Case Studies

Background

The Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island (AHFKI) region is a diverse and growing part of South Australia’s economy, combining peri-urban growth areas, coastal communities, and a globally recognised tourism and agricultural base. With a population of over 145,000, the region supports a resilient and evolving manufacturing sector spanning food, beverage, and specialised production. Despite its strong economic contribution, the sector’s strategic value is not always well understood, and it faces challenges including workforce constraints, rising input costs, and infrastructure limitations. Regional Development Australia (RDA) AHFKI developed a Manufacturing Profile to form a clear, evidence-based profile of the manufacturing sector to support regional planning, program delivery, and advocacy.

Project Goals

The purpose of this project was to produce a concise, data-driven manufacturing profile that articulates the sector’s economic contribution, structure, and future potential across the AHFKI region. The project aimed to provide a robust evidence base to support RDA AHFKI’s internal programs, including grant initiatives for small manufacturers, while strengthening its ability to advocate for investment and policy support. A key focus was translating complex economic data into accessible, insight-driven content that highlights opportunities, challenges, and the sector’s strategic importance.

REMPLAN’s Involvement

REMPLAN was commissioned to deliver a comprehensive analysis of the manufacturing sector across the AHFKI region. This included quantifying economic contribution through employment, value-add, and output metrics, identifying industry specialisations and business characteristics at both the regional and LGA level, and benchmarking performance against state and national trends. REMPLAN also developed clear, engaging insights to support advocacy, combining rigorous data analysis with narrative content to communicate the sector’s value and future opportunities.

Results

The analysis confirmed that manufacturing is a propulsive and economically significant sector within the AHFKI region, contributing over $2.17 billion in revenue and supporting more than 3,000 jobs. Growth has been driven by strong performance in food and beverage production, alongside a diverse base of specialised and niche industries. While the sector demonstrates resilience and competitive advantage, future growth will depend on addressing challenges such as workforce availability, input costs, and infrastructure constraints, while leveraging opportunities in premium production, innovation, and export markets.