PPK Group buys into lithium battery maker

Diverse technology investment company PPK Group has conditionally acquired a material interest in Australia’s largest privately owned battery manufacturer PowerPlus Energy. Melbourne-based PowerPlus manufactures lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) stationary storage batteries utilised for on-grid and off-grid battery installations. The purchase complement’s one of PPK’s investee businesses, Li-S energy which is developing lithium sulfur and lithium…

Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – our emerging mRNA vaccine ecosystem

The Covid-19 pandemic revealed Australia’s broken medicines value chains which are mostly wholly reliant on importation, especially for the newest mRNA vaccines. Today our series – Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – looks at the emerging vaccine ecosystem around the Monash-Clayton area of Melbourne. By Peter Roberts. It has long been a great Australian dream to…

Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – our burgeoning additive manufacturing sector

Our series – Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – turns to this contribution from our sponsor, Titomic. Dominic Parsonson looks at the possibility of adding value to raw materials through new manufacturing technology invented in Australia. Australia is home to a large reserve of titanium mineral sands, which can be found in various locations across the…

Varley Rafael Australia plans local anti-tank missile manufacture

Defence contractor Varley Rafael Australia has reaffirmed its plans to build an Australian production capability for the SPIKE LR2 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) and Integration Launcher System Kits (SIKs). VRA has already manufactured and delivered SIKs (launcher and missile control elements) back into the global RAFAEL supply chain for Rheinmetall’s LAND400-2 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles.…

What the AUKUS submarine deal means for Australian industry

The three AUKUS leaders, US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have emphasised the industry building aspects of the tri-lateral plan to jointly develop and build nuclear powered submarines. The three leaders said in a joint statement: “Together we will deliver SSN-AUKUS – a trilaterally-developed submarine based…