Best of the week — the five most popular stories among @AuManufacturing’s readers

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading.

5) 2023 WILL DECIDE IF THE CALIX PROCESS CAN UNLOCK ZERO EMISSION STEEL

Steel makers are looking towards net zero with hydrogen produced from renewable sources the world’s best bet on decarbonising this essential industry.

Here, in an article adapted from ARENA, we look at the ARENA project that will decide the fate of Calix’s Zesty steelmaking technology as early as this year.

4) NT BUSINESS KATHERINE JOINERY AWARDED $103,256 TO AID EXPANSION

Katherine Joinery has been awarded $103,256 in support through the Northern Territory’s Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund, which it says will help it offer kitchen and wet area solutions for the remote housing market, among other outcomes.

The project will have a total value of $311,000, including the grant, as well as investment from Katherine Joinery in cash and in-kind.

“Through the support of the Territory Government and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, we will be able to improve our capabilities, reduce lead time and generate jobs in the Big Rivers region of the NT,” said Ashley Jennison,” Director of Katherine Joinery.

3) QINETIQ TO MANUFACTURE HIGH POWER DEFENCE LASERS

Defence contractor QinetiQ has revealed it has won a $13 million directed energy laser weapon development contract in Australia.

Revealed in the UK Group’s third quarter trading update, the three-year contract will see its Australian arm ‘develop and manufacture a high energy defensive laser weapon system prototype, to establish a sovereign in-country High Energy Laser manufacturing capability for Australia’, according to the update.

QinetiQ said: “This win is a great example of global leverage of our technology across our home countries, deploying our UK directed energy expertise into Australia to support the development of this critical sovereign industrial capability for the Australian Department of Defence.”

2) OPAL PAPER MAY PERMANENTLY HALT COPY PAPER PRODUCTION

Opal Australian Paper is considering permanently shutting down the production of white paper used commonly for business documents and copying due to a wood shortage affecting its Maryvale, Victoria paper mill (pictured).

The Japanese owned company has temporarily stopped manufacturing its Reflex brand paper, according to a report on ABC news, due to a lack of supply from VicForests.

The company has not committed to closing production, which would mean all office paper was imported, but said in a statement that it had been working to address a shortfall in VicForests supply.

1) ACE EV ENDS ‘EXCEPTIONAL YEAR’ WITH ORDER FROM WOOLWORTHS FOR EVS

Australian electric vehicle developer ACE EV Group secured a contract with Woolworths to produce custom designed trolley collectors for trial evaluation, the ACE V1 Transformer TC Series (pictured).

Managing director Greg McGarvie wrote to supporters who have pre-ordered the company’s long-anticipated locally manufactured EV’s, telling them of the news and thanking them for their support.

McGarvie said: “Australians have been quietly reserving over $11.7 million worth of ACE electric vehicles, which come in a small Series 3 Yewt form and the Series 4 Transformer van type.”

And in case you missed our podcast…

Harvest B co-founder and CEO Kristi Riordan shared her belief that plant-based meat will overcome political tribalism and move into mainstream acceptance as technology progresses and prices come down, in episode 41 of @AuManufacturing Conversations with Brent Balinski.

Picture: ACE EV