs, potentially saving over 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions

Siemens announced a significant expansion of the Fusesaver™ manufacturing facility in Queensland, reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to Australian innovation, advanced manufacturing and the global energy transition. The expansion to new premises will see operations grow from 1,400 square metres to 5,500 square metres, nearly quadrupling manufacturing footprint, and is expected to double the workforce and increase exports by more than $300 million over the next ten years.

Fusesaver is the world’s fastest MV vacuum circuit-breaker that clears faults in 10 milliseconds, reducing the risk of starting bushfires caused by fallen power lines and improving network reliability. This innovative home-grown product, developed in Queensland nearly 20 years ago and subsequently acquired by Siemens, is now helping eliminate up to 80 percent of sustained electricity outages, around 760,000 hours of electricity outages, on rural networks in over 35 countries.

The announcement was made at an event in Brisbane attended by Queensland’s Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates. Minister Bates said, “Queensland is open for business, and this investment reinforces the State’s position as a leader in advanced manufacturing and innovation. It demonstrates the strong outcomes that can be achieved when global companies invest in local capability, creating jobs, strengthening exports and delivering economic benefits for our state. We’re proud to back companies like Siemens that are helping drive Queensland’s growth on the world stage.”

In addition to the growth of Fusesaver, the investment will also continue to support manufacturing of the Compact Modular Recloser, another local product designed and developed at the current facility and exported worldwide.

Speaking at the launch, Peter Halliday, CEO of Siemens Australia and New Zealand, said the Yatala facility expansion reflects the company’s long-term commitment to innovation and sustainability.

“It’s another chapter in our story and Australia’s story to create a positive impact on the world – right here from Queensland. The Fusesaver story reflects the attitude we all love about our culture. Our people are smart and resourceful and through technology and innovation we can have a big impact on the world,” said Halliday.

In addition to major markets such as the USA, Brazil and the UK, closer to home, Fusesaver also helps companies such as Powercor in Victoria reduce the risk of electricity assets starting bushfires and increases network reliability.

Dr Brett Watson, one of the co-founders of Fusesaver and the head of Siemens’ Electrification and Automation business in the region said that the expansion is testament to what is possible when bold ideas have support.

"Fusesaver started with a simple but ambitious question: could we build a device that would make rural power networks more reliable, safer, more intelligent and have a lower cost to maintain and operate and a fraction of the size and cost of traditional methods. The answer required bringing together Australian ingenuity with world-leading Siemens technology from Berlin to create a product that simply didn't exist before. The demand through the years has accelerated as utilities worldwide prioritise network resilience, bushfire risk mitigation and the integration of renewable energy sources.

“To see this technology now being manufactured at scale in Queensland and exported to 35 countries is extraordinary. It’s proof that the right technology can scale globally from a kitchen table to a work shed to the world,” said Dr Watson.