Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, October 14 – October 18, 2024

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

5) Green hydrogen plant breaks ground at Wodonga

Ground has been broken in Wodonga, Victoria today on one of Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen plants – a facility that is predicted to cut CO2 emissions by around 4,000 tonnes each year from 2025.

Owned by Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, the 10MW Hydrogen Park Murray Valley facility will deliver renewable hydrogen to more than 40,000 homes and businesses in the Albury-Wodonga border region of NSW and Victoria.

The $65.4 million project will produce 500 tonnes of hydrogen annually for injection into the local gas network and potential future use at transport refuelling stations.

4) Changes at the top for Titomic

Cold spray additive manufacturing business Titomic has announced that current CEO Herbert Koeck will leave at the end of 2024, with defence and aerospace executive Jim Simpson to begin as CEO on January 1.

Titomic said Simpson will initially step into the roles of Deputy CEO of the group and President of its Titomic USA, Inc. division.

Chairman Dag W.R. Stromme will also move from Chairman to Executive Chairman “to assist with and facilitate the transition… to new leadership, as well as [Titomic’s] expansion to the United States.”

The company was put into a trading halt on Monday and announced a raise of $30 million from investors later in the week.

3) ADF acquires two Fractl laser systems

High-power laser manufacturer, AIM Defence, will supply an additional two counter-drone Fractl units to the Australian Defence Force under a new $4.8 million agreement.

Earlier this year, the ADF’s first directed energy systems contract was awarded to AIM Defence following a series of successful military trials and demonstrations of the portable, counter-drone ‘hard kill’ system at the Puckapunyal weapons test range.

The ADF has now purchased an additional two Fractl counter-drone systems, rapidly accelerating the ADF’s counter drone capability and validating the effectiveness of AIM’s cutting-edge technology, according to the company.

2) WA defence precinct to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding

The federal government will establish a consolidated Commonwealth-owned Defence Precinct at Western Australia’s Henderson shipyard to underpin continuous naval shipbuilding and nuclear submarine maintenance and support in the order of 10,000 well-paid, high-skilled local jobs.

The government will make an initial investment of $127 million over three years to progress planning, consultations, preliminary design and feasibility studies as well as enabling works for the Defence Precinct at Henderson.

This builds on the government’s announcement last year of a strategic partnership between Defence and shipbuilder Austal at Henderson.

1) Civmec agrees to acquire German shipbuilder in Australia

Engineering group Civmec has agreed on a framework for the transfer of ownership of German-owned Luerssen Australia, its partner in constructing six Arafura Class Offshore Patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy under the existing SEA1180 contract.

Upon completion of the potential transaction, NVL B.V. & Co. KG (Naval Vessels Lürssen) will transfer all its shareholding in Luerssen Australia, including all assets, employees, and licences.

This ensures the uninterrupted design and build of the Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels at the Osborne South shipyard in South Australia and the Civmec-owned facility in Henderson, Western Australia (pictured) according to a statement.

Picture: credit Civmec