Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

Grants offered in latest round of Space Innovation Grant funding

More money will be available to help get South Australian space technology on the market, when the second round of the SA Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund opens on 30 October 2024. In Round 2, one project will receive $320,000, triple the inaugural round. The fund is open to South Australian-based start-ups and small businesses in collaboration with at least one international partner organisation. The fund supports projects that are focussed on proof-of-concept or delivery of space capability and have a clear commercial pathway. In September 2024, local companies Safety from Space and AICRAFT were announced as the recipients of funding under the first round.

Modulate manufactures relocatable site complex for Infrabuild

Steel recycler and manufacturer InfraBuild has opened a relocatable two-storey container-based office complex from manufacturer Modulate Group at its facility at Mayfield, Newcastle. The 225 sq m multipurpose office development was custom-built by the Modulate Group to provide a durable and practical design for recycling staff of Infrabuild. National Project Operations Manager at InfraBuild Recycling David Bowden, said that the Modulate building provided both good design and expected lifespan of up to 25 years before recycling. The two-storey office developed in partnership with Modulate stretches the imagination about what is possible with relocatable container-based building technologies, he said. InfraBuild operates 26 recycling centres in Australia, as well as in Poland and the US.

Sarah Sharp joins S3B board

Businesswoman and scientist Dr Sarah Sharp has recently joined the board of the Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau (S3B.) In an announcement on Linkedin, S3B described Sharp as bringing “a wealth of experience in the development and commercialisation of highly disruptive products utilising semiconductor, quantum, AI and next gen tech solutions.” Sharp is currently CEO of Frontier Sensing and Chief Engineer at Safran Electronics and Defence Australasia, has held senior leadership roles in R&D, engineering and manufacturing operations for companies including Advanced Navigation, Silanna and Oxford Instruments, and holds a PhD in quantum and solid state physics from King’s College London.

FBR gives Milton update

Construction robotics company FBR has shared that all FBR staff located in the Fort Myers, Florida area are safe following Hurricane Milton’s passage, and that the Hadrian X robot did not sustain any damage during the storm. In a statement on Tuesday, the company also confirmed that houses built in the demonstration program to date were unaffected by the hurricane. Fort Myers is located approximately 128 kilometres south of where the Category 3 hurricane made landfall. Managing Director and CEO Mike Pivac said “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene over the past few  weeks. While there is still significant repair and clean up underway in the area, we are looking forward to continuing with  our Demonstration Program in the coming days.”

New President of Titomic Europe appointed

Following Monday’s trading halt and commencement of capital raising activities, Titomic has announced the appointment of General Manager of Titomic Europe, Klaas Rozema, as President of Titomic Europe and responsible for the EMEA region. Rozema founded cold spray company business Dycomet, which Titomic acquired in 2021, and has continued with “to work tirelessly to grow our capabilities and has been instrumental in the realization of a number of Titomic’s recent equipment developments, such as the D623 Medium Pressure Cold Spray system and our exciting Backpack solution” the company said. “As part of his new role Klaas will be spearheading growth in this region with further resources and capabilities to provide world-class support to our existing and future customer base.”

ARM Hub’s AI Adopt Centre launched

The ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre was launched at South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney on Wednesday as part of the Australian government’s AI Month celebrations. Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub Founder and CEO Professor Cori Stewart said the centre was a “front door” to expertise, support and services that will foster AI-driven business growth. “The Centre is offering access to practical solutions to help businesses move forward with AI,” said Stewart, who said the centre expects to engage up to 30,000 SMEs. “The ARM Hub AI Adopt Centre is here to make businesses better using the benefits of AI and Generative AI. Our collaboration of 28 partners includes AI and robotics experts across Australia, which ensures we are delivering the best skillsets into all corners of the country.”

LNP pledges money for upcoming food manufacturing precinct

Online publication Sunshine Coast News has reported that the Queensland LNP has guaranteed $5.8 million to support the planned Turbine food and beverage precinct at Caloundra if elected. LNP candidate for Caloundra, Kendall Morton, saidL “The LNP’s commitment will fund the creation of a food and beverage manufacturing hub, driving down costs for startups with shared equipment and facilities, and giving local businesses the chance to scale. This precinct will include partnerships with research, education and training, and government organisations to support individuals and businesses in our growing food and agribusiness sector.” The project was awarded grant funding under the federal Modern Manufacturing Strategy. Construction is yet to start, and the precinct is expected to be operational in late-2025 or early-2026, according to the article.

GSWA gets strategic project status for planned Collie mill

Green Steel of WA has announced that its Collie Steel Mill Project has been awarded Strategic Project Status under the Western Australian Lead Agency Framework. “Strategic projects are defined by the Western Australian Jobs Act of 2017 as projects that the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade considers to be of strategic significance to the Western Australian economy and have the potential to create a substantial amount of economic activity and jobs within the state,” GSWA said on Wednesday. The company expects the steel mill to begin recycling scrap steel using renewable electricity in 2026, and to “create over 200 direct jobs in Collie while contributing over $1B to WA’s economy”.

Picture: credit ARM Hub