Post by Rail First

𝐀 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. Today we were honoured to have Minister Emily Bourke MLC join the Rail First Executive Team and Board, as well as our customers, suppliers and financiers, to celebrate the official opening of Rail First’s upgraded Manufacturing Engineering Building (MEB) at the historic Islington Workshops — a $2.4 million investment that strengthens sovereign capability, expands local skills, and reinvigorates one of South Australia’s most iconic industrial sites. Standing inside a facility first established in 1883, now transformed into a modern, best-in-class manufacturing line, was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when we back Australian industry, Australian people, and Australian innovation. Our CEO, Beata Lipman, highlighted the broader vision behind the upgrade in her remarks: “The MEB upgrade provides training pathways, jobs and a strong pipeline of talented, capable tradespeople who will contribute to South Australia’s industrial growth and support the national freight network.” The upgraded MEB 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 from 50 to 100 units annually, with the capacity to scale to 200, all fully manufactured and assembled in Australia using Australian steel. It also creates 15 new jobs, including eight apprenticeships in high demand trades such as boilermaking, welding and fitting. Rail freight produces 16 times less carbon pollution than road freight per tonne travelled, making expanded wagon production a meaningful part of decarbonising logistics and supporting road to rail conversion. This upgrade is more than a building transformation: it’s a commitment to local jobs, local manufacturing, and a sustainable national freight network. A huge thank you to our team, our partners and the South Australian suppliers who contributed to this project. This is a proud moment for Rail First, but even more so for the future of rail manufacturing in Australia. #Manufacturing #SouthAustralia #RailIndustry #Infrastructure #SovereignCapability #Skills #Apprenticeships #Sustainability #RailFreight #RailFirst