Media Alert: Sutton Tools and ARC Digital Manufacturing Hub Join Forces to Advance Data-Driven Productivity in Australian Manufacturing
7 May 2025
The ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing is proud to announce a new partnership with leading Australian manufacturer Sutton Tools to co-develop a Single Source of Truth (SSoT) Knowledgebase, aimed at unlocking the full potential of data across the production lifecycle.
This collaboration will design and implement a unified data platform that enables real-time decision-making, traceability, and productivity improvements. With data currently fragmented across various systems—from ERP to IoT-enabled machinery—this initiative will streamline insights, address data mismatches, and build the foundations for a more connected and intelligent manufacturing process.
Professor Dimitrios Georgakopoulos, Director of the ARC Digital Manufacturing Hub, welcomed the partnership, stating:
“We are delighted to partner with Sutton Tools, a company with a long-standing legacy in Australian manufacturing and a forward-looking vision for digital transformation. This collaboration brings together cutting-edge research and deep industry expertise. It’s a partnership that speaks directly to the Hub’s mission: driving productivity and innovation through sovereign, data-driven solutions in digital manufacturing.”
Established in 1917, Sutton Tools is one of Australia’s oldest family-owned manufacturers, supplying precision cutting tools globally. Their commitment to innovation and quality has positioned them at the forefront of the industry’s digital evolution.
Peter Sutton, Managing Director of Sutton Tools, added:
“It is critical for Australian SMEs to be globally competitive. As a global company, Sutton Tools wants to be digitally enhanced, and we are excited to work together with one of our long-term research partners, Swinburne University, on this journey.”
The announcement comes as Australian Manufacturing Week 2025 highlights the nation’s commitment to building sovereign manufacturing capabilities and future-ready supply chains. The Sutton Tools–ARC Hub partnership exemplifies this vision, demonstrating how collaborative innovation between industry and research can enhance resilience, competitiveness, and value creation within Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector.
The Hub’s mission is to future-proof Australian manufacturing by developing sovereign capabilities in advanced data analytics, automation, and industrial digitalisation. The partnership with Sutton Tools represents a major step in bridging research and application—ensuring Australia remains competitive in a global market driven by digital intelligence.
Professor Suresh Palanisamy, Project Lead and Director of the Manufacturing Futures Research Platform, commented:
“In this project with Sutton Tools, we will be co-developing digitally enhanced solutions for the entire product lifecycle that will provide full traceability and quality assurance. This will lay the groundwork for industry-wide transformation in how data is used to drive manufacturing excellence.”
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