Global carbon capture potential for rare nanoparticle
Australia is on the cusp of commercialising a rare nanoparticle with huge global potential to help capture carbon and water pollutants.
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AMGC launches COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register portal
The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) has launched a portal for Australian manufacturing, component suppliers and skilled design, engineering and manufacturing experts to register their interest and core competencies in support of the national response to COVID-19.
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Cochlear in $850 million Covid-19 capital raising
Hearing technology company Cochlear has announced a massive $850 million capital raising to fortify the company to weather the Covid-19 coronavirus slowdown in sales. The company’s shares went into a trading halt today as the company revealed a share placement to institutions and a share purchase plan for existing shareholders. The raising is prices at…
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New one-stop forum for Coronavirus suppliers
The Industry Capability Network has stepped up to the plate setting up a forum where manufacturers can find information about government requirements as they tackle the spread of Covid-19. The following Requests for Information and Expressions of Interest are currently open: # The Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources has released a…
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Is the tax office clamping down hard on our SMEs?
By Peter Roberts Just when manufacturing SMEs are really doing it tough there is anecdotal evidence that the Australian Tax Office is coming down hard on the struggling sector. Two industry representative groups report anecdotal evidence of formerly accommodating tax office staff changing their attitude in the past week…for the worse. “One minute it was…
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Apprenticeship starts continue long-term fall
Apprenticeship statistics are showing mixed messages with some good and bad news, but the bottom line is the year to 30 September, 2019 was yet another year in which apprenticeship commencements fell. This was the fifth year of steady decline (see graphic above) according to figures from the National Centre for Vocational and Education Research…
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Ainsworth hit by gambling downturn
Poker machine and gaming manufacturer Ainsworth Game Technology has joined others in the gambling industry in announcing a big hit from the effects of the Covid-19 coronavirus. The Sydney company said that the virus had caused a large number of gaming and hospitality venues to close or seek to reduce visitation. “As a result the…
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Industry gears up to boost ventilator manufacturing
Australian businesses are gearing up capacity to boost the output of breathing ventilators which are crucial to the survival of those worst-hit by the coronavirus. From existing manufacturers such as sleep apnea business ResMed to those new to the field such as vehicle engineer Holden Special Vehicles, manufacturers are heeding the call. ResMed, which has…
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Manufacturer business confidence plunges – CBA
CBA bank’s latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) shows a massive plunge in economic activity and confidence. The March 20 index, which surveys 800 Australian companies in the manufacturing and service sectors, dropped from 49.0 to 40.7, the steepest reduction since data collection began in 2016. The survey measures how output, orders, jobs, delivery times and…
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Urban owls are losing their homes. So we’re 3D printing them new ones
By Dan Parker, University of Melbourne; Bronwyn Isaac, Monash University; Kylie Soanes, University of Melbourne; Nick Bradsworth, Deakin University; Stanislav Roudavski, University of Melbourne, and Therésa Jones, University of Melbourne Native to southeastern Australia, the powerful owl (Ninox strenua) is threatened and facing the prospect of homelessness. These birds don’t make nests – they use…
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