Best of the week — the five most popular stories among @AuManufacturing’s readers

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading. 5) NIOA ENTERS US MANUFACTURING WITH FIREARMS BUY Privately owned Queensland defence contractor NIOA has entered US military manufacturing with the 100 per cent acquisition of the Tennessee rifle design and manufacturing company, Barrett Firearms. The purchase price…

Input sought for Jobs and Skills Australia

The federal government is calling for feedback from state and territory governments, employer bodies, unions, tertiary providers and community organisations on the shape of the permanent Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) body. The Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor MP, released a discussion paper today, saying that Jobs and Skills Australia was a key…

Alternative proteins backed in NSW tech central grants

The NSW Government’s Tech Central Research and Innovation Infrastructure Fund has today announced $8 million in grants supporting projects at the University of Sydney, UTS and ARIA Research to advance R&D infrastructure at CBD innovation hub, Tech Central. Two projects involving University of Sydney researchers have received funding under this latest round – for alternative…

Boeing wins Chinook contract extension

Boeing Defence Australia has signed a contract with defence to continue to support the maintenance, training and sustainment services for Army’s fleet of 14 CH-47F Chinook helicopters. First Assistant Secretary Joint Aviation System Division Shane Fairweather said the $41 million contract extension would ensure continued support for the medium-lift helicopter fleet over the next five…

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

BluGlass GaN lasers are meeting performance benchmarks ASX-listed semiconductor developer BluGlass said on Thursday that gallium nitride laser diodes produced at its Silicon Valley production facility are now achieving or exceeding contract manufacturer performance benchmarks. According to the company, testing of the first lasers processed at its Fremont fab are demonstrating electrical and light-output performance…

19 companies supported in CRC-P grants

Electrifying aviation is just one of manufacturing opportunities being supported through the latest round of the federal government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) programme. Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic today announced $44 million in grants for Australian companies to support 19 collaborative projects researchers and innovators . One of the 19 grant recipients,…

Quickstep’s new $11.3 million F-35 order

Sydney composites manufacturer Quickstep has announce that it has secured a new order for components for F-35 fighter jets worth $11.3 million. The company announced its aerostructures business had secured the order for the construction of Lot 17-F vertical tail fin components from Melbourne company Marand Precision Engineering. Quickstep, Marand, Axiom Precision Manufacturing and BAE…

Lithium niobate back in style, offers chip manufacturing hope for Australia: researchers

A material first grown in 1949 is seeing renewed interest for its usefulness in photonics, an Australian-led team of researchers have noted in a review of lithium niobate published in Science. “Lithium niobate photonics: Unlocking the electromagnetic spectrum” is a recently-published article led by University of Adelaide’s Dr Andy Boes and RMIT University’s Distinguished Professor…