Delivering quality, customised electrical solutions businesses can rely on, AME Systems provides state-of-the-art products for industries across the globe. We revisit the company with Nick Carthew, Managing Director.
ELECTRICAL INNOVATION AT ITS FINEST
AME Systems is the leading Australian, privately owned designer and manufacturer of quality electrical wiring harnesses and assemblies.
Since its establishment in 1977, the company has evolved into a globally competitive manufacturer with five decades of expertise in customised electrical solutions, offering full service and support from design to delivery and aftermarket sales for heavy transport, military, medical, and special-purpose vehicles and machinery.
Since last speaking to Nick Carthew, Managing Director, in April 2022, the company has successfully embarked upon an aggressive growth strategy in the defence and aerospace markets.
Having built strong commercial partnerships with major Australian manufacturers over the past five decades, AME Systems is well-placed to adapt to the growth in the defence industry.
LEADING THE INDUSTRY
Steadfast in its support of manufacturing and job creation in regional areas, AME Systems’ main plant and bespoke aerospace facility are based in Ararat, Victoria (VIC). These facilities are complemented by a facility in Melbourne, VIC, alongside three in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Alongside this focus on regional job creation is the desire to support Australia’s sovereign capabilities, which Carthew identifies as an expanding area with a growing need, underpinning the company’s philosophy.
A long-standing partnership with Thales Australia (Thales), formerly Australian Defence Industries, demonstrates AME Systems’ proven success in the defence industry, having supplied the Thales Bushmaster programme with nearly 1,400 vehicles.
“AME Systems’ strong commercial background, diversity in the range of products we supply, and experience across the different industries we work with allows us to provide the best outcome for customers in product design and quality, manufacturability, tolerance, and testing processes,” outlines Carthew.
The additional plants in Melbourne and Malaysia enable AME Systems to adapt seamlessly to demand, providing it with a uniquely competitive edge.
Equally, the company’s current and future accomplishments stem from the excellent relationships developed with its supply chain operators.
“Our partnerships with companies like PEI-Genesis have been strong for the last 45+ years. The success of our organisation is due to our people-first policy and supply chain reliability,” Carthew details.
“AME systems’ strong commercial background, diversity in the range of products we supply, and experience across the different industries we work with allows us to provide the best outcome for customers in product design and quality, manufacturability, tolerance, and testing processes”
Nick Carthew, Managing Director, AME Systems
CUSTOMISED TECHNOLOGY
AME Systems is actively growing and further expanding its proficiency within the defence sector, having attracted industry-leading customers from across Australia and North America.
One such example is the company’s partnership with Boeing, which has led AME Systems to make a substantial investment in a cutting-edge aerospace site in Ararat, located across the road from the main plant, for projects such as the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat programme and the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton aircraft.
“We are hugely proud to be part of the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat programme. Our team has done a phenomenal job in servicing the technical and lead time elements. To have our name on the first Australian aircraft built in 50 years is a big moment for us,” prides Carthew.
The aerospace facility has an ISO 7 cleanroom for world-class, environmentally controlled assemblies, as well as custom-built facilities for the high-end, low-tolerance testing of products such as processing equipment, mini lasers, laser cutting, laser stripping, laser marking, contrast measurement machines, and more.
This facility meets the stringent foreign object debris (FOD) and counterfeit supply chain requirements, with AME Systems operating in-house training to ensure all employees are experts in these requirements.
“Alongside the defence projects, the aerospace site is also utilised for high-end rail products for diesel locomotive businesses, highlighting our ability to work with a wide range of customers,” insights Carthew.
This site and the investment in cutting-edge technology enable AME Systems to offer services that meet the personalised requirements of each customer.
“People are priority number one, and we take that very seriously. Amongst that, our management structure is flat, with a low level of hierarchy and a very open and accountable culture”
Nick Carthew, Managing Director, AME Systems
THE MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE
At AME Systems, people are its most valued resource, and the company recognises that the skills and knowledge of the team are what enable its overall success and continued reputation as a leader in the electrical wiring industry.
“The foundation of our culture is centred around a ‘people-first’ ideology and Stephen R. Covey’s ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’,” Carthew expands.
The company distinguishes itself through its emphasis on culture, achieved through the implementation of its CARE values – courageous, accountable, respectful, and engaged.
“Those values are everywhere and part of every decision we make. We expect people to be courageous in calling out poor behaviour and try to remove actions from the business that don’t fit our values and principles,” affirms Carthew.
This approach applies equally to the suppliers and customers AME Systems partners with. They are chosen for their value-alignment and principles, resulting in long-lasting, effective partnerships.
The company also operates a zero-tolerance policy towards poor behaviour against people and safety. With the latter being paramount to AME Systems, the business continually reviews and updates its policies and practices with a focus on ‘safety first’ to ensure it meets the latest occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements.
“People are priority number one, and we take that very seriously. Amongst that, our management structure is flat, with a low level of hierarchy and a very open and accountable culture,” Carthew concludes.
As AME Systems looks ahead towards the future, its sustained focus on excellent manufacturing and cutting-edge technology will serve it well in providing the quality, tailored electrical solutions that its customers have come to rely on, whilst simultaneously strengthening Australia’s sovereign capabilities.
This company profile was produced by the editorial team at APAC Outlook, a publication within the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing showcases organisations and leadership teams shaping sectors including manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
APAC Outlook highlights organisations driving innovation, investment, and industry development across the Asia-Pacific region.
