Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, November 3 – November 7, 2025

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

5) Quantum Brilliance opens Melbourne synthetic diamond foundry

Australian-German company Quantum Brilliance has opened a new facility at Melbourne’s Notting Hill, where it will make lab-grown diamonds for quantum computing devices.

According to a statement on Wednesday from state economic growth minister Danny Pearson, who opened the foundry, the new facility at Co-Labs will see world-leading technology developed to enable portable quantum devices that are able to work at room temperature.

“With this launch, the Foundry will begin to deliver its mission is to unlock the potential of diamond-based quantum technologies by supplying high-performance quantum diamond at scale and accelerating the design and fabrication of quantum diamond devices,” said Dr Marcus Doherty, CTO at Quantum Brilliance.

4) Tania Archibald to take top job at BlueScope

Tania Archibald, the current head of BlueScope’s Australian Steel Products business, will begin as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the nation’s top steelmaker early next year.

According to a statement from BlueScope on Wednesday, Archibald will take over from current CEO and Managing Director Mark Vassella on February 1, 2026.

“I’d like to thank the BlueScope Board for their trust and confidence and to thank Mark for his tremendous leadership in building the strong company BlueScope is today,” said Archibald.

3) Vic gov boosts defence industry with Rolls-Royce partnership

The Victorian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rolls-Royce to strengthen the state’s defence industry skills, supply chain, and innovation capabilities.

The MoU, signed at the Indo Pacific 2025 International Maritime Exposition in Sydney, will see the state government work with Rolls-Royce to create supply chain opportunities for Victorian companies and support the state’s integration into the AUKUS 1&2 Pillars, to help develop skills and capabilities in the state, around the submarine program.

2) Anduril opens new Ghost Shark factory in Sydney

Defence manufacturer Anduril has opened a new factory in Sydney to produce the Ghost Shark, its extra-large underwater autonomous vehicles, for the Royal Australian Navy.

The new 7400 square metre, purpose built facility utilises advanced robotic manufacturing, AI-driven logistics and a custom test tank for in-water verification of buoyancy, electrical systems and safety before sea trials.

The opening of the site coincided with the first Ghost Shark rolling off the production line ahead of schedule and ready for sea acceptance testing before delivery to the RAN early next year.

1) Underwater robot maker secures $16m funding for scale up

Australian ocean robot maker Hullbot has raised $16 million in funding to grow and develop its autonomous robotics manufacturing capabilities and establish international service hubs.

The autonomous robots are designed to clean and inspect ships’ hulls, stopping fouling caused by biomaterials like algae, barnacles and seaweed growing on the hull and causing drag, ultimately slowing the ships and forcing them to use up to 20 per cent more fuel to operate.

Hullbot said this cleaning process has proven fuel savings of between 15 per cent to 26 per cent. This, in turn, helps cut operational costs while preventing pollution and reducing emissions. Hullbot’s service has cleaned over 82 vessels across the US, EU, and APAC.

And in case you missed our podcast…

In episode 134 of @AuManufacturing Conversations, Dr Jan Golembiewski from Earthbuilt Technology and Dr Clyde Webster from Crest Robotics share the origins and goals of their Charlotte project, the opportunity presented by construction robotics, and more.

Picture: credit Hullbot