Anduril opens new Ghost Shark factory in Sydney
Defence manufacturer Anduril has opened a new factory in Sydney to produce the Ghost Shark, its extra-large underwater autonomous vehicles, for the Royal Australian Navy.
Precision Plastics Australia launches locally-made home decor business
Lane Cove West, Sydney-based 3D print farm operator Precision Plastics Australia has launched DesignLab.au, establishing what it says will link “designers, retailers, and end customers” to develop new home décor products. Precision Plastics founder Dr Craig Morrison said in a statement on Monday that the new venture is based on the simple idea that “world-class…
Australia, Canada sign new critical minerals deal
The Australian and Canadian resources ministers have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Minerals Collaboration, which they say will “promote and strengthen cooperation and trade in critical minerals value chains” between the two countries. According to a statement from Australian resources minister Madeleine King on Saturday (Australian time), the declaration of intent signed…
Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, October 27 – October 31, 2025
What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Tomago Aluminium in consultation with workers as smelter’s future remains in doubt The owners of Australia’s biggest aluminium smelter are in talks with workers at Tomago, with the company “yet to identify a pathway” to commercially sustainable operations beyond 2028. Tomago…
A solution to cheaper, greener construction could be in the bag, says robotics team
“When I started this I had a perfectly good architecture practice, which has just gone so badly to seed,” recalls Dr Jan Golembiewski, CEO and co-founder of Earthbuilt Technology. Golembiewski has put everything else on hold to focus on his startup, established 2022. The company’s goal is to enable 3D printed houses, using onsite materials…
Alpha HPA secures $30 million from QCMBTF
Aluminium chemicals company Alpha HPA has secured $30 million in funding from the Queensland government’s Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund (QCMBTF), which will help progress the company’s Stage Two HPA First Project in Gladstone. In a statement on Thursday, Alpha said that under the agreement, its subsidiaries had entered into Royalty Deeds with Queensland…
Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed
Biochip meets performance and clinical requirements, says Archer Semiconductor developer Archer Materials this week announced successful results from the first stage of its silicon Biochip project, carried out in partnership with IMEC, showing that the silicon devices meet blood potassium accuracy requirements. According to the company, Archer and IMEC achieved a potassium sensing accuracy of ±0.3…
Ethical Clothing Australia ‘setting a gold standard’ in preventing exploitation: Australian Human Rights Institute research
Sponsored New research has found that Ethical Clothing Australia’s accreditation program is a global leader in protecting and upholding the rights of textile, clothing and footwear workers. The report, commissioned by the accreditation body and authored by the Australian Human Rights Institute, examines how Ethical Clothing Australia’s accreditation program aligns with relevant legislation and regulations…
UNSW team’s two-for-one result gets the attention of world’s biggest solar companies
A UNSW Sydney team has made a breakthrough, showing how to create “two packets of energy” from one particle of light, which could one day see new technology “mass-produced specifically for use with solar panels”. According to a statement from the university on Friday, the “Omega Silicon” team showed how the principle of “singlet fission”…
Bioplastics business Uluu completes $16 million Series A
Perth startup Uluu, which has developed a process to create bioplastics out of fermented seaweed, has announced a $16 million Series A funding round, led by Germany’s Burda Principal Investments. According to a statement on Thursday from the company, the raise will support construction of a demonstration plant and scaling up its technology, which “has…