WA government announces defence industry training package
The Western Australian government has announced $18.3 million in programs to build defence industry skills, which it says aims to attract more defence manufacturing work to the state.
First business, now homes to get fibre in admission NBN rollout was flawed
By Peter Roberts The federal government will today unveil a $3.5 billion upgrade plan for the National Broadband Network to extend fibre to more homes in a tacit admission that its strategy of delploying copper was flawed. The upgrade will take fibre deeper into neighbourhoods now serviced by fibre to the node plus copper to…
Apprenticeships slump as Covid bites
Apprenticeship starts slumped during the March quarter continuing a long-term decline as the Covid-119 pandemic affected businesses nationwide, according to new figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) Apprentice starts fell 11.0 per cent in the quarter to 49,015, with commencements for the year to March 31 down 7,7 per cent on…
Jatcorp develops new Asia-destined products
China export specialist Jatcorp has developed a range of new products for its Asia-focused dairy, wellness and consumer goods businesses and signed a new China distribution deal. Jatcorp (JAT) , formerly Jatenergy, told investors in a business update that it had expanded sales to Taiwan and Vietnam, while also signing a deal to sell a…
ACS delivers composite hydro-electric turbine blade
Advanced Composite Structures has delivered a composite hydro-electric turbine blade (pictured above, and below) to renewables and hydro power developer, Kinetic NRG. ACS Australia designed and manufactured the cost-effective and light-weight solution, replacing a proposed metallic turbine blade design which could not be manufactured to meet the required dimensional accuracy. The Port Melbourne company developed…
Tasmanian drone engine specialist earns $150,000 defence exporter grant
Currawong Engineering has been awarded a $150,000 Defence Global Competitiveness grant, assisting investment in production equipment.
Graphene strengthens composites in trials with Fremantle boat builder
ASX-listed First Graphene has announced a successful trial of graphene powders incorporated into composite construction materials with collaborator Ascent Shipwrights. According to the Perth-based graphene supplier, initial test work incorporating different proportions of graphene at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 per cent into a fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminate showed improvements in ultimate flexural strength. …
Respiri chooses Entech as global manufacturing partner
Medical technology company Respiri has chosen Adelaide’s Entech Electronics as its global manufacturing partner for its Wheezo devices to monitor wheezing and breathing in asthma sufferers. The device is the world’s first digital wheeze monitoring solution of sensor, smartphone application and digital health platform to help people manage respiratory disease. Wheezo has TGA and CE…
Mobilising manufacturing
For the first time in years, our dependence on manufactured goods from outside of Australia has been questioned – all of a sudden, the kilometres in a supply chain really matter. By Peter Rowland.
Healthcare, minerals, energy, food: how adopting new tech could drive Australia’s economic recovery
Over the next few years, science and technology will have a vital role in supporting Australia’s economy as it strives to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.