ICN Victoria marked its 40th anniversary on 22 October 2024, celebrating four decades of supporting local businesses through supply chain intelligence and facilitating connections between government and industry. 

Founded in 1984 as the Industrial Supplies Office (ISO), the organisation has linked thousands of Victorian suppliers to major projects, fostering the state’s growth in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and advanced technology.

Natalie Hutchins, minister for Jobs and Industry, highlighted the significance of the milestone: “For 40 years, ICN Victoria has supported local businesses to get a fair go at work on government projects.” 

She further emphasised the role ICN Victoria plays in supporting Australia’s Local Jobs First policy, the nation’s longest-standing industry participation initiative.

“Local Jobs First – Australia’s longest standing industry participation policy – is designed to maximise jobs and economic benefits from our major projects pipeline, and ICN Victoria has played a key role in identifying and connecting local businesses to these projects,” Hutchins added.

ICN Victoria CEO Nick Foa reflected on the organisation’s critical contributions to the state, citing its involvement in delivering iconic projects like the redevelopment of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Southern Cross Station, and the State Library of Victoria.

“Over the last decade alone, it has contributed more than $3 billion in economic value to the state, worked with 30,000 small businesses, and helped generate some 256,000 new jobs,” said Foa. 

“As the Victorian economy has evolved from a manufacturing, textiles and automotive focus in the early 1980s to what we see today – including advanced manufacturing, medtech, and renewable energy generation – ICN Victoria has evolved with it.”

ICN Victoria boasts a network of over 54,000 businesses and a team of specialist advisers working across key sectors including renewable energy, housing, construction, and biotechnology. 

The organisation is also active in Victoria’s regional hubs, including Ballarat, Geelong, Northern Victoria, and Gippsland.

Tim Piper, Chair of ICN Victoria, underscored the organisation’s future role in Victoria’s economic growth. 

“By 2050, our state is on track to be home to more than ten million people, with eight million forecast to live in Melbourne and more than two million in regional Victoria, and ICN Victoria will continue to be a key driver of economic activity and local employment,” Piper said.

He pointed to the organisation’s opportunity to build on Victoria’s legacy of innovation in a technologically driven future while enhancing the state’s sovereign industrial capabilities.

The 40th anniversary event took place at the State Library of Victoria’s Conversation Quarter, bringing together government and industry leaders to celebrate ICN Victoria’s enduring impact on the state’s economy and its vision for the future.