Ambassador Lener in Perth for industrial agreements with Danieli and Webuild. SACE and the Government of Western Australia sign Memorandum on critical minerals and the energy transition, building on agreements initiated in August during “Calcio Italiano”. Meeting with Perdaman on projects in the Pilbara.
PERTH – Italian technology is playing a leading role in Australia’s first new steelmaking facility in more than 35 years. The AUD 850 million project will be built in Collie, Western Australia, and developed by Australian company Generation Steel, with the involvement of two major Italian groups: Danieli, a global leader in steelmaking technologies, and Webuild, through its Australian subsidiary Clough.
The project involves the construction of a renewable energy-powered facility capable of producing 450,000 tonnes of steel annually using recycled ferrous scrap. Danieli will supply the production technologies, while Clough is involved in the engineering and development of the infrastructure.
The signing ceremony for the industrial agreements, held in Perth on 29 October, was attended by Italy’s Ambassador to Australia, Nicola Lener, the Consul of Italy in Perth, Sergio Federico Nicolaci, and SACE President Guglielmo Picchi.
The new steelmaking hub is, however, only one of several major Australian industrial projects in which Italian companies are playing an increasingly significant role. During the visit, the delegation also met with Vikas Rambal, President of the Perdaman Group, which is developing a urea production facility in the Pilbara worth approximately AUD 6.5 billion, with the participation of Saipem and Clough. The group is also considering the development of a new refinery, a project that could create further opportunities for Italian companies.
“These are tangible examples of the contribution that Italian technology and expertise are making to Australia’s industrial diversification, including in terms of environmental sustainability,” Ambassador Lener noted, highlighting the growing importance of economic cooperation between the two countries.
The visit also marked further progress in the field of strategic raw materials. SACE, Italy’s export credit agency, and the Government of Western Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation in critical minerals, the energy transition and advanced manufacturing, with a particular focus on supply chain security.
The agreement follows less than three months after the joint declaration signed last August during the “Beyond the Pitch” economic forum, held in Perth as part of the “Calcio Italiano – Only in Perth” initiative. An event originally conceived around the excitement of Italian football, which also provided an opportunity to further strengthen economic ties between businesses and institutions in the two countries.
The agreement forms part of a broader strategy through which Italy aims to diversify its sources of supply and strengthen the security of its industrial supply chains. This is also a priority in sensitive sectors such as defence, which was the focus of a recent agreement between SACE, the National Armaments Directorate and AIAD to support the international competitiveness of Italy’s aerospace, defence and security industries.
Western Australia is thus consolidating its position as an increasingly important partner for Italy: a region rich in mineral and energy resources, at the centre of major industrial investments and increasingly interested in the technologies and expertise offered by Italian companies.
