‘Signs of improvement’ within the industry, major survey finds

The quarterly ACCI–Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends has found signs of improvement in conditions among manufacturers, though the general business outlook from companies for the next six months, while improved, “remains deeply pessimistic”. A summary of the survey, which has been running since 1966, notes that national accounts figures indicate the Australian economy remaining in…

CEFC invests in greening SA ports

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has made its first investment into greening Australia’s ports through electrification. A $70 million CEFC investment in Flinders Port Holdings (FPH) is the first-ever green financing of container stevedoring operations in Australia and will reduce emissions and help cut costs. The shipping industry is traditionally a hard to abate…

Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Memphasys commits to equine fertility study Reproductive technology company Memphasys has committed to a three-year equine fertility study, aimed at positioning its Felix laboratory instrument for sperm separation as a leading solution for the equine reproduction sector. The company expects commercial outcomes within 12 months from the trial, to be conducted in conjunction with the…

Austal, Greenroom Robotics strike new commercial partnership

Shipbuilder Austal Australia and maritime software developer Greenroom Robotics have announced a strategic commercial partnership, following their successful Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN.) According to a statement from Greenroom on Wednesday, the new strategic partnership agreement will see the pair “collaborate further on developing watercraft-based products, services and technologies”…

Now is the time to invest in critical minerals refining – By Joe Kaderavek

Following @AuManufacturing’s questioning of Australia’s progress in developing critical minerals, Joe Kaderavek says now is the time to invest in mid-stream refining in Australia. Commodity prices move in deep cycles, causing mining boom and bust periods. Many critical minerals markets are suffering from over-supply following a phase of over-investment after nearly a decade of low…

Kestrel coal to generate power while cutting emissions

The Queensland government is investing in a new gas-to-electricity power project that will reduce mining emissions by more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide. The project will expand the Kestrel Coal Resources underground mine’s drainage system to capture more fugitive gas, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. The coal mine waste gas-to-electricity…

Quantum Brilliance to build mobile quantum computer

Germany’s Cyber Agency has awarded Australian company Quantum Brilliance and Germany’s ParityQC one of three contracts valued at €35 million aimed at developing the world’s first mobile quantum computer by 2027. The companies announced they have jointly been awarded a contract by Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH ‘Innovation in Cybersecurity’ to develop the…