Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

ARE receives $5m grant for rare earths development

Australian Rare Earths has received a $5 million grant from the federal government's International Partnerships in Critical Minerals Program. The funding will support additional metallurgical test work, completion of a pre-feasibility study and building/operating a demonstration plant at the company's Koppamurra project, a frontier ionic clay rare earth opportunity in South Australia and Victoria. The grant application was supported by ARE shareholder Neo Performance Materials Inc, which has a non-binding offtake agreement with the company. According to ARE the grant validates the potential of the Koppamurra project.

Forbidden Foods sales hit new high

Plant based food manufacturer Forbidden Foods has announced November, 2024 sales of $512,932, up 80 precent on the previous corresponding period. This is the highest figure since new management in the company and their focus on high margin growth and cost management. November ecommerce sales for Blue Dinosaur grain free snacks in Australia were $204,545, up 128 percent on October. Recent ranging of Oat Milk Goodness products expected to drive further growth.

Eight prefabricated homes for Thursday Island

A collaboration between the Queensland Government, the Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust, and builder Oly Homes has delivered eight affordable modular homes and Gold LHA (Livable Housing Australia) accessible units to the Thursday Island community (pictured). The project includes three two-bedroom homes, three studio units, two accessible units, and a residence for the local Minister. Built in South East Queensland and transported to this remote Far North Queensland location, it was described by General Manager Steven Nousala as the most logistically challenging project in Oly Homes’ 50-year history. “We know housing supply and affordability is a major issue within the community and modular homes provide a great solution.”

Macquarie Group partners with Dow on new industrial infrastructure company

Macquarie Group' Macquarie Asset Management has paid US$2.4bn for a 40% stake in Dow U.S. Gulf Coast industrial infrastructure. The new partnership, dubbed Diamond Infrastructure Solution, will see the group open up the infrastructure across five locations in Texas and Louisiana – comprising power and steam production, pipelines, environmental operations and general site infrastructure – to third party customers. These pipeline and storage assets span across the Gulf Coast and have connections to major natural gas, natural gas liquids and olefin hubs. “As a long-term owner of essential infrastructure, we recognize the value that can be unlocked through the development of infrastructure platforms like Diamond Infrastructure Solutions,” said Ben Way, Global Head of Macquarie Asset Management Dow will maintain majority control, however, Macquarie can raise its stake to 49% for an additional US$600m.

Memphasys sets the scene for China distribution

Reproductive technology company Memphasys has signed a letter of intent with Heranova Lifesciences HK Ltd setting the foundation for launching and distributing its Felix system in Greater China. Felix is an electrostatic technology that separates the most viable sperm in a sample, ready for use in human or animal IVF. Heranova is a biotechnology company involved in women's health.

Orthocell makes first sale of Remplir in Singapore

Tissue regeneration technology developer Orthocell has made the first sales of its peripheral nerve repair device Remplir in Singapore. the device is now sold in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, with the first sale made ahead of the company's planned market launch date. Orthocell CEO and MD Paul Anderson said: “We expect additional sales, revenue growth and surgeon adoption to accelerate in the new year.”

New space information centre for Adelaide

The US-based Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) has announced the establishment of an Australia Global Hub. The Space ISAC Australia Global Hub will bring together members of the national space sector in a forum that facilitates cooperation, enables coordination and drives regular information sharing, with the broad goal of reducing threats to Australian space missions and critical infrastructure. The group aims to collaborate on solving the challenges related to cybersecurity in space operations and the exchange of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), applying an all-threats, all-hazards approach. Based in Adelaide, Byron Riessen, Space & Global Lead Partner, GRAVITY Challenge at Deloitte has been appointed to represent the Australia Global Hub on the Space ISAC Board of Directors.

Superstars of STEM announced

Ovarian cancer, bushfires, renewable energy and livestock parasites are among the national challenges being tackled by this year’s cohort of Superstars of STEM. The next 60 Superstars are an incredible mix of scientists, technologists, mathematicians and engineers, including a Palaeontologist who’s discovered two new species of flying dinosaurs and an ecologist who braves croc infested waters to collect data. Backed with a $7 million investment to date by the federal government, Superstars of STEM provides media training, mentoring and networking for women and non-binary STEM experts, the initiative builds crucial leadership and communication skills to grow careers. Over the years, Superstars have also inspired more than 80,000 high school students through visits and speeches to around 480 Australian schools.

BluGlass receives R&D Tax Incentive

Semiconductor developer BluGlass has received a $5.37 million Research & Development Tax Incentive (R&DTI) rebate from the federal government, for development activities carried out across its Australian and US facilities in FY24. BluGlass is developing a suite of commercial GaN laser products for the global defence, dual-use, quantum, and biotech industries. BluGlass CEO Jim Haden said: “The combination of this rebate with the US ME-Commons funding is crucial in supporting our development roadmap. The combination provides a non-dilutive cash injection that supports our groundbreaking technology development and advances BluGlass’ novel capabilities, expediting the development of next-generation GaN lasers to address significant unmet needs in critical emerging applications.”

VSUN Energy's key appointments for vanadium battery development

Australian Vanadium Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, VSUN Energy is progressing Project Lumina, the development of a modular, scalable, turnkey, utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) using vanadium flow battery (VFB)
technology, for use in Australian energy markets. The GenusPlus Group (Genus) has been appointed to provide early contractor involvement (ECI) services to develop the electrical connection of the VFB BESS and Sedgman Pty Ltd has been appointed to provide ECI services in relation to the balance of plant design. Austrian VFB manufacturer Enerox GmbH (trading as CellCube) has been appointed as VFB technology provider.

Pro-Pac Packaging gets $13m loan for operations

Pro-Pac Packaging has arranged a short term, $13m loan with its major shareholder Bennamon to ‘assist the company while it continues to explore longer term funding arrangements'. “We are pleased to have the ongoing support of our major shareholder, and the provision of this facility is a fundamental example of that support,” Pro-Pac Chairman John Cerini said. “While this facility is a short term option, we will be continuing to work with our advisors, our major shareholder and financers over the coming months on a number of longer-term options to ensure sufficient funding arrangements are in place to support the business.

Picture: Oly Homes