Composites Australia
WHAT WE DO
Composites Australia is the national member-based association supporting the advancement of Australia’s composites industry. Our purpose is to increase awareness of the sector’s capabilities and promote the adoption of composite technologies across manufacturing, engineering, infrastructure and design.
We connect industry with research, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support the sustainable growth of composites manufacturing in Australia. As a not-for-profit organisation, we work to:
- Support the development of skills and qualifications aligned with current and emerging industry needs
- Advocate for fair policy and standards development
- Advance the sustainability profile of composites through design, lifecycle performance and material substitution
- Facilitate professional development, peer learning, and technology adoption
- Represent member interests to government, regulators, insurers, consumers and media
- Liaise with related industry groups, both in Australia and internationally
Advocacy
For five decades, Composites Australia has been the voice and advocate for the Australian composites industry.
Our historical environmental, health and safety advocacy on voluntary workplace standards influenced the regulation of health risks in the composites industry workplaces.
We have an ongoing commitment to existing standards and the development of new standards for composites in a wide range of end-use applications, including pools, piping, tanks, building materials, and civil infrastructure.
Composites Australia contributes towards Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system to ensure that the training and qualification needs of industry are considered and addressed.
We advocate for manufacturing innovation through the generation of new knowledge to create entirely new products, processes, or services, or the development of new technology to enhance existing processes. This has resulted in unprecedented levels of government investment in state-of-the-art research programs and facilities in Australian Universities.
SUSTAINABILITY
Composites Australia is committed to environmental stewardship across the composites value chain. Our engagement with international initiatives—such as the Global Composites Sustainability Coalition—ensures Australia’s composites sector contributes to circular economy goals, emissions reduction, and sustainable design practices.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Composites Australia contributes to national vocational education and training (VET) policy to ensure that training pathways remain relevant and responsive to industry needs. We are a founding member of the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance, Australia’s Jobs and Skills Council for manufacturing, which works to align qualifications with industry requirements.
We collaborate with Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), universities and skills bodies to support qualifications that reflect the evolving capabilities of the composites industry, including pathways from trades to higher education.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Composites Australia is a founding partner of the Australian Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC)—a national research initiative focused on developing sovereign capability through product innovation, intelligent automation, and advanced manufacturing processes.
We work with leading universities and research institutes to bridge the gap between scientific development and industrial application, supporting the commercialisation of next-generation composites technologies.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Our national program of technical workshops, forums and industry seminars—drawing on Australian and international expertise—is designed to:
- Build capability across the composites workforce
- Accelerate the evaluation and adoption of new materials and processes
- Support the integration of composites into engineering and product design
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Since 2003, the annual Conference has been Australia’s premier annual forum for professionals working at the intersection of advanced materials, engineering, and sustainable manufacturing.
Held each year, the conference brings together industry leaders, engineers, and researchers to explore emerging trends in composite science, sustainable design, and applied technologies. The program features insights into cutting-edge research as well as practical solutions to challenges in manufacturing, compliance, and product development.
It is a key event for building knowledge, strengthening networks, and supporting innovation across the composites sector.
To learn more about the next conference or to explore past programs, click the button below.