Manufacturing news briefs - stories you might have missed

Aurora Labs lands third defence PO

Metal additive manufacturer Aurora Labs has received its third direct order from the Australian Department of Defence for advanced 3D-printed metal components. The order valued at $50,000 strengthens the strategic relationship between A3D and Defence, according to an announcement. The CEO of Aurora Labs Rebekah Letheby said: “This third order is a significant milestone and a testament to the effort our team has put into establishing a strong, dependable relationship with the Department of Defence. It’s gratifying to see that our dedication to innovation and quality is not only recognised but is yielding tangible results.”

Forbidden Foods extends oat product range

Infant, toddler health and plant-based ingredients company Forbidden Foods has launched a new Oat Milk Goodness (OMG) protein product at 130 Ampol Foodary locations. Currently the company has two OMG products ranged at Ampol, with the new offering CoffeePrOATein containing 20g of protein. OMG products are made from an oat and olive oil base and contain only natural ingredients. CoffeePrOATein will also be launched through Forbidden Foods ecommerce channels.

Orthocell raises $17m for US market expandion

Tissue regeneration technology developer Orthocell has completed a $17 million placement to fund its US launch of Remplir. Recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Remplir is a collagen nerve wrap used in the repair of peripheral nerve injuries. Funds will also go to scaling up manufacturing infrastructure through automation, sales force and marketing costs and working capital. Orthocell Chair John Van Der Wielen said: “The successful capital raise…allows us to grow the USA market quicker, invest in volume manufacturing, and also speed up the progress of our promising pipeline of products.”

Boats gifted to Ukraine

Australia will gift 14 rigid hull boats to Ukraine, with the federal government citing its “ongoing commitment to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s illegal invasion.” The latest round of military support is valued at $14 million, according to a statement from the department of defence on Tuesday, and aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s maritime and coastal defence. “These Australian Defence Force sea boats will provide a fast and highly manoeuvrable maritime capability for Ukraine” reads the statement, and follows previous contributions including Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats. “Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Australia has provided more than $1.3 billion in military support, and more than $1.5 billion in overall support to the government of Ukraine.”

FBR launches $8 million SPP

Construction robotics business FBR announced on Monday that it will be launching a fully underwritten $8 million share purchase plan. FBR invited existing shareholders to subscribe for new fully paid ordinary shares at a price of $0.038 per new share: the same price as the institutional placement previously announced on August 5. Funds raised will contribute additional working capital to deliver a number of upcoming milestones including completing the second half of the ten-home demonstration program underway in Florida, said FBR, “leading to the potential exercise of the US JV Option with CRH Ventures, which if exercised, triggers a purchase order for 20 Hadrian X robots and CRH Ventures Americas providing a US$40m debt facility to the Fastbrick Americas JV.” The offer is fully underwritten by Bell Potter Securities.

Collie steel mill gets a name

Green Steel of WA has unveiled the official name of its planned flagship plant, which would be “Australia’s first green steel mill”. In an announcement on Linkedin on Friday, GSWA said the plant would simply be named The Collie Steel Mill. “While the name seems simple at first, it actually took us quite some time and deliberation (there were many ideas!) to arrive at the name” it explained. “We think that it pays suitable respect to our location in one of WA’s most iconic towns as well as our role in Collie’s transition towards its green manufacturing future through the creation hundreds of highly skilled, local manufacturing jobs.” The planned factory will be Australia’s first green steel mill and the first new steel mill to be built in Australia in over 30 years, added GSWA, which hopes the site will be operational in 2026.

NSW companies head to China International Import Expo

The NSW government has said that is supporting 29 food, drink, and health supplement businesses to exhibit at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) this week. The import-focussed six-day trade show will host visitors and exhibitors from more than 150 countries, and give attendees “direct access to buyers, distributors, and prospective customers from across China”, according to the state government, which said China bought $3.6 billion of agricultural produce from NSW in 2023/2024. Mrs Toddy’s Tonic from Sydney’s Northern Beaches is one of the NSW businesses to exhibit at this year’s CIIE, with others including Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters, Australian Vintage Wines, Balance Water, and Noumi. The CIIE will be held in Shanghai from November 5 – 10. Mrs Toddy’s Tonic Co-Founder Sophie Todd said, “We’re thrilled at the opportunity to introduce a proudly Australian, female-led brand to China, and look forward to showcasing the Mrs Toddy’s Tonic range on the international stage.”

Dumped pumped hydro project “not financially viable”: QLD government

The LNP government, which took power at the October 26 Queensland election, has released the Detailed Analytical Report for the dumped Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project. In a statement on Tuesday it said it has has formally stopped the project as “it’s not financially viable, not environmentally appropriate and the community was never consulted” and “based on Treasury population projections, the cost to each Queensland household for the project would have been $15,653.” The LNP said the report advised consideration of smaller pumped hydro projects, and despite advice, the previous government made Pioneer-Burdekin “the cornerstone of their energy and jobs plan”.

Picture: credit Mrs Toddy’s Tonic