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Manufacturing News




RM Williams expands Australian manufacturing

Iconic bootmaker RM Williams has increased local manufacturing since the takeover of the company by interests associated with Perth billionaire Andrew Forrest, according to media reports. The company told afr.com that about 70 per cent production by revenue is now manufactured onshore, up from about 60 per cent two and a half years ago. In the past year the company produced 250,000 pairs of boots at its Adelaide factory, up from 210,000 the year before. RM Williams employs 800 people in Australia, with 440 employed making boots. The company announced it has appointed former Nike executive Paul Grosmann to head the company.

A.H. Beard launches first fully recyclable mattress

Bed and mattress manufacturer A.H. Beard has launched what is claimed to be Australia’s first fully recyclable mattress and bed range. Beard, which makes the A.H. Beard, King Koil and Domino brands, released its Origins range (pictured), featuring fabrics woven with sustainably farmed eucalyptus fibre, wool layers and organic cotton. It is free or foam and glue which makes mattresses difficult to recycle. The company said: “A.H. Beard Origins is Australia’s first fully sustainable sleep range.”

Loam Bio raises cash to decarbonise agriculture

Microbial technology group Loam Bio has raised $40 million in a series A raising to progress plans to use microbes to sequester carbon in farming land. The raising was supported by TIME Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Horizons Ventures, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Acre Venture Partners, Grok Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, and Thistledown Capital. Loam Bio developed a microbial crop seed coating that stores carbon in the soil, boosts soil health and improves agricultural yields. The microbes and plants work together to securely store carbon in soil.

Brickworks to make biomethane to power brick making

Building products and investment group Brickworks has linked up with Delorean Energy to develop ‘green synthetic natural gas’ facilities at its brick plants. The companies will carry out a feasibility study into building and operating facilities that convert food and other bio-waste into biomethane and electricity for use in Brickworks’ operations. The study will focus on using anaerobic digestion at the company’s New South Wales plants. Delorean Energy is part of Delorean Corporation, and envisages a 50/50 joint venture to operate the facilities, displacing initially 100,000 gigajoules per annum of fossil fuel gas.

ASC backs Submarine Science, Technology & Engineering Conference

Submarine constructor and sustainment company, ASC is supporting the 6th Submarine Science, Technology & Engineering Conference (SubSTEC6) to be held in Adelaide, from 8 November. The leading Indo-Pacific forum on submarines, the event is hosted by the Submarine Institute of Australia and features speakers on the theme ‘Home grown undersea technology: how can Australian academia and industry provide a capability edge?’ ASC, which constructed the Collins-class submarines, said: “We’re delighted the conference is going ahead both in-person and on-line, and look forward to seeing many of our partners and peers at the event.” More information here.

Picture: A.H. Beard

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