SA company talks the torque at Tonsley

A South Australian manufacturing company born in a suburban backyard in 2008 has made a $2 million investment to expand its operations and create jobs at the State Government’s Tonsley development.

St Mary’s-based Radical Torque Solutions supplies controlled bolting equipment to mining and oil and gas companies around the world, as well as a range of manual torque tools and calibration equipment for heavy industries and professional mechanics.

The company’s expansion into Tonsley will provide the company with a state-of-the-art service, calibration, and manufacturing workshop and a retail outlet. It expects to increase its Adelaide workforce from eight to 15 after the move.

Manufacturing and Innovation Minister Kyam Maher says moving to Tonsley will help the company broaden its local and international markets.

“Radical Torque Solutions represents the kind of innovation and service-oriented culture we know is essential to making the next generation of manufacturing successful in South Australia,” he says.

“I’m confident their experience and commitment will also be of great value to the expanding resources and energy services cluster at Tonsley.”

The company’s Managing Director Simon Timms says Tonsley provides the environment to take his business to the next level.

“We’re already servicing some of the biggest names in the local and international mining, oil and gas sectors but we need a purpose-built facility that will better enable us to meet needs across a greater range of industry sectors,” says Mr Timms.

“We want to be the number one provider in the South-East Asian region for the supply, calibration and servicing of torque tools and torque calibration equipment.

“By moving to Tonsley, where we can work with other synergistic companies and have access to the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence and the State Drill Core Reference Library, we envisage having the resources, knowledge, and connections we need at our door step.”

Radical Torque Solutions was born in Mr Timms’ backyard in 2008 and has been operating at offices in St Mary’s since 2012.

The company’s innovation efforts have been boosted during this period by State Government research and development grants which have led to the development of specialised tools that increase operator safety on mine sites.

Designs for the company’s new facility are expected to be developed in coming months, with its intention to move to Tonsley before the end of 2016.