Manufacturing news briefs - stories you might have missed

Australian Space Industry Capability Database to be launched

The Space Industry Association of Australia has announced the Australian Space Industry Capability Database will launch to all users from mid-July 2023. The database will provide interactive data visualisations that demonstrate the scale and capability of the Australian space sector, including capability data, workforce data and detailed company profiles. Companies operating in the Australian space sector will be able to upload data on their organisation’s space capability from mid-July directly to the platform to be validated by SIAA before this information is available on the database. The database has been developed by SIAA and supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, the Australian Space Agency, the Office of Defence Industry Support and SmartSat CRC.

IDT launches share purchase plan

Pharmaceutical manufacturer IDT Australia has announced it will raise up to $2 million in a proposed share purchase plan for existing shareholders at 0.65 cents per share. The plan follows the company’s recent successful placement to investors to raise $5 million at the same price. The money will be used to fund a capital expenditure programme and for working capital purposes. IDT shares are selling at around 0.63 cents, giving the Melbourne company a market capitalisation of $19.2 million.

Orthocell receives $3.17 million R&D tax incentive

Tissue regeneration technology developer Orthocell has received a $3.17 million R&D tax incentive refund from the federal government. The funds will be invested by the Perth company to scale up manufacturing capacity for Striate+ and Remplir medical devices, distribution partnering programmes, progression of Remplir regulatory studies in the United States and further developing its OrthoATI product. Orthocell is commercialising and selling a range of collagen device which are implanted to aid dental bone and tissue regeneration. Bone and tissue grows into the collagen ‘scaffold’, which later is absorbed by the body.

Ford to lay off 400

Approximately 400 jobs will be cut at Ford’s Australian operations, mostly in product development and design, according to a report by Australian Associated Press. The job cuts represent almost a quarter of the workforce at the company in Australia, which ended local passenger car assembly in 2016 and employs about 1,800 currently. Australia would continue to be headquarters for development of Ranger and Everest models. “The changes are part of Ford’s global drive to improve efficiency and transform its operations to meet future needs,” a spokesman told AAP.

Global steel production down in May

World crude steel production for the 63 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 161.6 million tonnes (Mt) in May 2023, a 5.1 per cent decrease compared to May 2022. Among the world’s top steel producer, China produced 90.1 Mt in May 2023, (down 7.3 per cent), India was up 4.1 per cent to 11.2 Mt, Japan was down 5.2 per cent to 7.6 Mt, the United States produced 6.9 Mt down 2.3 per cent, Russia is estimated to have produced 6.8 Mt, up 8.8 per cent, South Korea produced 5.8 Mt, down 0.1 per cent, and Germany produced 3.2 Mt, up 0.2 per cent.

Check your industrial gates: SafeWork NSW

SafeWork NSW is reminding those who own industrial gates to get them checked after a number of serious incidents, including two deaths. Industrial gates are a great way to protect property at home or on worksites, but have the potential to be extremely dangerous if not properly maintained due to being hundreds of kilograms in weight, it said. A 64-year-old worker died in 2020 after an electric industrial gate weighing nearly 260 kilograms fell on him as he was trying to manually open it. From 2017 to 2022, there were 17 serious injuries to workers involving industrial gates, including two worker fatalities. The top cause of injuries by falling industrial gates are a fractured pelvis and a fractured vertebra. SafeWork said its inspectors are out and about checking industrial gates at construction, agricultural, transport and warehousing worksites, and individuals may be fined up to $720 and businesses up to $3,600 for unsafe gates, More info here.

Picture: credit IDT Australia