The Australian Industry Group has welcomed today’s announcement that Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) 2026 will be held in Queensland for the first time.
Ai Group Head of Queensland Michelle Farquhar and Head of Northern Australia Dean Deighton said it was a terrific opportunity for local manufacturers to showcase their capabilities.
The annual event brings together industry innovators and technology specialists from around the world and serves as a vital networking and professional development opportunity.
The 2026 event in Brisbane will be the first time AMW is held outside of Sydney or Melbourne and cements Qld’s reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse.
Ms Farquhar said the growth of the industry in Queensland since the height of Covid was outstripping the southern states traditionally known for manufacturing.
“Investments like Suntory Oceania relocating to the western corridor of Brisbane is a prime example of the optimism in manufacturing in Queensland,” she said.
Ai Group represents thousands of manufacturing businesses of all sizes that gain access through their membership to networks, decision makers and the information and advice they need to be successful.
In Qld, Ai Group also promotes the importance of creating clear pathways and inclusive workplaces through our Women in Manufacturing breakfast events, presented with the support of the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
“We are making progress in lifting the gender diversity of the manufacturing workforce with women actively seeking opportunities in the sector, particularly with the use of digital technology that makes the job less about brute strength and more about problem solving and precision,” Ms Farquhar, pictured hosting a Women in Manufacturing event in Cairns earlier this month, said.
Mr Deighton, who represents Ai Group members across Northern Australia including North Queensland, said: “AMW 2026 will be a great opportunity to showcase Queensland’s diverse and dynamic manufacturing sector from right across the state — from Thursday Island to Toowoomba.
"The Australian Industry Group supports the Queensland Government in showing the world how truly globally competitive our manufacturers are, while reinforcing this sector as one of the key backbones of the state and federal economies."
Minister for Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said the industry contributes $20billion a year to the state's economy and supports local regional communities through jobs and business growth.
"Nearly 180,000 Queenslanders make their living in this industry," he said.
“From food and beverages to medication and aircraft components, we make it all here in Queensland, in every corner of our state.
“If we can make it here in Queensland, we should, and we are.”
QMW 2026 will be presented by the Queensland Government in collaboration with the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL).
Wendy Larter is Communications Manager at the Australian Industry Group. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a reporter, features writer, contributor and sub-editor for newspapers and magazines including The Courier-Mail in Brisbane and Metro, the News of the World, The Times and Elle in the UK.
