China’s third largest winemaker, Wei Long Grape Wine Company, has begun processing its first vintage at a purpose-built vineyard and winery near Mildura in Victoria. The vintage will involve processing 25,000 tonnes of mainly red wine grapes for production and export to the booming Chinese export market. The launch of the company’s first vintage was…
Composites manufacturer and technology developer, Quickstep Holdings (ASX: QHL), has raised at least $10 million from shareholders through a placement and an expanded share purchase plan. The company, which develops composites production technology and makes aerospace parts including for the F-35 Lightning fighter, will use the funds to strengthen its balance sheet and accelerate expansion.…
The Queensland government has pledged $7.5 million to speed the development of a $60 million shell forging plant for Maryborough in the north of the state. Rheinmetall Defence Business, which is already manufacturing the Boxer armoured reconnaissance vehicle in Queensland, is planning the plant to support local defence sales The CEO of Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions…
A joint industry-research 3D printing robot, Repairbot, has successfully repaired an automotive part using 3D printing techniques. In a world-first, Repairbot 3D printed a replacement lug onto an automotive headlamp assembly as part of a project underway at Swinburne University. An in-house formulated polypropylene composite material, developed by Swinburne’s materials scientist Dr Mostafa Nikzad, was…
Brent Balinski spoke to the Australian head of professional services company Genpact about the company’s recent report on artificial intelligence adoption and challenges.
Global defence group Thales has unveiled plans for a major development of the company’s factory at Lithgow in New South Wales into a modern defence manufacturing precinct. The factory, which began life a century ago as the Lithgow small arms works, will be developed to be capable in digital technologies, including 3D printing, advanced optical…
Germany’s Fuchs Group has announced that it will acquire Nulon Products Australia, and intends to keep both local production and all 65 roles at the Australian maker of automotive lubricants..
In this viewpoint, Forum member Danny Samson identifies the four factors to achieve high performing workplaces. One of the key differences between successful and less successful organisations is their workplace culture. At one extreme is the high performance work culture, where most people are giving high levels of ‘discretionary work effort’, which, other things being…
Final trials of listening devices that monitor the health of wind turbines and use satellite communication to transmit data will take place in the coming months ahead of a commercial launch mid year. Adelaide-based startup Ping was awarded an $A170,000 Australian Government Accelerating Commercialisation grant last week to help trial, upscale, connect and launch its…
Our latest Meet a Member conversation is with Angela Doyle, WA State Director at AMGC. She tells us about raising awareness of advanced manufacturing in her state.
