Hunter-based Nupress Tools has won a contract with Pratt & Whitney to manufacture precision machined small parts for the jet engines that power Australia’s new F-35 fighter jet. The company has signed a seven year, multi million dollar contract to produce five different components for the sophisticated single-engine plane. The company will produce 50 per…
Comment by Peter Roberts The 2019 federal budget was certainly bad for manufacturers, as reported in @AuManufacturing, but close examination reveals that for innovation in general it was far worse than first seen. The budget contained a nasty $1.35 billion cut to the research and development tax incentive over the forward estimates, on top of…
Sydney professional audio manufacturer, RØDE Microphones, has launched Wireless GO, the world’s smallest broadcast quality microphone. The latest product from the leading sound engineering company will debut at NAB 2019, a media, entertainment and technology show in Las Vegas from 8 April. Measuring a compact 44mm x 45.3mm x 18.5mm and weighing only 31g, the…
These are boom times for investment in renewable energy with more than 2.3 GW of new renewable energy capacity entering the market in 2018, according to the Clean Energy Council. The council’s Clean Energy Report found 38 large scale wind and solar projects were completed in the year. Household rooftop solar also experienced its’ best…
Comment by Peter Roberts International paper products group Kimberly-Clark’s shock decision to close its Sydney baby nappy plant is a major loss to the local manufacturing scene. This was one of a small number of consumer products manufactured in massive volume – a billion nappies a year – right here in Australia. The Ingleburn plant…
The federal government has granted major projects status to a massive project near Toowoomba in Queensland to grow cannabis for medicinal purposes. The $450 million project being developed by Asterion Australia would establish 40 hectares of fully automated glasshouses in three stages. Industry minister, Karen Andrews said the project could ultimately support 1,000 jobs, and…
Lithium metal technology company Lithium Australia (ASX: LIT) is to invest in Melbourne li-ion battery recycling business, Envirostream, with plans to expand its capacity. The company has invested $600,000 to take 18.9 per cent of Envirostream which operates Australia’s only plant that shreds used batteries. The process produces a powder containing the critical metal components…
Canberra has launched a comprehensive space strategy outlining national priorities and regulatory reform needed create a viable local industry sector. The 10-year Australian Civil Space Strategy was launched as part of the 2019 federal budget. The head of the Australian Space Agency, Megan Clarke said the strategy laid the foundations for a local industry including…
By Angela Skujins South Australian company Micro-X has signed a contract with Thales Group to develop its mobile X-ray products for security purposes. Under a new contract with the global company, Adelaide-based Micro-X will develop multiple image processing systems for defence and security purposes. Micro-X manufactures carbon nanotube X-ray systems that are portable and adaptable…
Analysis by Peter Roberts The early 2019 federal budget coming only weeks before an election was always going to be a political document aimed squarely at swinging voters in marginal seats. So manufacturing was not expecting much, but even so a number of unkind cuts make this a damaging document to several of the government’s…
