Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Houston, US-headquartered engineering firm KBR has been announced as a partner on Samsara Eco's plastics and textile enzymatic recycling plant, scheduled for completion in early 2028. Samsara is commercialising an enzymatic recycling technology for processing “some of the most common types of plastic and synthetic fibre – materials that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to recycle” into their component monomers for reuse. According to the announcement, KBR will perform a pre-FEED (front-end engineering design) of the project by the end of Q2 2025, followed by delivery of a FEED package for process design to build a 20,000 metric TPA commercial facility for nylon 6,6. The Australian company's CEO and Founder, Paul Riley (pictured), said, “KBR brings unmatched engineering expertise. This will ensure we can design and build our facility with speed and precision. We’re proud to have KBR in our corner, helping bring our technology to industrial scale.”

Applications for the 35th Premier of Queensland’s Export Awards opened this week, featuring 14 national categories and an award for Women in International Business now open. Winners will be announced in Brisbane at an awards dinner on October 10 and will represent Queensland at the Australian Export Awards in Canberra in November. Minister for trade Ros Bates said, “Large or small, I urge Queensland businesses to step into the spotlight and apply for this year’s Export Awards.” Nominations close on June 13, with finalists announced the following month.

Students and staff will use 100 per cent renewable energy, following a “major transformation” of Melbourne Polytechnic's revitalised Collingwood campus, the Victorian government has shared. As “part of Melbourne Polytechnic's commitment to a net-zero future, all gas systems were replaced with electric alternatives during the campus upgrades” it was announced this week, with the project supported by $40 million in funding from the government's Building Better TAFE Fund. Melbourne Polytechnic CEO Frances Coppolillo said, the news opened “an exciting new chapter in a legacy that stretches back to 1912. This revitalised campus stands as a shining example of how sustainable, accessible infrastructure, community connection and quality vocational education can come together to power a brighter future.”

Mining equipment maker Austin Engineering mentioned on Thursday that a handover period for its CEO and Managing Director Designate, Sybrandt Van Dyk, has begun. It was announced in July last year that Van Dyk will formally commence as CEO and Managing Director, replacing current CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton. Singleton will retire from the role on June 30 and will remain on the board as a Non-Executive Director. The company also advised that Van Dyk will step down from his role as Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, and positions on the Nomination & Remuneration Committee, and the Safety Committee. Independent Non-Executive Director, Chris Indermaur, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Monash University resources engineer, Associate Professor Mohan Yellishetty, has said that the Donald Trump-era tariffs have sparked a global contest over supply chains, with China weaponising critical minerals, and Australia has the chance to step up as the stable, democratic supplier allies can trust. “The strategic reserve is a critical first step, but Australia will need a much bigger push if we want to become a true critical minerals powerhouse,” Yellishetty said of a federal government's Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve plan, released last week. “To fast-track our critical minerals sector, we need shared processing hubs, early-stage incentives like royalty exemptions, and support for retrofitting mines to recover by-products like cobalt and antimony. Hybrid models – concentrating minerals here and processing offshore with trusted partners – will also be key. Investing in Centres of Excellence and shared IP libraries will drive innovation, avoid duplication, and strengthen Australia's resilience in an increasingly competitive market.”

Australia's dairy sector may be the beneficiary of a new school milk program being implemented in Indonesia. Food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank said on Thursday that the program, which is currently being rolled out across 400,000 schools, is part of the recently-elected Indonesian government's Nutritious Meals Program, aimed to combat malnutrition and promote healthy eating among the country's 60 million school children, as well as in pregnant women. The school milk program is expected to significantly increase Indonesia's total dairy consumption, creating opportunities for Australia and other global dairy players, according to a new report by Rabobank's RaboResearch division. It estimates the total milk required at full implementation could surpass two billion litres.

Australian packaging magnate Anthony Pratt has pledged to invest $US 5 billion into the United States' manufacturing sector. Sky News reports that the Australian owner of a packaging, paper and recycling company Visy made the announcement ahead of the US President Donald Trump's “Invest in America” summit at the White House, to be attended by other business leaders. “To make America great again, we need to make in America again,” Pratt said. “That’s why I’m proud to support the president’s call to re-industrialise America and again make the US the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.”

Compound semiconductor manufacturer BluGlass announced on Thursday that it has received strong investor support, with $2.3 million committed through an oversubscribed share placement “to institutional and sophisticated investors, including the Board and Management.” It also launched a share purchase plan to raise “up to $6.0 million”, with “eligible shareholders in Australia and New Zealand [able] to acquire up to $100,000 worth of Shares at the lower of $0.013 or a 2.5% discount to the 5-day VWAP for BLG shares prior to the closing date for the SPP Offer.” The funds will be used to scale and speed production and delivery of visible lasers to fulfil new and existing contracts, as well as support additional fab equipment, working capital, and development of next-generation products.

Picture: Samsara Eco CEO and Founder, Paul Riley (supplied)