Only nine days after the Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was OK to go to the footy and to church he has abruptly reversed course and begun a long-awaited closure of public places. After a first Sunday press conference announcing his second stimulus package in a week, Morrison was at a second conference on…
Cutting edge 3D printing technology developed in Darwin, Australia, will be deployed by the Australian Army. The Australian Army announced a $1.5 million investment in a 12-month pilot of SPEE3D technology to include soldier training in 3D printing. It will trail SPEE3D’s large-format WarpSPEE3D 3D metal printer, installed on-base and deployed in the field for…
Orora wins approval for fibre packaging sale Packaging group Orora has won Foreign Investment Review Board approval for the proposed sale of its Australasian fibre business to Nippon Packaging. The approval clears the way for the packaging giant to move to completion of the sale. LBT Innovations extends analysis reach Medical device manufacturer LBT Innovations…
By Peter Roberts Only days after offering up a stimulus package widely condemned as not large enough to impact Australia’s coronavirus affected economy, Canberra has followed up with a second much larger package of measures. The first business-focused package increased the instant asset write-off, provided accelerated depreciation deductions and supported apprentices and trainees. Manufacturers can…
The promise of direct digital manufacturing using 3D printers is coming alive in Toowoomba, Queensland as a local start-up prepares to produce a low-cost robotic arm under licence from Las Vegas-based Haddington Dynamics. DCISIV Technologies (pronounced Decisive) is putting the finishing touches to a micro-factory (below) of 3D printers to manufacture Haddington’s DexterHDI robotic arm…
Comment by Peter Roberts With coronavirus wrecking its havoc on the Australian economy, I can’t help thinking that there is no cloud without a silver lining. This might just be the time when the general public wakes up to the importance of a healthy, capable and broad-based manufacturing sector. A few of us diehards have…
Australian Manufacturing Forum member viewpoint by Allen Roberts Hallelujah! The Government has announced cash flow assistance for small businesses, turnover limit an arbitrary $50 million, impacted by the Corona virus. Perhaps the precarious position many small businesses are finding themselves in has finally pricked the Canberra political bubble. The assistance is intended to keep people…
Five of the 12 brick making plants operated by Brickworks in the United States are to close immediately as fallout spreads from the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. The Sydney company announced today that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf had ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in the state to close their physical locations to slow the spread of Covid-19.…
The federal government’s efforts to boost defence exports seems to be working to increase the pool of local defence exporters. Defence industry minister, Melissa Price released the fourth edition of the government’s Australian Military Sales Catalogue, which lists a growing number of exporters. The 2020 Catalogue showcases 170 Australian businesses – a 49 per cent…
Perth’s Orbital Corporation had broken into the Singapore defence market, signing a memorandum of understanding with one of that country’s largest defence companies. The agreement with the company, which has not been named, is for the design, development and initial low-rate production of multi-fuel engines for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A week ago Orbital deepened…