Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, September 9 – September 13, 2024

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

5) AIM Defence opens new anti-drone laser factory

Laser-based anti-drone system maker AIM Defence has expanded into a 4000 sqm facility to support the manufacture and export of AIM’s Fractl Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) laser.

The new facility will house a skilled team of researchers, scientists, and engineers from a range of disciplines and will support the ramp up in production of directed energy systems.

Co-CEO of AIM Dr Jae Daniel said: “Our investment into these state-of-the-art facilities demonstrates AIM’s drive and commitment to high value manufacturing in Australia.”

4) Dumbing down industry even further with Dutton

Both major political parties should hang their heads in shame for allowing Australia’s value-adding manufacturing sector to sink to become such a small share of our economy.

No single party is responsible for us being the least complex economy among advanced nations, however a special place is held by the Liberal-National coalition which only recently dared the automotive industry to leave our shores, further impoverishing capability.

However even that record could be dwarfed by a Peter Dutton led government which has shown its true colours in recent days.

3) Is Australia’s role in critical supply chains as ever – we supply materials, they do value adding

Some years into Australia’s newfound awareness of critical mineral supply chains and their importance to electrification and new technologies, have things changed all that much? By Peter Roberts.

Mostly, despite the hype of our being a battery or other materials ‘superpower’, Australia still supplies the raw materials and others do the economic value adding in their home markets where the economic benefits such as employment, skills and technology development happen.

There are green shoots but also…consider a MOU just signed between the Federation of Korean Industries and the Australia-Korea Business Council which secures new high-quality critical mineral resources through co-operation with Australian partners.

2) QLD manufacturers to get gov funding boost

A new round of Made in Queensland (MiQ) grants has put $20 million on the table to help manufacturers grow in the state, while regional manufacturers have $5 million available to fund expansion.

This latest round of MiQ funding is part of a $121.5 million program aimed at helping small and medium sized manufacturers to increase international competitiveness, productivity and innovation, and to generate high-skilled jobs for the future.

Over the last six rounds, the Made in Queensland program has supported more than 160 manufacturing projects in the state.

1) Second Adelaide defence factory goes on strike

While an industrial dispute continues at submarine builder ASC, workers at a second Adelaide defence factory have walked off the job in support of better pay.

More than 100 South Australian workers from BAE Systems Australia walked off the job yesterday afternoon for 24 hours for better pay and conditions.

The stoppage at the Joint Strike Fighter Advanced Machining Facility at Edinburgh in Adelaide will occur over three shifts, with the majority of those striking from 7am local time on Tuesday.

Picture: credit Defence SA