Manufacturing has always been the engine of national prosperity. It transforms economies, builds sovereign capability, and creates secure, high-value jobs.
Every major leap in human progress — from the Industrial Revolution to the digital age — has been powered by production. When a region knows how to make things, it controls its own future. It creates optionality, builds resilience, and shapes its own destiny.
Manufacturing is how we:
Drive cost-of-living stability through resilient local supply chains
Create high-skilled secure jobs that lift wages and deepen capability
Attract and retain talent, investment, and innovation in the region
Protect economic independence in an increasingly uncertain world
In a future defined by labour shortages, global volatility, and technological change, manufacturing is not optional. It’s essential.
In a future defined by labour shortages, global volatility, and technological change, manufacturing is not optional. It’s essential.
our VISION
We want the Sunshine Coast to become Australia’s national destination for advanced manufacturing — a globally respected hub for building world-class products.
A region known not just for lifestyle, but for capability — where good ideas become real products, where skilled people choose to stay and build, and where manufacturing is a significant contributor to the region’s long-term strength.
our VALUES
THINK BIG
Act with ambition for the region and its future
BUILD TRUST
Operate with integrity, transparency, and follow-through
EXPERIMENT & PERSIST
Be adaptive, fearless, and committed
PAY IT FORWARD
Contribute freely, support others, and strengthen the ecosystem
Who we are
The Manufacturing Excellence Forum (MEF) is a grassroots not-for-profit established in 2021 to support and grow the Sunshine Coast's manufacturing sector.
We work directly with local manufacturers to help them connect, improve, and grow — whether that means finding the right contact, accessing funding, or building capability.
We're backed by local government, industry partners, and a growing network of manufacturers. We're small, practical, and focused on what works.
Who we are
The Manufacturing Excellence Forum (MEF) is a grassroots not-for-profit established in 2021 to support and grow the Sunshine Coast's manufacturing sector.
We work directly with local manufacturers to help them connect, improve, and grow — whether that means finding the right contact, accessing funding, or building capability.
We're backed by local government, industry partners, and a growing network of manufacturers. We're small, practical, and focused on what works.
our Team
The Sunshine Coast Manufacturing Excellence forum was started by five founders of different Sunshine Coast businesses. Now the team has expanded to ensure the best possible events and information are delivered to our members.
Tim Kelly
Lance Knight
David Neal
Bhav Reetoo
Glin Bayley
Andrew Want
Carlos Vaquero
John Koot
Kevin Bennett
How can we help
We help manufacturers solve problems, build capability, and grow.
HOSTING EVENTS
that connect people, ideas, and opportunities.
HELPING MANUFACTURERS
access funding, advice, and support.
RUNNING SITE VISITS
workshops, and practical programs.
ADVOCATING
for the infrastructure and policy settings the sector needs.
BUILDING TOOLS
that connect people, ideas, and and systems that support long-term growth.
We keep things simple and useful
Most of our work comes down to building trust, solving real problems, and making sure the right support gets to the right people.
" ... MEF put their hand up to host an event in our honour which saw over 120 people show up with an outpour of support for our cause and gave us a very real sense of community through connection."
" ... The strategic connections that MEFSC has facilitated for us have been incredibly valuable, providing tangible support in our business growth endeavors.
Overall, we couldn't be more pleased with the robust yet flexible support we've received from MEFSC."
" ... It is also great to be able to connect with like minded individuals who can offer me advice in areas of business that I did not have a lot of knowledge of [...] MEF has exceeded my expectations in regards to what I thought would come from being part of a group like this."
" ... MEF put their hand up to host an event in our honour which saw over 120 people show up with an outpour of support for our cause and gave us a very real sense of community through connection."
" ... The strategic connections that MEFSC has facilitated for us have been incredibly valuable, providing tangible support in our business growth endeavors.
Overall, we couldn't be more pleased with the robust yet flexible support we've received from MEFSC."
" ... It is also great to be able to connect with like minded individuals who can offer me advice in areas of business that I did not have a lot of knowledge of [...] MEF has exceeded my expectations in regards to what I thought would come from being part of a group like this."
Tim is an internationally experienced and hands-on engineering leader with technical expertise across the product development lifecycle and a passion for building high-performance engineering teams.
Tim’s approach to leadership and the development of culture focuses on the potential fulfilment of those in his care, empowering them to grow and collectively create something bigger than themselves.
Combined with strong capabilities in general management, operations management, recruiting, and marketing, Tim is well equipped to drive organisational growth and build engineering and manufacturing capability across aerospace, automotive, and other high complexity industries.
Tim is truly passionate about building Australia’s sovereign capability by enabling organisations in complex industries to scale quickly and sustainably in both capacity and capability.
Lance is the director and founder of Lucid Multi Cloud - LMC²
Lance is a highly skilled veteran of IT systems building and datacenter engineering.
LMC² is based upon the beautiful Sunshine Coast, LMC² is a next generation multi-cloud hosting provider. Built with the latest VMware infrastructure and hosted in state-of-the-art tier IV Data Centre’s.
David has extensive experience, specialising in leadership, management, strategy, project management and organisational change.
David is a highly energetic, charismatic, and committed leader that takes pride in inspiring others to reach their full potential and allowing organisations to find their competitive edge. David’s experience stems from fourteen years as a leader within the Australian Army (Army Officer). He was directly responsible for managing highly diverse teams and projects ranging in size and complexity. He has specialist skills in raising, training, and sustaining teams, risk management, and significant hands-on experience understanding, analysing and developing group dynamics.
David Neal has recently been acknowledged for the following achievements and awards:
• Featured in FORBES Magazine • Top 200 Global Leaders (Leaders Hum) • LinkedIn top 20 Voices Australia • Top 50 Innovative coaches (Global Leaders Today) • Sunshine Coast Business of the Year – Training and Education
With a broad range of skills and an unwavering passion for creativity, my journey began early on. Rooted in a strong foundation in marketing, I found my calling further enriched by a fervent love for graphic design. Through a fusion of formal learning and hands-on practice, I've honed the ability to deliver impactful solutions that deeply resonate with audiences.
Outside the traditional workspace, my heart lies in another realm: animal photography. Behind the camera, I find solace and inspiration, capturing the unfiltered beauty of the natural world.
Guiding Advertastic Pty LTD, my mission is to empower businesses to stretch their limits. I work closely with them to craft compelling narratives that captivate their audiences. From pioneering marketing strategies to crafting stunning graphic designs, I am driven by an unyielding pursuit of excellence and a sincere dedication to making a meaningful impact in all endeavors.
Kevin Bennett is the Regional Facilitator for Queensland and New South Wales the Best Practice Network. The Best Practice Network aims to connect like minded organisations to fast track their performance through shared learning , expertise , experience and resources.. Our unique approach sets a new benchmark in business networking in Australia and New Zealand.
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