Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Titomic seeking to raise $20 million: report

Metal additive manufacturing business Titomic announced a trading halt on Monday morning, with this reportedly due to a $20 million capital raise. According to The Australian Financial Review, Titomic has enlisted lead broker Shaw and Partners — with Peloton Capital and Gleneagle Securities as co-lead managers — for the round. The company announced an equity raise of $4.5 million (before costs) in April,  comprising 90,000,000 million new fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.05 per share. Shares were $0.135 each when the halt was announced.

SunSmart fashion competition won by Curtin student

Yanzi Zhou, a Mount Pleasant woman studying fashion at Curtin University, has been named the Cancer Council WA’s 2024 SunSmart Fashion Project winner. According to a statement from the university, Zhou's garment comes complete with UV protection and was manufactured by Sofia Clothing Balcatta and will be available for purchase at Ruck Rover General Store at Northbridge from Wednesday. “For my final ‘Garment and Body’ assignment, we were tasked with designing a SunSmart garment for outside activities,” Zhou said. “I selected a sustainable black EcoVero viscose and spandex blend for the fabric, as it is breathable, lightweight, and durable—perfect for long days outdoors. The fabric has high UPF rating to protect from the sun.”

Innovation Bay launches Angel network in NT

Tech startup organisation Innovation Bay is set to launch its Angel Investor community, Horizon, in the Northern Territory. Innovation Bay was selected as the winning design under the Territory Government's latest innovation challenge to design an angel investment network. According to a statement from the NT government last week, Innovation Bay has built a strong reputation over its 20-year history of building member-based communities for founders, angel investors, and venture capitalists. “We're delighted to be launching our Angel Investor community, Horizon in the Northern Territory, and in particular to harness the unique knowledge and expertise of local Territorian investors,” said Eleanor Salt, Community Manager – Horizon, Innovation Bay.

BenchOn delivers portal for MSQ

Software developer BenchOn has delivered a new directory for Manufacturing Skills Queensland (MSQ) that it says will “connect and boost manufacturing opportunities across the state.” According to a statement from the company, Supply Queensland was designed to meet the specific needs of manufacturers, automatically connects them with sourcing opportunities based on profile information, and went live as part of Queensland Manufacturing Month. The portal is free for suppliers to register and will also be used to support the state government with the identification of training skills and workforce gaps to target investment. MSQ CEO Rebecca Andrews added, “This portal isn't just about procurement; it's about building resilience in our supply chains, creating jobs, and ensuring that Queensland remains at the forefront of manufacturing innovation in Australia.”  More information is available here.

WHISE backs Victorian women in manufacturing strategy

Not-for-profit organisation and gender equity advocate Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) has welcomed last week's launch of the Women in Manufacturing Strategy by the Victorian government, acknowledging it as “a vital first step towards achieving gender equity within a sector that has historically underrepresented women.” WHISE said it recognises that providing women with equitable access to work and learning opportunities in manufacturing will have dual benefits, enabling women to not only thrive in the sector but also drive growth and increase productivity in the region's manufacturing industry. Kit McMahon, CEO of WHISE said: “Women from marginalised communities possess incredible resilience, skills, and talent that are often overlooked. It’s crucial that we deliberately take action to reduce barriers to all work and create opportunities for all women to participate and succeed. This not just good for women, but for everyone”

Curtin claims breakthrough in optoelectronics

New Curtin University-led research has shown how to make more molecules stick to the surface of tiny nanocrystals (pictured), which could lead to improvements in everyday technology such as TV screens, medical diagnostics and solar panels, according to the university. Lead author Associate Professor Guohua Jia said the study investigated how the shape of zinc sulfide nanocrystals affected how well molecules, known as ligands, stick to their surface. “In a discovery that could open new possibilities for developing smarter, more advanced devices, our study found flatter, more even particles called nanoplatelets allow more ligands to attach tightly, compared to other shapes like nanodots and nanorods,” he said. “By adjusting the shape of these particles, we were able to control how they interacted with their surroundings and make them more efficient in various applications.” The ability to control particle shapes could revolutionise product efficiency and performance, according to the researcher. The paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society can be accessed here.

Picture: nanocrystals (credit Curtin University)