Why Buy Australian Made?
Adelaide manufacturer of compostable bags and films, Scott Morton, is encouraging consumers and local councils to ask where their products are made in an effort to increase support for Australian made.
Mr Morton, who is the Director of BioBag World Australia, says the value of spending a local dollar versus an imported dollar means more money goes back into local communities.
“If a local council chooses Australian made compostable bags for their food organics and garden organics collection services, their dollar stays within their local communities and goes towards local jobs, local services and local taxes,”
“Choosing imported goods over Australian made means locals lose.”Mr Morton told @AuManufacturing recently that despite apparently high levels of goodwill, he’s not optimistic about support for local manufacturing.
“BioBag’s main competitors are imports, and we’re seeing no evidence that local purchasers are swinging in favour of locally-made,” he said. Unfortunately the rhetoric is not feeding through.
“As much as we’re cost-competitive, we’ve still got a number of councils around Australia still choosing Chinese product.”
Buying local has many benefits
In the late 1980s manufacturing was the biggest employer in Australia, with 16.5 percent of the workforce. Now less than 1 million people work in the sector, accounting for 6.4 percent of jobs.
Business SA Policy and Advocacy Director Andrew McKenna said South Australian manufacturers can assure delivery of high-quality products backed by local service in a time of increasing uncertainty in global supply chains.
“The last decade has thrown considerable challenges at South Australia’s manufacturing sector, from the exit of major-auto to the impact of high electricity and gas prices,” Mr McKenna said.
“Today’s manufacturers exhibit the excellence required to compete without subsidies in globally competitive markets.“Buying from local manufacturers is not only a matter of supporting local, it is a matter of making sound business decisions to buy from businesses that are globally competitive.
“It’s an added bonus that local manufacturers provide the jobs for your children and grandchildren.
“South Australian manufacturers benefit from operating in a jurisdiction that has one of the highest penetrations of renewable energy in the world. So, if you buy from a South Australian manufacturer, you can rest assured the energy used to make that product is helping to reduce the world’s carbon footprint.
“South Australia has a long manufacturing history, from auto to defence to food and beverage and a range of other niche products across various sectors. Manufacturing in South Australia is still vibrant and the businesses that have survived until today have only done so by focusing on quality products and service.
“So next time you have a choice to buy local or imported, consider the confidence you gain by buying local, particularly in a period of increasing volatility in world supply chains,” said Mr McKenna.
Increased commitment to compostable alternatives
The number of BioBags made at the Adelaide factory is enough to circumnavigate Australia, said Mr Morton.
“New machines were installed in March this year so we can now lead the way with more advanced films, enhanced capabilities, greater capacity and increased commitment to compostable alternatives.
“BioBags are becoming as functional as traditional plastic polyethylene and with access to the leading corn-starch based Mater-Bi resin, manufacturing locally has given us more flexibility to customise compostable solutions.”
Looking for Australian made compostable solutions for your business?
At our BioBag factory in Adelaide we make compostable solutions to increase organic diversion rates, creating nutrient-rich soil and enabling a circular economy.
We are here to support everyone to be part of the change whilst supporting our local economy!
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