Manufacturers have experienced a sudden shift from cheap, fossil fuel electricity to expensive generation. Now the shift to renewables is on, and manufacturers are beginning to free themselves from the grasp of high fossil fuel prices. Here sustainability and cleantech leader Ben Waters discusses the new reality of renewably generated electricity. Manufacturing is key to…
The Defence Innovation Hub has announced its latest round of grants to industry worth $28 million, with grant funds going to nine new contracts and two existing projects. Two of the recipients, BlueZone Group and QinetiQ, were awarded contracts to further develop promising technologies that have previously received grant funding support. BlueZone Group won a…
Marine systems manufacturer VEEM has launched a range of innovative propellers (pictured) designed for the luxury superyacht market. The Perth company, best known for its vessel stabiliser systems, has added its patented Interceptor technology which allows users to quickly change the relative pitch of the propellers. The technology is already used in other VEEM propellers.…
Analysis by Peter Roberts Aluminium refiner Rio Tinto could be pointing a way for its aluminium smelters to survive with a move to develop low-carbon aluminium for use in making beer cans. Rio Tinto already makes RenewAl, a low CO2 primary aluminium brand. Now the company and the world’s largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)…
Cimic returns to growth after Covid disruption Diversified engineering company Cimic Group has seen sales return to growth in the third quarter after the Covid-19 pandemic affected sales in early 2020. The engineering and mining services business reported revenue for the first nine months of the year of $9.3 billion, down from $10.7 billion, and…
Following success of bag-drop units and screens at Singapore’s Changi Airport, Adelaide’s Sage Automation has seen success penetrating other global aviation markets. The company was approached by ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company, to identify improvements to the self-service bag drop solutions in provides for airports and airlines all over the world. The units are…
Toyota’s Hino truck division has announced a major foray into electric and hydrogen powered trucks, with Melbourne’s SEA Electric set to partner in the development of a new medium sized truck. SEA Electric manufactures electric vehicle drive trains in Melbourne and has been converting Hino truck models to electric here and in the United States.…
The US subsidiary of defence manufacturer Electro Optic Systems is delivering one of its R400S Mk2D Remote Weapons Stations (pictured) to the US Army which will assess its capabilities. The system, fitted to armoured vehicles in the armies of a number of countries as well as Australia’s Bushmaster, will be delivered to the army Combat…
Advanced battery technologies developer 3ME Technology has launched its latest vehicle – the TRITEV underground mining vehicle. The prototype vehicle, a collaborative project between 3ME, Batt Mobile Equipment (BME) and Tritton Underground (Aeris Resources), is a 20 tonne diesel powered vehicle retrofitted to battery electric. The TRITEV is a loader/integrated tool-carrier suitable for deployment into…
After an eight month operation led by the Victorian Environment Protection Authority, the last truckload of contaminated glass waste from Glass Recovery Services (GRS) has been removed from a site in Melbourne for recycling. Here, Aristos Karavias of waste to resources business Repurpose It takes up the story. According to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA)…
