By Andrew Spence of The Lead An Australian company that shot to international prominence after designing the flame for the Sydney Olympics has become the world’s leading supplier of burners to the iron ore pelletizing market. South Australian-based FCT International had a small customer base in the cement industry when it designed the burner system…
Quantum computers where information is stored at the sub-atomic level are edging closer to reality scientifically, and in Australia, industrially. The University of New South Wales has announced a team led by Professor Michelle Simmons has demonstrated a compact sensor for accessing information stored in the electrons of individual atoms. Simmons is a world-leader in…
In a move being mourned by the local community Coca-Cola filled its last bottle of soft drink yesterday at its Adelaide factory. The Thebarton factory operated for 66 years, and was something of a local icon regularly opening its doors to school tour groups. But now South Australia will be supplied from plants in Western…
Comment by Peter Roberts. An Australian space industry, the second in our history, is rapidly taking shape with government research, rocket and satellite manufacturers and potential end use markets ranging from Earth sensing to internet of things (IoT) communications falling into place. Only a month ago @AuManufacturing reported the successful launch into space on a…
Analysis by Peter Roberts. Just as 3D printing has grown from a side issue to the mainstream in manufacturing, a second fundamental shift is occurring that we all need to be aware of. Like prototyping was to 3D, making for the individual is rising as a way to meet the desires of consumers, especially in…
Analysis by Peter Roberts. Since the fall of the dollar from its resources-boom highs manufacturing has been on the up with the small and medium size business (SMEs) sector now emerging as a star performer in the economy. Tentatively at first SMEs used up spare capacity, but now leaders such as Adelaide-based REDARC Electronics are…
Packaging maker Orora (ASX: ORA) has become the second company in a week to expand in the United States, citing a better business environment. Orora, which was split off from the giant AMCOR packaging group, will spend $110 million to buy Texas-based Pollock Packaging, beefing up its US operations. The company has 28 packaging plants…
Analysis by Peter Roberts. There is a bit of a myth in Australian high technology circles that local manufacturing is too hard, but you have got to feel for those commercialising IoT enabled agriculture product, Ceres Tag. Ceres Tag is a smart ear tag for the livestock industry that uses technologies such as GPS and…
Mildura manufacturer, Integrated Recycling has won approval from Metro Trains Melbourne to trial its Duratrack composite recycled plastic sleeper on the Melbourne rail system. “This follows hot on the heals of Queensland Rail Type Approval for mainline trials,” the company said. At this stage, MTM will trial Duratrack at at last two sites in Melbourne…
Leading Australian building products group, Brickworks (ASX:BKW) is to spend $151 million buying one of the US’s largest brick makers, Glen-Gery. The company announced it would buy America’s fourth largest brick maker to take it into new markets and as a basis for growth. Brickworks Managing Director, Lindsay Partridge said: “The acquisition of Glen-Gery represents…
