“World firsts happen quite often” at Melbourne lab-on-a-chip developer
Brent Balinski speaks to Michael Wilkinson, co-founder at Minifab, about how it has prospered by taking tricky fluid problems off the hands of others.
When will Australia’s big slowdown hit manufacturing?
Comment by Peter Roberts As the Australian economy continues to slow, and we enter a period of interest rates at unprecedented, and unwelcome lows, the question has to be asked when will this hit manufacturing? The latest economic bad news came in the form of March retail sales with retail turnover falling in the quarter…
Profiles of success: Innovation more than skin deep for fast-growing pharma company
Vital to Ego Pharmaceuticals’ enduring success is remaining in the family’s hands, believes Dr Jane Oppenheim. Oppenheim is the company’s scientific and operations director and was the winner of the Clunies Ross Entrepreneur of the Year Award last Thursday.
Rio launches, then re-launches robotic trains (according to the media)
Comment by Peter Roberts If you can have more farewells than Melba, then can you have more inaugurations that Rio Tinto? The media was ablaze over the weekend with reports that Rio had completed the inauguration of its $950 million autonomous rail system carrying iron ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The remotely…
like trying to breed kangaroos on top of the Swiss Alps
There is a handful of Australian watch brands, but only one with a claim to producing their own components in-house. Since 2016 – and based on trial and error, given the intense secrecy of their international watchmaking peers – Nicholas Hacko Watchmaker has been developing its in-house manufacturing capabilities. It has invested around $4 million…
Defence influence goes west in Morrison government
Comment by Peter Roberts A number of home truths are emerging since the surprise re-election of the Morrison government – that our economy is strong for example when it is not. But the potential for a shift in power and focus in Australia’s expanding defence industry sector from South to Western Australia has gone largely…
The economy slows as capital expenditure, R&D fade
Analysis by Peter Roberts Australia’s Productivity Commission has pointed to a deep seated sickness holding back the Australian economy caused by falling levels of company investment and R&D. The Commission’s Productivity Bulletin 2019 just released shows labour productivity rose in 2017/16 by 0.2 per cent. This measure of output per hour worked is way below…
Design done well in Australia
Ask different people and you’ll likely get different answers about how well Australia does industrial design.
CSL in rude health, prognosis good
Analysis by Peter Roberts There are Australian biotechnology companies, and there are Australian manufacturers. And then there is CSL Limited (ASX: CSL). What began in 1991 as a division of the Australian department of health, has grown today into a global colossus, and an Australian biotechnology manufacturing success story. Listed in 1994 at $2.30 a…
“We’ve only scratched the surface of the opportunity.” An interview with the new AFCG CEO about Geelong’s fibre future
It is hard to think of carbon fibre in Australia and not think of Geelong. It’s a material with countless uses – in cars, sporting goods, exoskeletons and beyond – and Victoria’s second city is home to the scientific, engineering and commercial expertise needed to develop it into the products of tomorrow.