French defence contractor Thales Australia will invest $6.5 million in the first phase of a plan to redevelop its Lithgow Arms facility in regional New South Wales. The investment will create a new manufacturing and integration hub for the design, development and precision manufacture of next generation weapons systems for the Australian Defence Force, industrial…
A major sub-system destined for one of the most sophisticated visual and infra-red optical telescopes ever built has arrived in Germany from its Australian makers. The sub-system for the European Southern Observatory’s 4MOST instrument has arrived at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) ready for testing and installation on the four-metre VISTA telescope located…
Solar PV glazing technology company ClearVue Technologies will have its products manufactured in the United States under a five-year manufacturing and distribution agreement signed with a Philadelphia company. Commercial glazing manufacturer Graboyes Commercial Windows and Glass Solutions will be ClearVue’s sole distributor in the Pennsylvania and non-exclusive distributor throughout the US. ClearVue is commercialising clear,…
Perth additive manufacturing group Aurora Labs (A3D) has announced the completion of its four-stage technology development pathway for its metal 3D printer. The Perth company declared the printer was now ‘commercial ready’, and would plug a gap in the market for a high productivity, mid-range, mid-cost machine. The printer had been independently validated and products…
Andrew Forrest has announced yet another step towards creating a global green hydrogen business – a deal to become the United Kingdom’s largest supplier of green, renewable hydrogen. Fortescue Future Industries has signed a multi-billion dollar agreement with with construction giant J C Bamford Excavators (JCB) and Ryze Hydrogen (Ryze) who will purchase 10 per…
By Peter Roberts The construction of nine Hunter-class frigates in Adelaide by BAE Systems Maritime is known for its pioneering work on digital manufacturing on a giant – $35 billion – scale. But it is less well known for its part in demonstrating and leading efforts for Australia to finally develop the type of government…
Drone engine manufacturer Orbital UAV has signed up a new customer for its drone engines – US Navy supplier Skyways. Under a MOU, Perth-based Orbital will deliver pre-production, heavy fuel engines to Skyways for integration into next-generation cargo-carrying UAV’s for flight testing. Skyways has been selected by the US Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft…
RM Williams expands Australian manufacturing Iconic bootmaker RM Williams has increased local manufacturing since the takeover of the company by interests associated with Perth billionaire Andrew Forrest, according to media reports. The company told afr.com that about 70 per cent production by revenue is now manufactured onshore, up from about 60 per cent two and…
Sleep apnoea treatment company ResMed had a bumper first quarter of FY22 announcing quarterly revenue up 20 per cent on the previous corresponding quarter and operating profit up 21 per cent. The company announced revenue for the quarter of US$904 million and net income of US$203.6 million. ResMed, founded in and with major operations in…
Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has acquired the commercial assets of green hydrogen technology companies Xergy Inc and Xergy One Ltd to form FFI Ionix Inc. Based in the United States, FFI Ionix will commercialise hydrogen production technologies, including ion exchange membranes for water electrolysis, electrochemical compression, water transmission and fuel cells. FFI Chief Executive Officer,…
