GMG names Rio Tinto veteran to lead graphene production scale-up as 10-tonne plant nears completion

Graphene Manufacturing Group has appointed Stuart Watson, the former global head of technical development at Rio Tinto, as chief production growth officer at a moment when the company says its second-generation graphene plant in Queensland remains on track to come online by the end of June 2026. The move gives GMG a senior operations-focused executive just as the company tries to move from development work toward repeatable industrial output.

GMG adds a production executive ahead of commissioning

Watson brings more than 30 years of experience across metals, mining, oil and chemicals, including two decades at Rio Tinto, where he worked across operations, sales, mergers and acquisitions, and technology development. GMG said the appointment is aimed at strengthening its global production plans as it works through the final stretch of its Gen 2.0 Graphene Production Project.

The company said the project is expected to deliver at least 10 tonnes of graphene per year from its headquarters in Richlands, Queensland. GMG has previously said the plant is intended to be largely self-powered using renewable energy sources, battery storage and hydrogen-enriched natural gas recovered from its own production process.

Why the June 2026 target matters for graphene manufacturing

For graphene suppliers, the challenge is rarely limited to making the material once in a laboratory setting. The harder problem is keeping quality, throughput and cost consistent at scale. A dedicated production-growth executive suggests GMG is treating that challenge as an operating discipline rather than a purely technical milestone.

The timing is also notable because the company has now attached a specific commissioning window to a plant that had already been described as a major step up from its earlier manufacturing setup. If GMG meets the June target, it would have a clearer platform for commercial supply rather than a proof-of-concept line.

What GMG has already said about the plant

GMG said in March that its board approved an additional AU$1.4 million to complete the Gen 2.0 plant, bringing the estimated total capital cost to AU$2.3 million. At that point, the company said early work and procurement of long-lead items were substantially complete and engineering and design had begun.

The company has framed the plant as part of a broader effort to build graphene production capacity in-house, supporting its energy-saving and energy-storage products. The latest appointment adds an operational layer to that plan just as construction and commissioning move toward their expected finish.

The next test is turning capacity into steady output

GMG’s challenge now is straightforward but consequential: bring the new plant online, stabilize output and prove that its manufacturing process can support commercial demand at a larger scale. In a sector where many graphene projects remain stuck between pilot runs and pilot promises, the company’s next verified milestone will be whether the Richlands plant starts producing at the rate it has set out.