Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, October 27 – October 31, 2025

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

5) Tomago Aluminium in consultation with workers as smelter’s future remains in doubt

The owners of Australia’s biggest aluminium smelter are in talks with workers at Tomago, with the company “yet to identify a pathway” to commercially sustainable operations beyond 2028.

Tomago Aluminium’s current electricity contract with AGL Energy expires in December 2028. The site employs 1,000, produces up to 590,000 tonnes of aluminium annually, and uses about a tenth of NSW’s electricity.

4) Canadian firm buys WA fabricator to boost defence manufacturing

Canadian mobile communications company Critical Infrastructure Technologies (CiTech) has acquired a West Australian precision manufacturer to expand its defence footprint in Australia.

The acquisition will provide CiTech with immediate eligibility for Australia defence tenders and projects requiring Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) membership.

3) News launches “Back Australia” campaign

Publishing conglomerate News Australia has launched a campaign advocating for consumers to support Australian businesses – sponsored by companies including Harvey Norman, the Australian Made Campaign and R.M. Williams – which it says will “roll out in two stages until April 2026”.

According to a statement launching the campaign on Monday, Back Australia: It’s Good For All Of Us will “unite consumers and business” benefiting each through assisting “informed choices” and helping companies “realise their full potential and propel the nation’s prosperity”. It will run across titles including The Australian, The Courier-Mail, and The Daily Telegraph.

2) Green steel, energy strategy and ESG: The new direction for Australia’s steel industry

As ESG reporting becomes mandatory and decarbonisation accelerates, Australia’s steelmakers are rethinking how they source and manage energy — not just to stay competitive, but to future-proof their operations.

Australia’s steel industry is standing at a defining moment. With growing pressure from investors, regulators and supply chains to demonstrate measurable sustainability outcomes, energy strategy has shifted from an operational expense to a cornerstone of business resilience.

1) R.M.Williams opens second workshop, brings wallet-making in-house

Clothing and boot business R.M.Williams has increased its production capacity by 90 per cent with the official opening of a second workshop at its factory.

According to a statement on Monday from the company’s owner, Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s investment vehicle Tattarang, the new 20,000 square metre facility increases the manufacturing and distribution footprint in northern Adelaide to 29,500 square metres in total.

It is located near R.M.Williams’s Frost Road bootmaking site, which has been the company’s home since 1972.

Picture: supplied