Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Redflow raises further $6.75 million,  totalling $11.65 million from  Entitlement Offer 

Energy storage company Redflow told the ASX last week that it has received firm commitments from institutional and sophisticated investors for an additional $6.75 million (before costs) via placement of entitlement shortfall shares, at a price of $0.21 per share. Combined with approximately $4.9 million raised from existing shareholders in August, a total of approximately $11.65 million (before costs) will have been raised as a result of the entitlement offer. The company said the additional capital strengthened Redflow’s capital position at “a key inflection point in the commercialisation” of its long-duration energy storage technology. Redflow CEO Tim Harris said: “Redflow’s recent award of a contract with the US Department of Defense builds on the increasing momentum we have  been experiencing, and further validates not only our technological advantage but also its commercial  potential.”

Flinders to host first space cyber forum

Regulating competing foreign interests in space complements the need for more controls over increasingly crowded cyberspace, say experts from Flinders University. As the Australian government prepares its 2023-2030 national cybersecurity strategy, the university’s is launching the first Australian Space Cyber Forum to discuss space security. “Cyberspace and outer space are interdependent. As awareness of potential cyber threats to both public and private space assets become more widespread, space powers have started to incorporate these issues in national policies,” said Flinders Associate Professor Rodrigo Praino, director of the Jeff Bleich Centre, a research group looking at digital technology, security, governance and democracy. The forum will be held on October 10 at the Adelaide Conference Centre, and includes a panel discussion led by visiting Flinders researcher Marco Aliberti and Clemence Poirer, from the European Space Policy Institute, JBC experts Associate Professor Praino, Dr Kat Robison Hasani and other academic, industry and government experts. More information is available here.

VEX Robotics joins RAG

Robotics Australia Group has announced VEX Robotics as its new Education Partner. The not-for-profit  national peak group for robotics said on Linkedin on Monday that “VEX Robotics continues its mission to create a world where every student has the opportunity to be inspired by the excitement of hands-on, minds-on STEM learning! We are very excited about this collaboration with Heath May and his team, focussing on the next generation of students coming through!”

Rheinmetall NIOA wins at Australian Defence Industry Awards

Defence manufacturer Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions’ Queensland artillery shell factory has won Manufacturer of the Year at the Australian Defence Industry Awards. RNM is a joint venture between Germany’s Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions and Australian-owned NIOA. RNM was also a finalist in the Exporter of the Year category, having despatched its first consignment of ammunition to Germany earlier this year. The $90 million Maryborough facility is the most advanced large calibre artillery plant of its kind in the world specialising in the 155 millimetre projectiles which are fired out of the M777 Howitzer cannons. At full rate production, the plant will have a workforce of up to 100 with the ability to produce up to 100,000 projectiles a year supplying the Australian Defence Force as well as allied export markets. General Manager Jeff Crabtree said, “We are incredibly proud… This is recognition of an Australian-first munitions manufacturing capability, allowing regional Queensland to become an important player in the global munitions supply network.”

DXN to supply cable landing station

Modular data centre manufacturer DXN has executed a contract to supply and install a cable landing station for the Government of Timor-Leste. The Timor-Leste South Submarine Cable project is constructing a submarine cable between Dili and the North-West Cable System between Darwin and Port Hedland, Western Australia. The contract, worth $2.1 million, will see the installation of infrastructure needed to operate the cable system. DXN CEO Shalini Lagrutta said: “The cable landing station will be prefabricated and built in Australia, exported to Dili and thereafter installed and commissioned for connection to the NWCA in Australia.”

AMGC to host conversation with ARM Hub

Picture: credit NIOA