Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Imugene raises $18.2 million from investors

Clinical stage immuno-oncology company Imugene has closed the Share Purchase Plan component of its capital raising in conjunction with the acquisition of the exclusive licensing rights to the CD19-directed allogeneic cell therapy. The SPP raised a further $18.2 million for the company. Imugene’s Executive Chairman Paul Hopper said: “With a portfolio of world-class assets, backed by an outstanding balance sheet, Imugene is well placed to continue its development and provide shareholder value to our loyal investors in due course.”

EVOS Energy relocates

Brisbane-based electric vehicle charging products company EVOS announced a relocation to a new headquarters at Rugby House, 232 Butterfield Street, Herston, citing “remarkable growth and our ever-expanding team.” A post from the company on Linkedin tells readers that the new home, “flanked by the lush and serene Ballymore Stadium Parklands, represents a significant upgrade, offering more space as we had outgrown our previous site. And, the great news is, we’re still within walking distance to our valued manufacturing partner!”

Nuclear medicine facility gets funding boost

ANSTO welcomed a federal government funding allocation this week, “to further safeguard the production of life-saving nuclear medicines” at its Lucas Heights campus. A new Nuclear Medicine Facility to replace the ageing Nuclear Medicine Processing and Distribution Facility, which was initially constructed in 1959 as a research laboratory. Each week ANSTO produces medicine used in between 10,000 – 12,000 procedures at Australian hospitals and medical clinics. Acting CEO for Professor Andrew Peele, said the funding increase would futureproof Australia’s domestic nuclear medicine manufacturing. The amount of funding was not mentioned. According to a statement from the department of industry, “design and implementation of the new facility will be confirmed by an independent review to be commissioned by my department, which is best practice for major public sector capital works. It will also be subject to a tender process. The new facility is expected to be completed by the early to mid 2030s.”

Global steel output up in August

World crude steel production — for the 63 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) and representing 97 per cent of all steel produced — was 152.6 million tonnes (Mt) in August 2023, a 2.2 per cent increase compared to August last year. China produced 86.4 Mt in August, up 3.2 per cent versus August 2022. India produced 11.9 Mt, (up 17.4 per cent), Japan produced 7.1 Mt (down 2.9 per cent), the United States produced 7.0 Mt, (up 1.1 per cent), Russia is estimated to have produced 6.4 Mt (up 8.9 per cent), South Korea produced 5.6 Mt (down 5.9 per cent), Germany produced 2.8 Mt (down 1.0 per cent), Türkiye produced 2.8 Mt (down 2.9 per cent), Brazil produced 2.7 Mt (down 5.9 per cent), and Iran produced 1.6 Mt (down 24.1 per cent.)

CSIRO invests $500,000 in Indigenous STEM scholarships

The national science agency, CSIRO, has bestowed over a half a million dollars to the University of Wollongong (UOW), it announced this week, which will enable more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The CSIRO Indigenous STEM Scholarship was first established in 2019 with the help of a $30,000 gift from the organisation to support two Indigenous STEM students throughout their studies. The scholarship will now be awarded in perpetuity following a further $500,000 from CSIRO. Dr Chris Bourke, a Gamillaroi man and Director of Indigenous Science and Engagement at CSIRO, said “Growing an Indigenous STEM pipeline will enable the science and technology sector, and CSIRO in particular, to engage with Indigenous talent, embed Indigenous knowledge and expertise and to foster thriving careers in science and research for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

New Australian National University Vice-Chancellor named

Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell was named on Tuesday as the next Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU). Bell will be the 13th Vice-Chancellor of ANU and the first woman to lead the national university. Bell trained as a cultural anthropologist, with a PhD from Stanford University, and following a career at Intel founded the School of Cybernetics within the ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics,  in 2021. In a statement welcoming her appointment, the federal government said Bell “is an eminent Australian and will lead ANU with distinction. She will take up her new role in 2024.” She succeeds Professor Brian Schmidt, who won a 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Robert Cebulski appointed as Rowlands Metalworks new CEO

Robert Cebulski has been appointed as the new CEO of the well known Rowlands Group, which comprises Rowlands Metalworks, Defence Coating Systems, Spark Furniture and Pecan Lighting. Cebulski brings with him a wealth of experience from the heavy industry and manufacturing sectors, positioning him perfectly to lead our group into into an exciting new era. According to the company, his vision is to grow the Rowlands Group into a widely recognised and respected South Australian icon. His strategy involves maintaining the company’s core culture and skills that have been the cornerstone of our success, while introducing bigger business thinking and process efficiencies. Rowlands products are ubiquitous in SA, including it manufacturing the enclosures that house the iconic AML3D ARCEMY 3D printers.

Picture: The CSIRO Indigenous STEM Scholarship will provide opportunities for Indigenous students to explore careers in STEM. (credit Paul Jones)