Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Detpak wins national award for packaging design

South Australian packaging manufacturer Detpak has received the APPMA Packaging Design Innovation Award for its Kerbside Recyclable Paper Bag for fresh potatoes. The APPMA (Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association) Awards of
Excellence 2024 recognised Detpak, a subsidiary of the family-owned Detmold Group. Developed in association with potato and onion producer Mitolo Family Farms and Coles, the paper-based bag was launched last year following three years of development, reducing plastic usage by 64 per cent, equating to 8.2 tonnes less plastic each year. Detpak’s RecycleMe technology maintains product quality, extends shelf life, and offers kerbside recyclability.

Bakers delight at Queensland energy efficiency grant

Rockhampton’s Hayman’s Dean Street Bakery in Frenchville is reducing its carbon footprint and minimising energy usage and costs through Queensland government funding. The business is among the first to be awarded funding through the new $7.1 million MEEG programme that will see Queensland manufacturers implement energy efficiency measures that reduce energy costs and operational emissions. The $11,000 funding will enable the bakery to purchase a two-door prover retarder which has a more energy efficient motor and compressor, allowing greater control over energy consumption. Owner Sam Hayman said the grant ensured the business could reduce energy wastage and improve overheads, saving around $2,400 a year on their electricity bill.

Lynas issues new mining contract, moves to continuous mining operations

Rare earths producer Lynas Rare Earths has awarded Carey Group Holdings a new five year contract for open pit mining at Mt Weld in Western Australia as it boosts output of elements critical to electrical motors, touch screens and computer hard drives. The company said that the new contract would also allow it to transition from campaign mining to a continuous mining operation, which feeds a processing plant at Kalgoorlie and Malaysian metals plant. Lynas is the world’s largest producer of rare earths outside China. Amanda Lacaze, CEO & Managing Director said: “Carey has almost 30 years of experience working with open pit mine environments and is a leading contractor in its field. Significantly for Lynas, Carey’s founder and managing director, Daniel Tucker, grew up in the Laverton area. Daniel and his team have a strong connection to country and this is evident in their approach to sustainability and to providing opportunities for First Nations people to build and develop skills and expertise.”

Matt Opie appointed chief executive of Defence SA

One of South Australia’s leading defence industry experts, Matt Opie has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Defence SA, replacing Richard Price who resigned in December. An Australian Defence Force Academy and Royal Military College Duntroon graduate, Opie has held senior defence positions across government, industry and academia. He served as an Officer in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals and then held senior positions at SAAB Australia and at BAE Systems Australia. Opie began his existing position as Director of Defence and Space at the University of South Australia.

QMC appoints new board member

Non-for-profit the Queensland Manufacturing Institute has welcomed Leigh Staines as its new board member. In a statement posted to Linkedin on Thursday, QMI said: “Leigh is an accomplished operational and commercial leader with diverse experiences spanning various sectors. Leigh’s executive background includes strategy consulting and environmental and chemical engineering. Her expertise stems from the energy and mining sectors and is underpinned by a strong sustainability focus.”

ASD-Microsoft in new defence cybersecurity Initiative

The federal government has announced what it says is a world-first initiative between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and Microsoft, connecting ASD’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing (CTIS) platform with Microsoft’s Sentinel platform and “creating a cutting-edge global cyber threat intelligence system.” In a statement on Monday, the government said the linkage allows Microsoft’s Australian customers who also partner in ASD’s CTIS platform to share cyber threat information at speed and scale, and enabling “deeper collaboration between ASD’s CTIS program and Microsoft Sentinel customers in Australia, who benefit from Microsoft’s analysis of 65 trillion signals of global threat intelligence every day.” This outcome is part of the Microsoft-ASD Cyber Shield initiative as part of Microsoft’s $5 billion investment in Australia announced in October.

PPK Group to hold buyback worth about $330,000

ASX-listed technology investment company PPK Group announced on Monday morning that it will undertake a minimum holding buy-back of “unmarketable parcels” owned by shareholders. Under ASX listing rules, an unmarketable parcel is defined as a shareholding worth under $500. PPK will be responsible for the costs incurred in undertaking the buyback. PPK will undertake the buyback at a price of $0.596 per share, the volume weighted average price for the five business days prior to Friday March 14. At the record date, an unmarketable parcel is 878 shares, with such parcels held by 2,037 holders, and a total value of approximately $330,000.

Picture: Mark Rohrlach, Detpak Regional Sales Manager Industrial – Australasia,and Romano Bolzon, Detpak General Manager (supplied)