Nextracker and Orrcon Steel to Deliver Sovereign Capability in Australia

Nextracker (Nasdaq: NXT), a global market leader of solar tracker and software solutions, and Orrcon Steel, a leading Australian manufacturer of tube and pipe, and distributor of steel products and wholly owned business of BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL), announced an agreement today to manufacture and deliver Australian made critical components for Nextracker’s smart solar tracker used on distributed generation and utility-scale solar farms. The first project scheduled to receive delivery of Australian made steel components from the facility is ACCIONA Energia’s 480MWp Aldoga Solar Farm to be built near Gladstone.

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Nextracker's critical steel components manufacturing facility at BlueScope Steel's Orrcon Steel facility, QLD, Australia (Photo: Nextracker)

Critical steel components will be produced from BlueScope’s steel coil at Orrcon Steel’s Salisbury Tube mill in Brisbane and finished at its Northgate site by Baojia, Nextracker’s global manufacturing partner for delivery to engineering procurement contractors (EPCs).

The new manufacturing facility was officially opened today by Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs, Mick de Brenni MP; Tania Archibald, Chief Executive BlueScope Australian Steel Products; Tony Schreiber, Chair of the Australian Steel Institute and General Manager of Orrcon Steel; and Peter Wheale, General Manager of Nextracker Australia, Southeast Asia, New Zealand.

“This foundation strengthens Nextracker’s commitment to deliver energy security to Australians with a local supply chain and new manufacturing jobs to make clean energy affordable and accessible. We support Queensland’s Energy and Jobs Plan and applaud their ambitions to create jobs for the clean energy economy,” said Peter Wheale, Nextracker GM for Australia, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand.

“In addition to reducing our carbon footprint by manufacturing critical tracker components in Australia, the manufacturing facility in Queensland will accelerate Nextracker’s ability to deliver faster to our customers in Australia and support large solar farms with quality, high performing solar tracker systems.”

Tania Archibald, Chief Executive of BlueScope Australian Steel Products, said, “As one of Australia’s largest manufacturers, BlueScope continues to invest in our Australian operations, with more than $2 billion currently committed to secure our future as a vibrant, modern and sustainable manufacturer with a clear role to play in enabling Australia’s energy transition.