Hidden
Middles

Rich, but not complex.

Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Its economy rests on a few strengths, mining and agriculture above all, and it makes fewer different things than most economies of its size. Building new industries is a national priority.

Big firms and startups get the attention.

Industry policy is written for large corporations. Innovation policy is written for startups. Research follows both. Whatever sits between them is treated as background.

"SME" is not a firm type.

Ninety-seven percent of Australian businesses are small. A café and a 150-person precision manufacturer both count as SMEs. The label covers everything and describes nothing.

We think a particular kind of firm is doing the work.

Established mid-sized manufacturers. Firms with 20 to 199 people, ten or more years in production, their own plant in Australia, and their own decisions. They hold much of the country's manufacturing capability, and they carry it from one industry into another as the market allows.

We call them Hidden Middles.

They are overlooked in policy, in research, and in the statistics, which record each of them under a single industry no matter how many they serve.

A long-term study of these firms, in five dimensions.

We start with growth and innovation, through interviews with manufacturers in Victoria, and extend to other states and to Germany from there.

Our aim is to show what these firms do, why it matters for Australia's economy, and how policy can see them and support them.