MELBOURNE, Australia, 13 September 2024 – Lockheed Martin Australia has selected Melbourne-based advanced castings manufacturer and precision machining specialist AW Bell as the fourth Australian small-to-medium enterprise (SME) to participate in its Mentor Protégé Program (MPP).

AW Bell executives will undertake an intensive 12-month mentoring program with access to leading Lockheed Martin's experts from both Australia and the United States.

The MPP aims to accelerate the development of core capabilities within SMEs covering best practices in areas such as human resource processes, business ethics, contracting, product management, export controls, quality management systems, supply chain risk management, competitive intelligence, and cybersecurity readiness.

By leveraging Lockheed Martin's extensive expertise, AW Bell will seek to achieve a strategic uplift for its Australian customers, while also further expanding their export opportunities to the United States and beyond.

“AW Bell’s selection for the Lockheed Martin Mentor Protégé Program underscores our commitment to fostering the growth and development of innovative Australian SMEs,” said Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive, Warren McDonald. “We look forward to sharing our expertise and helping AW Bell enhance its capabilities with a tailored program to best meet the evolving demands of the global defence sector."

“AW Bell has established a strong reputation as a reliable supplier of precision parts for defence programs, making them a potential partner for a range of both current and future projects," said Christopher Hess, Head of Industrial Development at Lockheed Martin Australia. "Selection for the Lockheed Martin Mentor Protégé Program highlights AW Bell’s dedication to innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.”

“As a family business we are thrilled to be selected for the Mentor Protégé Program and to work closely with a global leader like Lockheed Martin to strengthen our commercial acumen,” said AW Bell’s Chief Executive Officer, Sam Bell. "This opportunity will not only elevate our core competencies in line with best practice but also position us for future growth here and in international markets.”

AW Bell’s participation in the MPP will be sponsored by Lockheed Martin Australia’s Office of Australian Industrial Participation through the Global Supply Chain Program.

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,600 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, Defence and civil sectors.

About the Mentor Protégé Program

Launched in the United States as a federal supplier development program in 1990, the MPP enables Lockheed Martin to establish successful long-term relationships with eligible small, innovative businesses, while helping them to develop technical and business capabilities that will enable them to compete more effectively for future prime and subcontractor contracts in both local and global supply chains.

Australia’s Clearbox Systems was the first company outside of the US to complete the MPP graduating in 2020, while passive surveillance technology leader Silentium Defence graduated in November 2023. Adelaide-based space and defence technology leader Inovor Technologies is expected to graduate later this year.

For more information about Lockheed Martin’s Australian Industrial Participation programs, and supply chain opportunities, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/en-au/index.html

About AW Bell

AW Bell is an Australian advance manufacturing company that specialises in casting solutions. Their capabilities include investment, sand and prototype casting production, precision machining, engineering, tooling, metallurgical servicing, NDT, inspection, finishing and assembly. 

In 2023, AW Bell became the first Australian investment casting foundry for titanium.  AW Bell supplies to industries such as aerospace, defence, biomedical, mining and rail, both locally and internationally. For more information visit www.awbell.com.au

Media Contacts:

Joanne Hon, joanne.hon@lmco.com, +61 458 175 404

Jo Murtagh, jo@awbell.com.au, +61 402 410 949