Engineering in the Hunter with Mel Sietsma

The people building, powering and reshaping the Hunter. The Hunter is being rebuilt. A grid expanding beyond coal, foundries retooling for the energy transition, and extended defence manufacturing. Engineering in the Hunter is a monthly conversation that goes inside those projects with the people actually delivering them. Hosted by Melinda Sietsma, with James MacDonald who have been involved in the local recruitment market, building teams for more than a decade. Every episode: what's being built, what it takes, and who builds it. New episodes monthly. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Engineering in the Hunter is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the team that helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

Engineering in the Hunter with Mel Sietsma is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Engineering in the Hunter with Mel Sietsma, a business show with 19 episodes published.

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  Episode #2

  Patrick Buchan: Australia's first new steel mill in 30 years

  Aug 30, 202641 minS2

  Australia hasn't built a new steel mill in more than 30 years. Greensteel Australia is about to — a $500 million all-electric plant on the old BHP site at Mayfield, producing 600,000 tonnes of rebar a year from the first quarter of 2028. Patrick Buchan, Greensteel's Head of Government Relations, joins James MacDonald on the Danieli technology being built in Italy right now, the policy shift that made onshore steel viable again, why Newcastle beat the rest of the country for the site, and what 200 jobs means for the Hunter. In this episode: The $500 million investment and what it buys — an all-electric mill on Industrial Drive at Mayfield North, the site BHP ran until 1999. Why the technology is the story: an electric arc furnace running at around 1,000 degrees, supplied by Danieli of Italy. "No gas, no flame, no chimneys." 600,000 tonnes of rebar a year — the critical input to Australian construction and housing — with a growth path into other steel products. The policy shift: faster approvals, Future Made in Australia incentives, and why both the federal and NSW governments moved. Sovereignty as the argument — oil, steel and microprocessors as the three inputs a country of 28 million can't afford to import. How Greensteel started: owners Meena and Romana Ibrahim couldn't get rebar for their own construction businesses through COVID, so they built a steel company. Why Mayfield — buildings long enough for a 400-metre rolling line, rail, power and roads, and an intergenerational steel skill base. The jobs: 200 direct roles, recruitment opening early 2027, Danieli training included, and no formal-qualification barrier. What's next — a stage two in advanced discussions for another New South Wales site, and a ground-breaking with "a very notable political figure." Patrick Buchan is Head of Government Relations at Greensteel Australia, the company building a $500 million all-electric steel mill at Mayfield in Newcastle — Australia's first new steel plant in more than three decades. Before Greensteel he spent four years on the policy staff of the US Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon, across the Obama and first Trump administrations. Greensteel opens recruitment for the Newcastle mill in early 2027. Patrick Buchan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrick-buchan-56830b124 Chapters 0:00 Cold open 1:03 Welcome to Engineering in the Hunter 1:56 Patrick's path from Canberra to Greensteel 3:24 Four years inside the Pentagon 6:01 How Australian policy made this possible 9:21 The 600,000-tonne rebar plan 10:27 Inside the new steelmaking technology 14:01 The politics behind the comeback 18:43 How Greensteel Australia got started 20:29 Greensteel signs the deal 21:05 Why Mayfield, Newcastle won the site 21:56 Balancing tradition and renewables 23:34 The road to 2028 24:06 200 jobs and an open call for workers 26:38 The $500 million investment, by the numbers 27:19 How Newcastle is already talking about it 28:22 Sovereign manufacturing and sustainability 29:48 Australia's first steel plant in 30 years 31:39 The trend back to trades 32:40 What's next: stage two 35:35 On founders and entrepreneurship 36:57 On risk, reward, and having a crack 38:16 A story about his dad and the cricket 39:45 Wrapping up Engineering in the Hunter is hosted by Melinda Sietsma with NTP Talent founder James MacDonald. James hosts this episode. Learn more at ntptalent.com.au. Engineering in the Hunter is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the team that helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

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  Episode #1

  John Fry: building Australia's first missile factory in the Hunter

  Jul 15, 202640 minS2

  Australia is about to build guided missiles for the first time — and Kongsberg is doing it at Williamtown, in the Hunter. John Fry, Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia, joins James MacDonald for the first episode of Engineering in the Hunter to explain what's being built, why a 210-year-old Norwegian company chose Newcastle over 40 other sites, and what it means for the region: roughly 100 factory jobs, a supply chain that reaches far wider, and a genuine pathway from the University of Newcastle and TAFE into work being done on a world stage. In this episode: What Kongsberg is building at Williamtown: the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile — two 5th-generation cruise missiles — in the company's first missile factory outside Norway, ever. The $850m the Commonwealth committed in August 2024 to manufacture and maintain those missiles in Australia, and why sovereign weapons production suddenly mattered after COVID and Ukraine. Why the Hunter beat 40 other sites — proximity to Orchard Hills, a port and an airbase, livability, and a good university and TAFE next door. How you stand up a missile factory on the other side of the world through a pandemic — a P&L from day one, defence-security accreditation, and building a supply chain from scratch. What NSM and JSM actually do — a stealthy imaging-infrared seeker, deck- or truck-launched, and a missile small enough to fit inside an F-35's internal weapons bay. The jobs: not just engineers — planning, supply chain, quality, IT, security, technicians — "the whole gamut," about 100 at the factory, with ~85% of the build spend flowing to Hunter businesses. Growing local talent: a first Newcastle-uni intern converting to a grad role, sponsoring the university's rocketry team, and how TAFE fits as technician demand ramps. Partnerships as the way into the Hunter — HunterNet, Multiplex, and the Thales tie-up behind StrikeMaster. What's next: Army's Long Range Fires down-select, counter-UAS and air-and-missile defence. John Fry is Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia. A former Australian Army air-defence officer with a chemistry background and a Master of Science in Guided Weapon Systems, he spent nine years at Raytheon — where he was capture lead on the NASAMS program — before joining Kongsberg in 2019 as its inaugural general manager in Australia. Register your interest via the Kongsberg careers page (kongsberg.com). Chapters 0:00 "A company since 1814" — the cold open 1:00 Welcome to Engineering in the Hunter — and why Kongsberg 1:58 From Army air-defence officer to missile-maker 6:05 Kongsberg since 1814 7:11 Why Australia — the NASAMS win 8:47 Standing up in-country through COVID 10:55 Running a P&L from day one 12:25 What we're building: the NSM and JSM 15:31 The $850m sovereign-manufacturing commitment 18:20 The JSM — a strike missile that fits inside the F-35 20:20 Why the Hunter: 40 sites, Orchard Hills, Williamtown 23:23 The factory: Norway's blueprint, self-contained 26:38 The jobs — "the whole gamut," about 100 roles 28:31 Finding talent locally 30:05 Pathways: the Newcastle-uni intern and TAFE 32:15 Partnerships — HunterNet, Multiplex, StrikeMaster 35:24 What's next: Long Range Fires, counter-UAS 37:43 How to get in — Kongsberg careers and the grad program Engineering in the Hunter is hosted by Melinda Sietsma with NTP Talent founder James MacDonald. James hosts this episode. Learn more at ntptalent.com.au. Engineering in the Hunter is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the team that helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts. Sister shows include First Cheque, Oversubscribed and In The Blink of AI. Episodes are cross-promoted across the network.

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  Episode #15

  Lex Forsyth: Founder & COO at Janus Electric

  Mar 2, 202651 minS0

  <p>In this episode of Engineering Success, NTP Talent's Melinda Sietsma sits down with Lex Forsyth, founder and COO of Janus Electric, to discuss the real-world transformation of Australia’s heavy transport sector. Lex explains how Janus is converting existing diesel trucks into zero-emission vehicles using innovative, swappable battery technology. He breaks down the hard math, proving that the shift to electric isn't just an environmental pitch, it's a high-stakes economics game that slashes operating costs, improves driver well-being, and ultimately secures Australia’s energy sovereignty.</p><p><br>You’ll get a refreshingly candid look at the grueling realities of sca...

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  Episode #14

  Bret Barton: HunterNet Senior Business Advisor

  Feb 2, 20261h 13mS0

  <p>In this episode of Engineering Success, NTP Talent's Melinda Sietsma sits down with Bret Barton, HunterNet Senior Business Advisor and UoN Defence & Aerospace BD Lead, to pull back the curtain on the booming industrial landscape of Newcastle. A seasoned aeronautical engineer, Bret shares his fascinating journey from the Canadian military, to the frontline of flight testing in Florida, before eventually settling in Australia and working with major firms like Nova Systems.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to break into the high-stakes worlds of defense contracting, Bret provides a reality check on...

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  Episode #13

  Neil Hunt: Managing Director Mineral Systems at McLanahan

  Dec 2, 20251h 5mS0

  <p>In this episode of Engineering Success, Melinda Sietsma interviews Neil Hunt, Managing Director of McLanahan Group, for a conversation that blends personal resilience, engineering leadership, and an extraordinary company legacy spanning 190 years. Neil shares his unconventional career journey, immigrating to Australia and navigating multiple industry pivots, to ultimately leading one of the world’s oldest family-owned engineering businesses. His story looks at how perseverance, curiosity, and the right mentors can shape a remarkable career.</p><p><br>Neil also dives into McLanahan’s fascinating 1835 origins and its evolution from a Civil War-era foundry to a global leader in mineral proc...

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