What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading.
5) Responding to the loss of sovereign ability to make plastics
While issues such as quantum computing attract political action, Australia is losing the sovereign ability to manufacture even basic products such as plastics and downstream products such as paint.
According to Shane West, the closure of plastic raw material production by Qenos requires government intervention.
4) Nuclear does not mean reliable power for Australia
In this, the first in an occasional series about nuclear power in Australia, Peter Farley says the claim of nuclear reliability is vastly overstated.
3) Liontown Resources plans lithium battery chemicals refinery
Battery Materials producer Liontown Resources has secured investment from lithium battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution backing its Kathleen Valley lithium facility in Western Australia (pictured).
The investment via a five year convertible note also extends work with the Korean company to a study of a possible refinery to add value to the metal.
The company said LG would also provide an extension of 10 years to its initial five year offtake agreement, while collaborating to explore the feasibility of processing spodumene ore into battery-grade lithium chemicals in WA.
2) Bosch opens co-working space to automotive business
The Australian campus of global manufacturer Bosch has opened its doors to Doftek, an innovative Victorian automotive technology company in a new co-working space.
The co-location inaugurates of Bosch’s new ‘Multi-Functional Co-Working Space’ designed to support early-stage companies developing products and systems that align with Bosch’s core interests.
Bosch has largely exited manufacturing at its Clayton campus since the demise of automotive manufacturing, though its expanding Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions automation business holds pride of place.
1) Workers begin to return to normal shifts at Whyalla steelworks
Workers are gradually returning to regular shift rosters at the GFG Alliance-owned Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, following issues at the blast furnace after a routine shutdown operation in mid-March.
Hundreds are back to work as usual, according to a statement from GFG Alliance on Wednesday.
The blast furnace’s restart operation “is nearing completion following a series of breakthroughs which have seen the hot metal temperature and chemistry move to optimal levels in recent days”, the company added.
Picture: credit GFG Alliance