Iconic Australian bootmaker R.M. Williams has been brought back to Australian ownership with its purchase from a private equity firm by Western Australian iron ore mining couple Andrew and Nicola Forrest. The couple’s Tattarang investment arm bought the firm bought the business for a reported $190 million from the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity firm,…
Comment by Peter Roberts Politicians often get things wrong but Tony Abbott has to take the cake for his dismissal of Labor’s all-fibre National Broadband Network in favour of what he claimed was a better and cheaper mash-up of fibre, copper, satellite etc. Let’s remind ourselves of two things Abbott said at the time. At…
The first local manufacturing package’ for specialised submarine parts has been issued to Australian manufacturers by France’s Naval Group, the builder of Australia’s new Attack class submarines. The package, an expression of Interest (EOI) is a major milestone for Naval Group and Australian defence industry, and came the same day the company’s new Port Adelaide…
Lynden Vikingur is a third generation boat builder. Stemming from a family of Icelandic shipwrights, his father, Gunnar, carried the boat building lineage into Australia when he arrived on it’s shores at the age of 16. After working as a boat builder in Western Australia for several years, Gunnar Vikingur founded what is now VIKAL International, a bespoke superyacht tender powerhouse catering to the world’s most affluent and wealthy.
Three new SMEs have signed up with Adelaide’s ASC Shipbuilding and will join in the important prototype phase of the construction of Australia’s new Hunter class frigates. Adelaide Profile Services, Intertek’s Adelaide Inspection Services and NSW-based Sofraco will work with Osborne-based ASC Shipbuilding, which is owned by prime contractor BAE Systems Australia. Adelaide Profile will…
The food company that bears celebrity foodie Maggie Beer’s name has achieved the goals it set when she rejoined the company she founded with a big boost in sales and profits and positive contributions from its three luxury foods and dairy divisions. The Barossa Valley company posted earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation for…
Navi Medical Technologies will use an NHMRC Development Grant worth $879,000 to progress commercialisation of its innovative instrument which gives ill newborn infants the chance of better treatments. The National Health and Medical Research Council grant will take research on improving the care of vulnerable neonates to the proof-of-concept stage, a critical step on the…
Analysis by Peter Roberts The New South Wales government have ordered close to 2,000 rail carriages and tram cars from overseas in only 10 years, putting the lie to the government’s suggestion that it is forced to buy trains overseas, according to a new analysis by the Australian Manufacturing Forum. According to analysis for @AuManufacturing…
Next Science raise $15 million cash from investors Anti-microbial drug development company Next Science has completed a $15 million capital raising, with the closure of a $5 million share purchase plan. The raising was $4.2 million over-subscribed. This follows an earlier raising from institutional investors. The cash will help fund the commercial release in the…
HMAS Warramunga has been relaunched from the BAE Systems Australia Henderson shipyard in Western Australia, the third Anzac class frigate to receive a full ANZAC Mid Life Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) upgrade at the yard. (AMCAP) is an ongoing upgrade which focuses on updating ageing platform systems, communications, installation of Long Range Air Search Radar…
