The Western Australian government launched a $15 million grants program on Thursday offering assistance on “cutting-edge technologies to remove, reduce or offset emissions from industrial processes” for heavy industry. The state’s mining, manufacturing and construction sectors contribute almost 60 per cent of recorded carbon emissions. Grants will be delivered through two funding streams: feasibility studies ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to support technology development from concept to ‘real world’ trials, and pilot projects and capital works ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million to support ‘real world’ testing of innovative technologies from pilot stage to full-scale deployment. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will distribute the grants in three rounds, with approximately $4 million available each year until 2025. More information can be found at this link.
New cancer immunotherapy treatments lab opens in Victoria
Biotechnology company Cartherics, which is developing immune cell therapies for the treatment of cancer, opened a brand-new state-of-the-art facility on Thursday, valued at $4 million. According to the company, the Notting Hill, Melbourne site will strengthen the its research and manufacturing capabilities, as well as support local innovation. Cartherics said in a statement that the new site includes offices, 580 square metres of certified PC2 and cell culture laboratories housing the newest technology equipment. It includes incubators for cell growth and expansion, flow cytometry, PCR, cell manufacturing, counting and sorting equipment, dedicated rooms for low temperature storage, 156 m2 (1,679 sq ft) of cleanroom laboratories and a dedicated biobanking facility. It will also allow Cartherics to run research programs and develop prototype manufacturing processes for Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) to manufacture product to support clinical trials locally, bringing more access to clinical trials for Australian patients. The company’s current partners include Monash University, Cell Therapies, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Mesoblast.
Pact celebrates a decade on most innovative list
Pact Group’s focus on plastic recycling, reuse and sustainable packaging has seen the Group recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative companies for ten consecutive years, the company said, following the release on Friday of the AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list. Pact has made the list every year for a range efforts, including building and operating Australasia’s biggest PET plastic recycling facility, manufacturing noise walls using recycled plastic waste, recycling old and damaged household garbage bins into new ones, introducing reusable plastic crates for supermarkets to replace single use cardboard boxes, and pivoting operations to produce hand sanitiser during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year it is ranked seventh in the Manufacturing and Consumer Goods Category for building and operating the state-of-the-art Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) PET plastic recycling facility in Albury-Wodonga, which is a joint venture between Pact, Cleanaway Waste Management, Asahi Beverages and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).