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) AUKUS technology sharing comes a step closer

Australian access to foreign technologies on a range of cutting edge industrial technologies is a step closer following progress in the US Senate to the provision of exemptions from export controls.

Under the AUKUS agreement between Australia, the US and the UK, information exchange is to be speeded up on not just nuclear powered submarines but also cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, quantum technology, hypersonics, artificial intelligence and autonomous military capabilities.

On Friday a US Senate committee approved draft legislation supported by both the Democrats and Republicans to ease strict export controls for the AUKUS partners.

4) Fortescue buys up $35 million hydrogen project in Arizona

Fortescue Future Industries, the clean energy division of Fortescue Metals Group, has announced that it has spent $US 24 million ($35 million) acquiring a 100 per cent stake in Phoenix Hydrogen Hub.

PHH is developing a green hydrogen project in Buckeye, Arizona, near Phoenix. Phase one of the facility is planned to include 12,000 tonne-per-annum output of liquefied hydrogen through an 80 megawatt electrolyser.

According to a statement on Thursday (Australian time), it is the first major move in the US by Fortescue since the passage of the country’s $US 369 billion (about $544 billion) Inflation Reduction Act, which offers tax credits for clean hydrogen production.

3) Austal built USS Canberra visits Sydney

Perth international shipbuilder has welcomed the arrival of the Austal USA built USS Canberra to Sydney ahead of the vessel’s commissioning on Saturday.

Originally designed at Austal Australia and built by Austal at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Canberra sailed close to the Royal Australian Navy vessel HMAS Canberra.

Austal described the arrival of the 127 metre long trimaran vessel as a proud moment for the company.

2) Biotechnology and vaccine manufacturer CSL’s brand jumps in value

Australia’s largest manufacturer, biotechnology and vaccine producer CSL’s brand value has jumped more than 30 percent over the past year to make it the fastest growing brand in its industry, according to a new report from consultant Brand Finance.

The report lists CSL’s brand value at US$1.3 billion, which is up 80 percent since 2020.

The company’s recent rebranding and moves – including the acquisition of CSL Vifor, increased collection volumes from CSL Plasma and the launch of CSL Behring’s first gene therapy – ‘position the brand to continue its impressive growth trajectory’, according to Brand Finance.

1) Queensland announces progress on two of 50 planned hydrogen projects

The Queensland government has celebrated further progress on two of what the state says are two of more than 50 green hydrogen projects currently underway across the state, writes Peter Roberts.

The progress in Queensland, and other states, confirms that exports of green hydrogen and ammonia promise a new commodities boon, though this time of renewable resources rather than the finite coal, iron and gas that drove the last boom two decades ago.

Picture: credit Stanwell Corporation