It’s an essential industry, says AMTIL
AMTIL, the peak body for manufacturing technology suppliers and users, has added itself to the list of voices requesting that manufacturing be designated an essential industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
ICU ventilators: what they are, how they work and why it’s hard to make more
Around the world, people are racing to design and manufacture much-needed ventilators to address a global lack of supply. One New York hospital has reportedly attempted treating two patients per ventilator out of desperation.
Caltex to shutter Lytton refinery in response to covid-19
Oil refiner and retailer Caltex is to shutter its Lytton refinery (pictured) in Queensland in May, bringing forward planned maintenance. While the company plans to complete the work by August, it warned that it would only re-open the refinery, one of only four remaining in Australia, if ‘margin conditions have sufficiently recovered’. The global oil…
Quickstep powers ahead on long term work
Leading aerospace composites manufacturer Quickstep powered ahead in the third quarter of the year as it continued work on long term contracts for mainly defence-related clients. The Sydney company recorded positive cash flow of $100,000 on sales for the quarter up 16 per cent on the previous corresponding period to $19.2 million. Sales for the…
Myriota closes Series B, brings total funding raised over $50 million
Nanosatellite business Myriota has announced a $28 million Series B funding round, with Hostplus and Main Sequence Ventures as lead investors and all Series A backers participating in the raise.
Lithium Australia wins protection over metal extraction technology
Lithium technology company Lithium Australia has been granted a patent from IP Australia covering its LieNA lithium metal processing technology. The Perth company is developing mining, processing, battery cathode manufacturing and battery recycling operations, and now receives protection for 20 years for its core technology. The company and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation…
Adelaide Brighton acts as heavy industry virus-proofs operations
Manufacturing has so far continued to operate in the face of the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, with companies using social distancing and sanitation measures to keep their staff safe at work. Companies have also re-engineered their supply chains to replace inputs from distant sources such as China. But forward looking companies are also planning…
Manufacturers keep boosted sanitiser supply in local hands
South Australian companies are ramping up hand sanitiser production to fill local shortages.
Manufacturing is Essential
I strongly believe manufacturing is an essential service. We now have over 1500 companies that have signed up to the Covid19 National Manufacturing Response. That’s over 1500 Australian manufacturing companies putting their hand up to say “We’re ready, willing and able”.
Now is the time for optimism about the future of manufacturing
Comment by Peter Roberts As we digest the news that the federal government has called up industrialist Andrew Liveris to help map out a future for Australian manufacturing, there remains a view prevalent in the community that Australia doesn’t make things. One former colleague on the weekend railed about how manufacturing had been decimated and…