Overview

Australia's supply chains operate in an increasingly complex global environment. Changes in international markets, trade patterns, weather events and logistics arrangements can influence the availability, cost and reliability of key industrial inputs for Australian businesses.

We are surveying businesses to build a clearer understanding of selected supply chains that are important to Australia's economy and industrial capability.

This survey is to support the Government, with results informing policy development and industry engagement.

This survey focuses on two areas: plastics and polymers (including polyethylene-derived materials) and fertiliser inputs (such as urea and ammonia based nitrogen products). These inputs are used widely across agriculture, manufacturing, construction and essential services, and understanding how these supply chains function supports longer term planning and preparedness.

We are seeking information on current domestic capability and capacity across both areas, including what is presently produced in Australia and how capabilities could be adapted or scaled, including key constraints or enablers.

What we are looking to understand

This is not a procurement process. Instead, the survey is intended to build a clearer picture of these supply chain areas to inform policy advice and engagement.

Specifically, we seeking to understand:

• who is currently operating in these sectors or in adjacent industries,
• the scale of current operations and proximity to capacity, and
• how capabilities could be scaled or adapted, including key constraints or enablers.
  

We are interested in the full supply chain, from raw material and feedstock suppliers through to processors, manufacturers and logistics providers. If your business plays a role at any point in these supply chains, including indirectly, your input will help build a more complete picture. Information will be used in aggregate to help inform advice to government.

Focus area: Plastics and polymers

Australia's plastics manufacturing sector includes both domestic production and imported inputs, and many manufactures rely on imported raw materials (polymers), machinery and intermediate products, which are used to produce finished goods such as films, sheets and packaging.

We are seeking to understand:

• current supply chains and lead times,
• key additives and material specifications, and
• the ability of existing manufacturing capability to retool or adapt to produce different products.

We are also interested in the role that recycled materials, both post-industrial and post-consumer, could play in reducing reliance on imports, and how recycled materials intersect with required performance and safety standards.

Focus area: Fertiliser manufacturing

Australia relies to a significant extent on imported nitrogen inputs (including anhydrous ammonia and urea), to support domestic fertiliser production and supply. Understanding domestic capability and flexibility in this area is important for longer-term planning.

We are seeking to better understand:

• current domestic production capability and capacity,
• the extent of reliance on imported inputs, and
• the feasibility of transitioning to alternative or lower emissions nitrogen sources (such as green ammonia or recycled organic inputs), including practical constraints and the extent to which this could occur without significant new capital investment.

All data collected in these surveys will remain confidential and will by used solely for the purpose of informing national supply chain policy and preparedness.

How to participate

If your business operates in either of these areas, or in an adjacent industry that could potentially contribute, we encourage you to submit an Expression of Interest using the work packages below.

Information provided through this process will be used in aggregate to inform advice to government.

If you are not yet registered on Gateway by ICN, please register your business and complete the Expression of Interest. If you are already registered, please review and update your profile to ensure your current capabilities, certifications and production capacity are accurately reflected.