Case Studies

Background

Opal operates a large and diverse network of manufacturing, recycling, and corporate facilities across New South Wales and Victoria, playing a significant role in Australia’s packaging supply chain. These facilities support local employment, contribute to regional manufacturing activity, and underpin broader supply chain linkages across metropolitan and regional areas. To better understand and articulate this contribution, Opal commissioned a comprehensive economic assessment of its operational footprint across both states.

Project Goals

The aim of this project was to quantify the economic contribution of Opal’s operations through a series of Economic Impact Analyses covering 6 facilities in New South Wales and 11 facilities in Victoria. The assessments measured the direct economic activity generated by each site and the associated flow-on impacts through supply chains and household consumption. Facility-level results were aggregated to provide a clear picture of Opal’s total operational impact at the state level, demonstrating how individual sites collectively influence broader economic outcomes. The findings were intended to support engagement with government, industry, and local communities by clear evidencing Opal’s contribution to state economies.

REMPLAN’s Involvement

REMPLAN was commissioned to deliver 17 facility-level Economic Impact Analyses, supported by 2 state-wide assessments for New South Wales and Victoria. REMPLAN quantified the economic contribution of each site and assessed how individual facilities collectively drive Opal’s overall operational impact at the state level, including impacts on output, employment, wages, and value-added. The analysis was underpinned by REMPLAN’s regional economic modelling framework and informed by detailed operational data provided by Opal. REMPLAN prepared separate state-based reports, each supported by highly visual executive summaries and impact overview infographics, providing a clear and consistent evidence base to communicate Opal’s economic contribution.

Results

The analysis shows that Opal’s operations generate a substantial economic contribution at the state level, with facilities in New South Wales supporting $856.7 million in output, 1,309 FTE jobs, and $293.2 million in value-added, while Victorian operations generate $1.59 billion in output, support 3,012 FTE jobs, and contribute $629.8 million in value-added. Strong economic multipliers in both states highlight significant flow-on benefits through supply chains and household consumption, reflecting the role of Opal’s facilities in supporting broader manufacturing and service activity across state economies.