Christie Hayward: Boilermaker At WesTrac

Australia hasn't built a new steel mill in more than 30 years. Greensteel Australia is about to — a $500 million all-electric plant on the old BHP site at Mayfield, producing 600,000 tonnes of rebar a year from the first quarter of 2028. Patrick Buchan, Greensteel's Head of Government Relations, joins James MacDonald on the Danieli technology being built in Italy right now, the policy shift that made onshore steel viable again, why Newcastle beat the rest of the country for the site, and what 200 jobs means for the Hunter. In this episode: The $500 million investment and what it buys — an all-electric mill on Industrial Drive at Mayfield North, the site BHP ran until 1999. Why the technology is the story: an electric arc furnace running at around 1,000 degrees, supplied by Danieli of Italy. "No gas, no flame, no chimneys." 600,000 tonnes of rebar a year — the critical input to Australian construction and housing — with a growth path into other steel products. The policy shift: faster approvals, Future Made in Australia incentives, and why both the federal and NSW governments moved. Sovereignty as the argument — oil, steel and microprocessors as the three inputs a country of 28 million can't afford to import. How Greensteel started: owners Meena and Romana Ibrahim couldn't get rebar for their own construction businesses through COVID, so they built a steel company. Why Mayfield — buildings long enough for a 400-metre rolling line, rail, power and roads, and an intergenerational steel skill base. The jobs: 200 direct roles, recruitment opening early 2027, Danieli training included, and no formal-qualification barrier. What's next — a stage two in advanced discussions for another New South Wales site, and a ground-breaking with "a very notable political figure."

Australia is about to build guided missiles for the first time — and Kongsberg is doing it at Williamtown, in the Hunter. John Fry, Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia, joins James MacDonald for the first episode of Engineering in the Hunter to explain what's being built, why a 210-year-old Norwegian company chose Newcastle over 40 other sites, and what it means for the region: roughly 100 factory jobs, a supply chain that reaches far wider, and a genuine pathway from the University of Newcastle and TAFE into work being done on a world stage. In this episode: What Kongsberg is building at Williamtown: the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile — two 5th-generation cruise missiles — in the company's first missile factory outside Norway, ever. The $850m the Commonwealth committed in August 2024 to manufacture and maintain those missiles in Australia, and why sovereign weapons production suddenly mattered after COVID and Ukraine. Why the Hunter beat 40 other sites — proximity to Orchard Hills, a port and an airbase, livability, and a good university and TAFE next door. How you stand up a missile factory on the other side of the world through a pandemic — a P&L from day one, defence-security accreditation, and building a supply chain from scratch. What NSM and JSM actually do — a stealthy imaging-infrared seeker, deck- or truck-launched, and a missile small enough to fit inside an F-35's internal weapons bay. The jobs: not just engineers — planning, supply chain, quality, IT, security, technicians — "the whole gamut," about 100 at the factory, with ~85% of the build spend flowing to Hunter businesses. Growing local talent: a first Newcastle-uni intern converting to a grad role, sponsoring the university's rocketry team, and how TAFE fits as technician demand ramps. Partnerships as the way into the Hunter — HunterNet, Multiplex, and the Thales tie-up behind StrikeMaster. What's next: Army's Long Range Fires down-select, counter-UAS and air-and-missile defence.

In this episode of Engineering Success, NTP Talent's Melinda Sietsma sits down with Lex Forsyth, founder and COO of Janus Electric, to discuss the real-world transformation of Australia’s heavy transport sector. Lex explains how Janus is converting existing diesel trucks into zero-emission vehicles using innovative, swappable battery technology. He breaks down the hard math, proving that the shift to electric isn't just an environmental pitch, it's a high-stakes economics game that slashes operating costs, improves driver well-being, and ultimately secures Australia’s energy sovereignty.

In this episode of Engineering Success, NTP Talent's Melinda Sietsma sits down with Bret Barton, HunterNet Senior Business Advisor and UoN Defence & Aerospace BD Lead, to pull back the curtain on the booming industrial landscape of Newcastle. A seasoned aeronautical engineer, Bret shares his fascinating journey from the Canadian military, to the frontline of flight testing in Florida, before eventually settling in Australia and working with major firms like Nova Systems.

In this episode of Engineering Success, Melinda Sietsma interviews Neil Hunt, Managing Director of McLanahan Group, for a conversation that blends personal resilience, engineering leadership, and an extraordinary company legacy spanning 190 years. Neil shares his unconventional career journey, immigrating to Australia and navigating multiple industry pivots, to ultimately leading one of the world’s oldest family-owned engineering businesses. His story looks at how perseverance, curiosity, and the right mentors can shape a remarkable career.