Analysis by Peter Roberts Iron ore miner Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has completed the deployment phase of its $900 million Pilbara AutoHaul automated heavy-haul, long distance rail network. After a build up from running its first autonomous train in July, the company has announced the system is now fully operational. The company operates more than…
Comment by Peter Roberts Moly-Cop, the world’s largest manufacturer of ball and rod grinding media used in minerals processing, is along with the Whyalla steel works another global opportunity that went unseen and unfulfilled by Australian investors. Just as the steel works is being doubled in size by new owners Liberty Primary Steel, Moly-Cop under…
Leigh Creek Energy (ASX: LCK) company will raise $5.1 million through a rights issue and placement to fund development of chemicals processing opportunities in South Australia. The company said in a statement that its in situ coal gasification demonstration plant at the former Leigh Creek coal fields has notched up 13 days continuous production of…
Sydney autonomous vehicle technology business, Baraja, has secured $45 million in Series A venture capital to fund development of its LiDAR navigation systems for driverless vehicles. Raised from Sequoia China, Blackbird Ventures, and Main Sequence Ventures, this adds to seed funding raised in 2016 which also included Blackbird among its investors. Baraja launched its Spectrum-Scan…
@AuManufacturing’s recent feature on shoddy imports has cast light on Australian Consumer Law. Here we explain consumer rights when faced with minor and major faults. By Helen Hull New data just released reveals people are increasingly contacting the ACCC about issues with faulty products and services. In 2018, the ACCC received nearly 34,000 contacts about…
Member viewpoint by Linsey Siede Australia has long been described as the “Lucky Country” and a “Land of Opportunity”, but it is also a country of dichotomy and of missed opportunities. As an Engineer I like to work with facts, so here are a few which lead to Australia’s opportunities to be innovative, add value,…
Comment by Peter Roberts It must have seemed such a good idea at the time – threaten the Australian government that you would pull out of local manufacturing if they didn’t cough up some extra dough. But for GM’s Holden subsidiary, 2018 was confirmation of what an own goal its threat was, slumping spectacularly in…
With the world already 50 per cent urbanised business opportunities abound by meeting the needs of city hotbeds of growth and innovation. But the rise of smart, connected cities has added new layers of opportunity for agile engineers, manufacturers and service providers. From green buildings and building monitoring and management to wi-fi, data analytics, energy…
Sydney-based anti-drone security company, DroneShield (ASX: DRO), has won regulatory approval to fulfil an export order to a Central American customer. The company announced in a statement that approval would allow it to go ahead and fulfil a $300,000 order for its DroneGun Tactical jammer products. Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO, commented: “Drone misuse is a…
Albemarle Corporation has begun earthworks on the company’s Kemerton lithium hydroxide (LiOH) conversion plant, deepening Australia’s burgeoning lithium products industry. The plant, at the Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area, in Western Australia, will have an initial capacity of 60,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) when commissioned in 2021. Eric Norris, Albemarle President, Lithium said in…
