Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed
Community gathers to hear new owner’s plans for former Oak site
Over 200 business leaders, community representatives, and government officials gathered at the historic former Oak factory site last week to hear Sydney Rum Distillery (SRD) outline its plans to transform the site into a world-class spirits facility during a factory tour and briefing session. Steve Magarry, the CEO and master distiller at SRD (which recently acquired the site), presented the company’s vision to establish a globally scaled premium rum and brandy distillery, including its plans to begin operations in July. SRD said it will preserve the heritage-listed exterior on the 3.6-hectare industrial site that began as the Hunter Valley Co-operative Dairy Company in 1945. The facility’s existing infrastructure, including copper pot and column still distillation capabilities, will enable SRD to create distinctive premium spirits for global markets, it said.
Honey harvesting startup smashes crowdfunding goal
HiveKeepers, a startup commercialising its new “Micro Honey Harvester”, said that it met its crowdfunding goal an hour after launching. In an announcement on Linkedin on Wednesday, the company followed up by saying “We have smashed our Kickstarter goal by 200% and we only launched at 8am this morning!” The company was also named a “Project We Love” by Kickstarter. “This badge is awarded to campaigns that Kickstarter considers truly creative and impactful, and we couldn’t be more [honoured] and excited about it,” said founder Simon Mildren. According to the company, their harvester allows beekeepers to take honey next to a hive while checking on their bees, and represents, “a movement towards sustainable beekeeping and a transparent supply chain.” At the time of writing, the company has raised $74,555, well past its goal of $25,000, with 39 days to go in its campaign.
FBR raises $6.3 million, announces restructure
Picture: Paul McLeay, Australian Distillers Association CEO, with Steve Magarry, SRD CEO (supplied)
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ASX-listed robotic construction company FBR announced this week that it has received firm commitments to raise $6.3 million via a placement at an issue price of $0.01 per share, with support from Australian and international institutional investors. According to the company, the funds will provide working capital as well be used for restructuring and development costs. It said its workforce “will be right sized to match the current needs”, with restructuring to cost approximately $2.3 million, and the program involving a 30 per cent reduction in salaries and fees, as well as a 25 per cent reduction in non-executive directors. The company has also begun consolidating to a single facility in Western Australia which will become its head office by the end of this financial year. The company added that it has sought support for scaling up its Hadrian X robot via the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) last year, and is awaiting the outcome of its application.
Green chemistry extracts compounds from plant waste
A new enzyme could be the key to extracting high-value molecules from lignin, around 98 per cent of which is discarded as a forestry industry byproduct, according to the University of Adelaide. Such molecules are ingredients in compounds like fragrances, flavourings, fuels and therapeutics, and a potentially valuable resource. “Traditional chemical processes for synthesis of these types of chemicals rely on petroleum-based starting compounds and heavy metal catalysts, making them non-renewable and inherently toxic processes,” said Dr Fiona Whelan, whose research was published in Nature Communications. “This new catalytic processing method will support development of other new green chemistry ‘enzyme factories’ or biorefineries to turn the lignin and other biological waste streams into a valuable repository of fine chemicals.”
Long-term timber demand shored up by increased supply
The new Wood Volumes Analysis published by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARES) indicates “reliable access to structural forest and wood products to meet future demand”. The report provides an analysis of the long-run supply of and domestic demand for wood products in Australia, particularly those used in construction. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said, “Demand for construction related timber is expected to grow by about 50 [per cent] by 2050 as the population increases, but the final volume will vary depending on our future preferences for housing types, with some houses using more timber than others. On the supply side, the report indicates that Australia’s domestic log availability is projected to increase by approximately 70 per cent through to 2055 ─ with a record availability of 16.8 million cubic metres per year of softwood sawlogs for residential construction in 2050-2054.” The report can be read here.
Challenges remain with waste to energy
While energy-from-waste (EfW) plants are widely regarded as a cleaner alternative to landfills, new research published in Nature Energy has revealed some facilities produce more carbon emissions per unit of electricity output than coal power plants. According to a statement from Monash University of Friday, major challenges were the increasing plastic content in waste, which raises emissions, and not enough improvement in the energy conversion efficiency of EfW plants over time. The study analysed nearly 600 EfW facilities over two decades in China, finding that EfW has contributed to reducing landfill emissions, though the effectiveness of the plants varied significantly based on waste composition and technological advancements. The study suggests that if cities can improve how waste is classified and invest in modern equipment, they could cut EfW emissions by half, “bringing them closer to the cleaner levels of natural gas by 2060.”