Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

MGA posts its progress

Thermal energy storage startup MGA Thermal has announced its “longest continuous production run to date” on Linkedin. “We just successfully completed an automated Block production run and now have the MGA Blocks ready for final processing and use in our demonstration plant,” the company said in a Linkedin post. The news was accompanied by a picture of Process Development Manager Mark Copus (pictured) and a collection of the company’s bricks. MGA is a University of Newcastle spinout founded in 2019 and commercialising R&D on miscibility gap alloys, which store heat to be released to create energy.

Canberra welcomes Queensland railcar manufacturing

The federal government has welcomed the announcement of Downer as the preferred supplier to manufacture 65 next generation trains as part of the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program. Assistant Manufacturing Minister Tim Ayres said the government would work with state and territory governments to ensure local suppliers are considered for critical transport projects. Ayres said: “We want to see more trains and rolling stock manufactured right here, in our cities and outer suburbs. It’s clear that the Queensland Government is heading in the right direction. I commend the Palaszczuk Government for backing local manufacturing in Maryborough. But across the border in New South Wales, thousands of jobs have been lost to offshored rail projects.” The government has committed to delivering the National Rail Manufacturing Plan to support skilled manufacturing jobs and more trains being built in Australia.

Nyrstar gets new General Manager at Hobart site

This week Nyrstar Australia announced the appointment of Todd Milne as the new General Manager of its Hobart Zinc Works, succeeding Britt Butler and moving to the role from the company’s Global Head of Environment. Milne has over 20 years’ experience in health and safety, environmental, sustainability and operations with strong credentials in environmental economics, policy, and operations management, said the company. Nyrstar Co-CEO, Dale Webb, said Milne, said “Todd’s expertise and experience, together with his passion for Tasmania and our Hobart team and site mean he is well-placed to lead our Hobart operations over the coming, exciting years.”

Cooperative Research Australia makes NRF submission public

Cooperative Research Australia (CRA), has published its submission to the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) Consultation Paper and called on the NRF to drive industrial transformation by harnessing Australia’s research capacity. The Fund aims to provide a crucial financing vehicle to specifically drive investment in projects that will build prosperity and economic diversification in Australia. “If the NRF strongly links to the existing successful programs that harness joint investment from government, industry and research institutions, such as the Cooperative Research Centres Program (CRCs) and the Rural Research and Development Corporations, along with the expertise that sits in CSIRO, Australia’s universities, National Critical Research Infrastructure Facilities and others, then it has a strong foundation to succeed,” said CRA CEO Jane O’Dwyer. The submission can be read here

Anteris raises $35 million for clinical development of DurAVR

Medtech manufacturer Anteris Technologies announced on Thursday that is has placed 1.458 million new ordinary shares in the company to “various sophisticated and professional investors at an issue price of $24.00” per new share, raising $35 million. The company’s two largest holders Perceptive Advisors and L1 Capital cornerstoned the placement, with each subscribing beyond their existing pro-rata shareholding. Proceeds will be used primarily for the clinical development of DurAVR, the Company’s 3D single-piece aortic valve for the treatment of aortic stenosis, as well as for general working capital purposes. The news follows an announcement last month of positive 12-month results from the first-in Human (FIH) study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DurAVR.

Picture: MGA Thermal/Linkedin