Manufacturing and Advanced Materials - PWR Advanced Cooling Technology

Finalists

Find out about the Australian Export Award finalists across all national award categories. Be inspired by their success.

PWR Advanced Cooling Technology

Stapylton (Bundjalung), Queensland.

Recognising a team effort

Winning the Australian Export Awards Manufacturing and Advanced Materials award is a momentous achievement for the business and its international profile. But its true value to us is in recognising our workers’ dedication and effort over the years.

Matthew Bryson, Chief Executive Officer.

Meet PWR Advanced Cooling Technology: the coolest Aussie exporter on the block

It’s time for a quick science lesson. Whatever the energy source, all engines, motors and electronics produce heat. If that heat is not extracted, systems can quickly get too hot. This leads to compromised performance and system damage, or even total failure.

That’s when the crucial solutions from the winner of the Manufacturing and Advanced Materials award category, PWR Advanced Cooling Technology (PWR) step in.

The company is a global supplier of advanced cooling products. Its range includes everything from heat exchangers and radiators to oil coolers, intercoolers and electronics cooling components.

‘By crafting bespoke, high-performance cooling solutions using cutting-edge research and technology, PWR embraces a uniquely Australian style and “can do” attitude that fuels innovation in motorsports, aerospace and defence,’ says Matthew Bryson, PWR’s Chief Executive Officer.

From local business to global success

PWR’s story began in 1997 when PWR’s Founder Kees Weel noticed that Australian V8 Supercar teams were importing overseas radiators and modifying them to fit their cars.

Seeing a gap in the market, Kees installed an aluminium furnace at his family’s Currumbin business and began producing custom radiators for Australian supercars. PWR quickly gained recognition for its performance, quality and engineering capabilities. Having expanded into a new, purpose-built factory in 2007, PWR set its sights on global markets and international motorsports competitions.

Tales of a plucky, Queensland-based business producing cutting-edge, customised radiators quickly spread across the country and abroad, even reaching elite Formula 1 racing teams. The company’s expertise in thermal management led to international site expansion, including the acquisition of C&R Racing in the US in 2015 and the opening of a UK-based factory in 2023.

No signs of cooling for global exports

Having cornered motorsports, PWR identified that its technologies were a perfect fit for the burgeoning aerospace and defence (A&D) sectors.

Jumping at the opportunity, the company began developing mission-critical products and obtaining the requisite certifications to operate in the A&D space in 2021.

In the last 3 years, PWR has become a major global aviation supplier and US defence contractor, with A&D revenue doubling and exports accounting for over 90% of total revenue.

Cooling systems hot property in the US

Earlier this year, PWR secured an $8.5 million contract to supply advanced cooling systems to a US Government project.

‘Supported by the Commonwealth’s US trade infrastructure, including Austrade and Team Defence Australia, we demonstrated that we had the capacity to deliver for the customer,’ says Bryson of the deal.

The contract enabled PWR to expand its Queensland-based engineering team and further established its reputation in the A&D sector.

‘A contract of this value and size also demonstrates to other contractors that we are a viable player in the A&D space,’ says Bryson.

Partnering to drive global growth

International defence agreements, including the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, have hastened PWR’s expansion into Asian markets, particularly Japan and India.

‘We are working ever closer with regional partners to diversify our base and take advantage of the increasing demand for our products,’ says Bryson.

‘Critically, to be successful and differentiate your business internationally, you need to have a laser focus on fostering and maintaining relationships and trust with partners.’

Austrade has played a critical role in PWR’s pivot from a predominantly motorsports brand to a more diversified business with a growing focus on aerospace and defence.

Valued guidance from Austrade

Austrade has been a valued partner of PWR throughout the years, says Bryson.

‘Austrade has played a critical role in PWR’s pivot from a predominantly motorsports brand to a more diversified business with a growing focus on aerospace and defence,’ he says.

‘Austrade has promoted our business at trade shows, helped foster relationships with US customers, and exposed us to the intricacies of overseas markets.’

A business focused on sustainability

PWR recently became ISO14001:2015 accredited. This is the international standard for environmental management systems.

The company has also installed over 4,000 solar panels at its facility and recycles hundreds of tonnes of scrap aluminium every year. Its closed-loop wastewater treatment plant captures, treats and reuses 90% of trade wastewater.

Supporting a cleaner energy future, PWR is currently working on prototypes to develop new and specialised cooling systems for hydrogen-fuelled craft.

Recognising a team effort

PWR won the Small to Medium Manufacturer Award category in 2011 and 2012. It also took out the Australian Exporter of the Year award in 2012. PWR is the winner of the 2025 Manufacturing and Advanced Materials award category.

‘We applied for the Australian Export Awards in 2025 because we wanted to take a moment to step back and acknowledge what our team has achieved,’ says Bryson.

‘Winning the Australian Export Awards Manufacturing and Advanced Materials award is a momentous achievement for the business and its international profile. But its true value to us is in recognising our team members’ dedication and effort over the years.’

An innovative approach to new market growth

Bryson notes that PWR’s success hasn’t really been driven by a conscious effort to expand into new regions through marketing and business development.

‘Rather, our focus on research and development, complemented by a continuous drive to find new innovative applications for our products, has been the real driver of our success,’ he says.

‘We also leverage Australia’s reputation as a country that punches above its weight by being a resourceful, adaptive and reliable partner to our customers on the world stage.’

Visit PWR Advanced Cooling Technology website.

(Host) Award number eight, Manufacturing and Advanced Materials. We move into the award for outstanding international success in manufacturing, engineering or advanced materials development and includes advanced manufacturing and materials technology, engineering, design and production.

This category is sponsored by Australian made campaign limited who have been a program sponsor for 25 years now.

(Voiceover)

Como Engineers

Como Engineers specialises in the supply of modular gold allusion plants tailored to the mining industry

IND Technology

IND Technology delivers world-leading predictive fault detection solutions for power utilities, helping prevent wildfires and outages.

Lightning Protection International

Lightning Protection International delivers cutting edge lightning surge and earthing and bonding solutions that protect people, assets and critical infrastructure.

Liquid Instruments

Liquid Instruments provide multiple laboratory instruments into a single software-driven device, making testing and experimentation more efficient and cost-effective.

Novafast

Novafast designs and manufactures world-class composite pipes, tanks, vessels and materials for major infrastructure projects.

PWR Advanced Cooling Technology

PWR Advanced Cooling Technology is a global supplier of advanced cooling products. PWR fuels innovation in motorsports, aerospace and defense.

Viper WRL Pty Ltd

Viper WRL manufactures world-leading wire rope, lubrication systems extending rope life by up to 300%.

(John Thompson – Australian Made Campaign) Good evening everyone. How good’s tonight? Um, it’s an excellent room to be in and all of the finalists, congratulations because I’ve been sitting here listening to descriptions of your companies and your businesses and I’ve been blown away, as have most of us in the room. So, congratulations on being a finalist as well.

The Australian Made Campaign Limited is proud to sponsor the manufacturing and advanced materials category of the Australian Export Awards. A partnership, as you’ve heard already, we’ve had for nearly, well over, 25 years. For multiple decades, this award has celebrated innovation, resilience and world-class capability of Australian manufacturers.

At AMCL, we see every day how businesses carrying our green and gold kangaroo logo take Australia’s reputation for quality and ingenuity to the world. Tonight’s finalists exemplify that. On behalf of Australian Made team, I want to acknowledge the extraordinary effort it takes to compete and succeed on the global stage.

Your achievements strengthen our economy, create local jobs, and showcase the very best of Australian knowhow. It’s an honour to recognise your contribution tonight. Now, this year’s winner of the Manufacturing and Advanced materials category is, drumroll please, PWR Advanced Cooling Technology.

(Matthew Bryson - PWR Advanced Cooling Technology) Well, uh, thank you very much and, uh, on behalf of uh, PWR and with PWR’s founder and chairman, Kees Weel, I humbly accept this award on behalf of the 400 staff, we have in southeast Queensland. Um, we invest in latest manufacturing technology, but it is truly people that uh, that make PWR special. You know, their willingness to innovate and uh, and to take on challenges is what sets us apart.

The business has grown from uh, from motorsport origins, um to a point that we proudly call 11 of 11 Formula 1 teams our customers, using our products now and going into the 2026 season. We’re now taking our technology and our innovation to aerospace and defense where that same commitment to pushing boundaries and taking on the difficult challenges is separating us from our competition globally as well.

I’d like to thank Trade and Investment Queensland and Austrade for their continued support of PWR where you can get Formula 1 technology for your road car by shopping Australian.

Manufacturing and Advanced Materials winner – PWR Advanced Cooling Technology. For the full transcript please visit the Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Award 2025 – PWR Advanced Cooling Technology video on YouTube.

Manufacturing and Advanced Materials finalists

National category winners

Agribusiness, Food and Beverages - Marquis Macadamias

For outstanding international success in the field of manufactured foods, beverages or agricultural products.

Creative Industries - Orbitkey

For outstanding international success in any creative industry.

e-Commerce - Humanitix

For outstanding international success selling goods or services to customers overseas via e-Commerce, including cross-border e-Commerce and online sales.