Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, March 10 – March 14, 2025

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) BluGlass achieves gallium nitride laser world record result ASX-listed compound semiconductor developer and maker BluGlass has announced what it says is a world record for power produced by a single-mode gallium nitride (GaN) laser. In a statement on Tuesday, the company…

GME acquires Eylex for undisclosed amount

Radio frequency communications specialist GME has announced its acquisition of defence electronics company Eylex. In a statement on Wednesday, GME said the acquisition represented “full ownership and management control” of Eylex, and will boost its “innovation opportunities and assist in its ongoing diversification efforts” within the “defence, security and resilience sectors”.  The value of the…

Rio Tinto signs on for two new projects expected to take Boyne aluminium smelter to 80 per cent renewables

Metals company Rio Tinto and renewable energy generation and storage provider Edify Energy have agreed to two deals aimed at increasing supply of “reliable, competitively priced electricity” to Rio’s Gladstone aluminium operations. According to a statement from Rio on Thursday, the solar and battery hybrid services agreements (HSAs) cover purchase of 90 per cent of…

With Australian steel and aluminium set to incur US tariffs, global uncertainty will be our next challenge

By Lisa Toohey, UNSW Sydney “Unjustified” and “not the way that friends and allies should be treated”. That’s how Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have described the latest shot in United States President Trump’s trade war. Effective today, there is a 25% tariff on all imports of steel and aluminium into…