Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Wattle Health retail powers ahead

Organic infant formula manufacturer Wattle Health is seeing strong growth through its supply arrangement with Australia’s largest pharmacy retailer, Chemist Warehouse, according to a business update from the company. Chemist Warehouse became a shareholder in Wattle and began distributing its products in March. Wattle confirmed it had also secured distribution through Australian Pharmaceutical Industries and its Urganic and Little Innocents product lines with first orders received./ Wattle’s first Middle East orders to licensee Verdure Nutrition Supplements Trading has been shipped. Meanwhile Wattle has sold the assets of Corio Bay Dairy Group for $13.5 million to Maeil Dairies.

Tata Steel offers access to Indian market

Indian steelmaker Tata Steel and the Austmine industry self-help group have launched their Innoventure program, in Australia to engage with the local mining equipment and technology (METS) sector. Innoventure allows Australian solution providers to access the Indian mining market and collaborate with a $23B global steel manufacturing company. This partnership will see Australian METS start-ups and SMEs engage with Tata Steel and access opportunities to add innovation and advanced technologies to their value chain. A webinar introducing the program will be held today at 16:30 Eastern Standard Time.

$8.1 million in recycling grants for Victorian companies announced

Grants were announced on Monday morning for seven glass and plastic recycling projects in Victoria, supported by the first round of the Recycling Modernisation Fund and federal/state funding. According to a statement from Victorian environment minister D’Ambrosio, the $8.1 million allocation from the $46 million RMF would increase the state’s glass and plastic recycling capacity by 100 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, “redirect 205,000 tonnes of glass and 23,000 tonnes of plastic out of landfill every year” and create 350 jobs.

Forcite ships 1,000th smart motorcycle helmet

Smart motorcycle systems manufacturer Forcite has shipped its 1,000th smart motorcycle helmet and now has a waiting list for its unique product of close to 10,000 people. The Forcite helmet allows riders to take calls, listen to music, talk to fellow riders and receive audio alerts with Bluetooth/HiFi integrated speakers. The Sydney company is backed by Uniseed capital and entrepreneurial investors.

Picture: Wattle Health

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