Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, September 22 – September 26, 2025

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

5) New report estimates $220 million in economic activity, $4.8 billion in potential “pandemic preparedness benefit” generated through from Moderna factory

Oxford Economics modelling commissioned by Moderna has predicted that the US biotech company’s Melbourne mRNA facility will add $220 million annually to Australian GDP, support 990 ongoing jobs, and deliver “pandemic preparedness benefits” worth as much as $4.8 billion over 30 years “based on the likelihood of a future pandemic”.

The Moderna Technology Centre in Melbourne (MTC-M) was officially opened at Monash University’s Clayton Campus last December. It made Australia the only Southern Hemisphere nation with end-to-end mRNA manufacturing.

According to the Oxford report, the facility is expected to deliver an estimated $96 million directly to GDP “with an additional $124 million” from flow-on economic activity.

4) REDARC plans to make 200 new hires by 2032 at new space and defence hub

REDARC has completed stage one of its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub at Lonsdale, Adelaide, where the company plans to create 200 new jobs by 2032, driven by its expanding Defence & Space division.

According to a statement from the company on Tuesday, it is building a “high-tech, next-generation, zone 4 secure facility” at the custom-designed facility, at a site that formerly hosted global R&D for plastic lenses company Sola International.

“This hub will bring together engineers, technicians and defence experts to create cutting edge systems, from advanced power solutions to space-ready technologies, that support our partners locally, nationally and internationally for decades to come,” said Managing Director Anthony Kittel.

3) Whyalla Steelworks seeking 60 tradies for immediate start: Ayres

The Whyalla Steelworks, which is currently up for sale, is looking for approximately 60 skilled workers in “fitting, machinist, mechanical, instrumentation, electrical and fabricating trades” for an immediate start.

According to a joint statement from federal industry minister Tim Ayres and South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas on Wednesday, the site has taken on “more than 83 new production operators” since being put into administration in February, and “needs to further strengthen the workforce” with trades hires.

The steelworks was run by the GFG Alliance until KordaMentha was appointed administrator on February 19, with GFG running up debts later tallied at over $1.3 billion.

2) Sell & Parker to build $66 million Blacktown steel products factory to supply renewable energy projects

Sell & Parker, a company founded in 1966 and with a heritage in steel recycling, has been awarded a $28 million grant from the state government to support the building and operation of a new renewables manufacturing hub in Western Sydney.

According to a statement from the NSW government on Wednesday, the new site has a total budget of $66 million and will employ an estimated “143 full time workers over the lifetime of the project” (which was not given.)

The site is also predicted to “produce 46,000 tonnes of competitively priced steel” annually once up and running, as well as “780 turbine anchors for the wind sector, thousands of torque tubes, mounts and brackets for solar farms and 200 monopoles per year for transmission infrastructure.”

1) Plastic recycler Samsara Eco appoints ex-BASF exec as first General Manager of Asia

Following the launch of its new factory and headquarters at Jerrabomberra, NSW earlier this month, enzymatic plastic recycling company Samsara Eco has announced its first General Manager of Asia.

In a statement on Thursday, Samsara said the new appointee, Dr Lars Kissau, will be based in Singapore and lead the company’s expansion into Asia.

Kissau (pictured left) joins following 22 years at BASF, where according to his Linkedin profile he most recently served as President of their Net Zero Accelerator, Senior Vice President Corporate Strategy & Sustainability, and Senior Vice President Corporate Strategy & Sustainability.

Picture: Kissau and Paul Riley, founder/CEO of Samsara (supplied)