Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, June 10 – June 14, 2024

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

5) Psychotropic medicines manufacturer bids for IDT Australia

Psychotropic medicines manufacturer Mynd Bio Pty Ltd has made a surprise bid to acquire listed pharmaceutical developer, Melbourne-based IDT Australia.

The bidder is part of a larger group which has already invested in a group of pharmaceutical companies that develop psychotropic medicines, planning to set up manufacturing in Portugal to tackle the European market.

The group includes R&D company Pacalis Pty Ltd, drug developer Adkl Labs, a pharma education business and patent attorney business, as well as contract manufacturing of active psychotropics MDMA and psilocybin.

4) Monash, Tata Steel to establish innovation centre

Tata Steel – part of the Indian Tata conglomerate – and Monash University will establish a new Centre for Innovation on Environment and Intelligent Manufacturing, the company’s first major R&D collaboration with an Australian institution.

In a joint statement on a signed MoU on Friday, the university said it would draw on its “world-leading expertise in materials science and advanced manufacturing technology”, and create stronger links between Australian innovators and India.

Few details were given in the release, but it was said the partnership would feature collaboration on “global challenges including decarbonisation, sustainable resource recovery, and technologies towards smart manufacturing.”

3) BlueScope’s $300 million plate mill investment

The NSW Government has given planning approval for a $300 million refurbishment of BlueScope’s 60-year-old plate mill at Port Kembla.

The development is a massive endorsement of locally made steel operations in NSW according to the government, with an estimated $650 million injection of stimulus to the economy.

The upgrade will improve production capability and capacity at the Port Kembla site, where steel slabs are rolled down the line at 1300 degrees Celsius, to cater to an increased demand in the construction, renewable energy and the defence sector.

2) WA’s new clean energy skills TAFE announced

The federal and Western Australian governments are jointly investing $70.5 million over five years to establish Australia’s first TAFE Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence in WA.

The centre will operate across the WA TAFE network and be a skills leader in clean energy science, engineering, construction, and operation, supporting the net zero transformation and a Future Made in Australia, according to a statement.

1) Quickstep delivers its 100th drone aircraft

Composites manufacturer Quickstep is gaining new successes in the drone manufacturing business, recently passing its 100th drone delivered for customers Swoop Aero and Carbonix.

The Sydney company is more used to manufacturing critical aerospace parts such as wing trailing edges for Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules transporter and tail components for the F-35 Lightning fighter jet.

However Quickstep got into the drone business in 2021 with a contract to develop low volume/low cost tooling for early production runs of Swoop’s Kite drone which is used to deliver medical supplies to remote locations, including in Africa.

Picture: Quickstep/mould for drone production, Quickstep Bankstown facility