By Karen Raubenheimer, University of Wollongong It’s been 20 years since a paper in the journal Science showed the environmental accumulation of tiny plastic fragments and fibres. It named the particles “microplastics”. The paper opened an entire research field. Since then, more than 7,000 published studies have shown the prevalence of microplastics in the environment,…
A rubber crumb plant at Shoalhaven City Council’s West Nowra Recycling and Waste Depot, which the council says will help it increase tyre recycling capacity from 58 tonnes to 160 tonnes per year, was officially opened on Thursday According to a statement from the council, the site is currently making crumbed rubber and mesh powder,…
In-space servicing firm Space Machines Company has forged strategic partnerships with two Indian space businesses, aerospace and defence manufacturer Ananth Technologies and space infrastructure company Digantara. The partnerships will play a pivotal role in the upcoming Space MAITRI (Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation) mission and the launch of Space Machines Company’s second Optimus…
The quarterly ACCI–Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends has found signs of improvement in conditions among manufacturers, though the general business outlook from companies for the next six months, while improved, “remains deeply pessimistic”. A summary of the survey, which has been running since 1966, notes that national accounts figures indicate the Australian economy remaining in…
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has made its first investment into greening Australia’s ports through electrification. A $70 million CEFC investment in Flinders Port Holdings (FPH) is the first-ever green financing of container stevedoring operations in Australia and will reduce emissions and help cut costs. The shipping industry is traditionally a hard to abate…
Memphasys commits to equine fertility study Reproductive technology company Memphasys has committed to a three-year equine fertility study, aimed at positioning its Felix laboratory instrument for sperm separation as a leading solution for the equine reproduction sector. The company expects commercial outcomes within 12 months from the trial, to be conducted in conjunction with the…
Shipbuilder Austal Australia and maritime software developer Greenroom Robotics have announced a strategic commercial partnership, following their successful Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN.) According to a statement from Greenroom on Wednesday, the new strategic partnership agreement will see the pair “collaborate further on developing watercraft-based products, services and technologies”…
French rocket company Sirius Space Services has signed a contract with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) for a multi-year, multi-launch campaign from the Arnhem Space Centre (ASC) at the World Space Business Week conference in Paris, France overnight. The agreement will see Sirius become a ‘Resident Launcher’ at the spaceport from 2025, taking up residency at…
Close to 500 South Australian manufacturing workers at two of the country’s largest defence manufacturing companies are scheduled to rally outside the Department of Premier and Cabinet in Adelaide today. Around 350 workers from ASC and more than 100 workers from BAE Systems are set to walk off the job over stalled negotiations around their…
Following @AuManufacturing’s questioning of Australia’s progress in developing critical minerals, Joe Kaderavek says now is the time to invest in mid-stream refining in Australia. Commodity prices move in deep cycles, causing mining boom and bust periods. Many critical minerals markets are suffering from over-supply following a phase of over-investment after nearly a decade of low…
