The federal government has released a discussion paper and is seeking feedback on how the upcoming Industry Growth Program should operate. The $392 million IGP was a surprise inclusion in the May budget, and will replace the Entrepreneur’s Programme. According to its web page the IGP will provide advice and grants to SMEs to commercialise…
Defence heavyweights joined the US Navy and Australian industry in marking the completion of the first-ever deep maintenance activity on a US Navy MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ helicopter at Sikorsky Australia’s facilities in Nowra, NSW (pictured). The US Navy aircraft arrived in Australia in October 2022 and underwent the successful deep maintenance activity known as a…
The federal government is opening up consultations on a proposed new offshore wind energy production zone in the Southern Ocean region from Port MacDonnell in South Australia to Warrnambool in Victoria. The 5,100 square kilometre area includes Portland, which is home to one of Australia’s largest aluminium smelters operated by Alcoa and draws up to…
Opal Australian Paper is to make further closures at its Maryvale Mill in Victoria, announcing it would end all white pulp and paper manufacturing at the site. This follows the unplanned end of VicForests wood supply last year, and the Japanese company’s February decision to end white pulp and paper manufacturing, including of its iconic…
ADVERTISING FEATURE By ECI Media outlets, think tanks, and employers have come to a consensus: the nation is suffering one of its worst labour shortages in history. Since the early 2000s, the Australian labour market has been projected to slow due to our ageing population according to the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission. This is a far…
Major rare earths producer Lynas Rare Earths has been awarded a $20 million grant awarded under the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative – Manufacturing Translation Stream to process apatite-rich ores at its Mt Weld mine in Western Australia.. Based on the company’s work with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lynas will support…
Vehicle utility tray and canopy manufacturer MITS Alloy has powered ahead after being named Manufacturer of the Year (50 employees or more) for 2022 in the Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA). Following extensive R&D, the company’s engineers developed a method using interlocking structural frame construction which enabled MITS Alloy to move away from the conventional aluminium…
Bega Group has sold the historic factory in Port Melbourne that has manufactured Vegemite for more than 75 years. As part of company rationalisation and reducing debt, the company has sold the factory at 1 Vegemite Way for $114.6 million. The company will lease back the factory from new owner Charter Hall for an initial…
Manufacturers are giving a “bleak assessment” of conditions, according to the latest quarterly ACCI-Westpac Industrial Trends Survey, though they intend to lift investment. The Actual Composite weakened in the latest survey — with results out on Tuesday — down from 53.9 in March to 50.7 in June. This is only just above a break-even result…
The NSW government has said it will procure seven new Parramatta Class ferries, made by Richardson Devine Marine of Hobart, spruiking their superiority to the overseas-built River Class ferries ordered by the previous Coalition government. The new ferries will travel the Parramatta to Circular Quay route, have a predicted service life of 25 – 30…
