Fast-growing QLD RV company moves into new factory
Recreational vehicle builder Zone RV has made its third site move since getting started in 2015, and relocated to an $8 million purpose-built factory at Coolum Business Park.
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Bushfire effect spreads across wine industry
The effect of Australia’s catastrophic summer of bushfires is spreading across food and beverage industries, with the maker of the iconic Grange wine, Treasury Wine Estates cutting its profit outlook for the year ahead. Treasury’s CEO Michael Clark said in his report of results for the first half of the year that drought, heat and…
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Archer progress on creation of quantum computer chip
Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) has begun the next stage of its planned development of a quantum computer chip, Archer’s CQ room-temperature qubit processor. The company has begun the quantum measurements required to build a working prototype of the chip and plan integration of modern devices. Archer, one of two Australian companies developing quantum chips, uses…
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Quickstep booms on composites sales
Leading composites manufacturer Quickstep (ASX: QHL) has reported fast-growing sales on the back of strong orders from defence and aerospace customers. The Sydney company reported sales up 14 per cent to $18.9 million in the December quarter and strong operating cash flow of $3.6 million. With first half sales of $38.4 million the company has…
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EOS buys US space communications business, enters satellite market
Defence, space and communications group Electro Optic Systems (ASX: EOS) has bought US space business Audacy Corporation for $10 million in cash. The Canberra company’s subsidiary EOS Defence Systems USA Inc purchase of Audacy is part of a strategy to widen the remit of EOS’s operations in the United States. The chairman of EOSDS John…
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Profiles of success: AML prepares to go public, says standards are key to commercialisation
There has been a series of successful IPOs for high-tech Australian manufacturing companies in recent months, including Carbon Revolution, K-Tig and Amaero Engineering. 3D printing bureau AML3D hopes to add to this, with a place on the ASX planned for March. Founder and managing director Andy Sales agrees that investors are keen on sophisticated manufacturers…
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Australia’s economy under threat as national innovation slips yet again
By Peter Roberts Australia’s slide down the list of leading developed nations has been dramatically confirmed with the Australia Day weekend coinciding with evidence of a fall in our national innovation effort. The highly respected Bloomberg innovation index saw Australia slip to number 20 in the world on its ranking of innovation (table below). Australia…
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We need properly resourced industry policy – Roy Green
One of Australia’s leading industry policy experts Emeritus Professor Roy Green has decried the lack of properly resourced industry policies to capitalise on areas where we have competitive advantage. Green told ABC radio a lack of a manufacturing culture partly caused by years of policy neglect was the over-riding factor in Australia’s weak manufacturing sector.…
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Tesla is ‘worth’ US$100 billion, but is its time really come?
Analysis by Peter Roberts Elon Musk has had more his fair share of troubles entering the world’s crowded car market with its Tesla electric vehicles, but the past week has given him some hope that he may escape the fate of the vast majority of auto start ups as fodder for financially stronger groups. Hot…
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First Graphene advances material processing understanding
Industrial materials producer First Graphene (ASX: FGR) has announced progress in its development of production processes used in making graphene oxide suitable for a number of industrial applications. Conventional processing to create dispersible graphene solutions utilise strong acids. First Graphene subsidiary 2D Fluidics Pty Ltd, Flinders University and the UK Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre…
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