A three-city series of events this month will examine the carbon sequestration and strength benefits of engineered bamboo — as well as its underutilisation in Australia — among other topics. According to a statement on Tuesday from the Bamboo Society of Australia – which is hosting the Next Frontier Summit at Sunshine Coast, Sydney, and…
Lovells Automotive Systems has become the first local Second Stage Manufacturer (SSM) to gain approval for the fitment of its Australian designed and engineered suspension enhancements for post registration Gross Combination Mass (GCM) revisions under new Western Australian laws. According to a statement from Lovells on Tuesday, WA’s new legislation brings the state in line…
Australia’s approach to industry policy over the past six decades tells a story of remarkable institutional restlessness. By Dr John H Howard. Between 1963 and 2025, the federal industry portfolio has been reorganised approximately 20 times—a major restructure roughly every three years. This extraordinary pattern of bureaucratic instability reveals far more than administrative tinkering; it…
Packaging business Detmold Group has announced that it is building a new headquarters at Adelaide, consolidating a team of 240 staff from across eight sites around the city at the one building by the end of 2026. In a statement on Monday, Detmold said the new three-level site at 260 Regency Road, Regency Park will…
A contract worth over $20 million has been awarded for concrete works at what will be the world’s biggest high-purity aluminium materials factory, located in Gladstone, Queensland and with capacity for over 10,000 tonnes of HPA equivalent per year. According to a statement from Alpha HPA — the owner of the upcoming factory — the…
The PhosOne joint venture between North West Phosphate (NWP) and Sibanye-Stillwater (SSW) has been awarded prescribed project status by the Queensland government, which says it is expected “to generate $1.4 billion in economic value”. In a statement on Friday, the state government described PhosOne as a pit-to-production venture capable of creating 490 jobs in construction…
Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has announced that Ben Hudson will be the new Managing Director, effective on Monday. HDA said that Hudson’s background includes working with and leading teams at BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, General Dynamics, and service in the Australian Army. He takes over in the new role on June 2 from Dean Michie, who…
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries across the globe, Australian manufacturing faces a critical crossroads. To remain competitive in increasingly advanced global markets, Australian businesses must urgently adopt smart, high-tech solutions, writes Graeme Sheather. The emergence of AI as a dominant force is no longer a distant threat—it’s a present-day disruptor altering the foundation of…
The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation will reportedly announce a $27 million stake in PolyActiva, a company commercialising an injectable device to treat glaucoma. According to The Australian Financial Review, the investment to be announced on Friday is alongside $13 million in new funding from Brandon Capital, and will support PolyActiva in moving to phase-two trials,…
Cobalt refinery contract signed Mining and mineral processing company Cobalt Blue announced on Thursday that it has signed a contract with Glencore to supply up to 50 per cent of the Kwinana Cobalt Refinery’s (KCR) feedstock needs for the first three years of operation. Calling it “a crucial milestone in KCR’s development”, the company said…