News

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…

Livium has signed an exclusive agreement with Wabtec subsidiary Industrea to recycle batteries used in their electric mining locomotives.

In the third profile in our campaign to identify and celebrate Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers, we look at edge computing manufacturer Aicraft. Peter Roberts spoke to owner Dr Tony Scoleri. Australian innovation needs a lot more people like Dr Tony Scoleri, CEO of Adelaide edge computing developer and manufacturer Aicraft. New Caledonia-born Scoleri did…

Explosives manufacturer Orica has signed an agreement with KAPEKS to introduce digital technology into Turkey’s mining sector.

Electrolyser maker Hysata has entered into a partnership with POSCO to accelerate the development of Hysata high-efficiency hydrogen electrolyser technology.

Organic waste recycling facilities that turn food waste into agricultural products are gaining traction in Tamworth, NSW and Bendigo, Victoria.

Austal Philippines has delivered a 32-metre catamaran (pictured) to Rottnest Fast Ferries in Western Australia for use on the popular service between Hillarys and Rottnest Island. Built in Balamban, Cebu in the Philippines, the ‘Ocean Master’, designed by Incat Crowther, was officially accepted by representatives from Rottnest Fast Ferries following the successful completion of sea…

By Peter Roberts The federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources has knocked back an application for financial support for the one largely volunteer organisation that has worked tirelessly for decades to entice kids into STEM subjects – the Re-Engineering Australia Foundation. The Foundation runs the highly successful F1 in Schools, SPACE in Schools and…

The federal government has announced a strategic examination of R&D, the latest in a series of inquiries into Australia’s faltering innovation system. Here Mark Dodgson looks at why previous reviews have failed to have real impact. The history of reviews of research and innovation in Australia[1] follows a predictable and disheartening cycle. It starts with…

Aerospace composite manufacturer Airspeed has successfully completed its first captive carry flight test of a supersonic target prototype onboard its Marchetti S211 R&D platform (pictured). The company, based at Mawson Lakes, Adelaide recently celebrated the project milestone, in a major step towards strengthening Australia’s sovereign aerospace capability. The customised prototype – known as Irukandji –…

The Australian Government has announced round 2 of the Critical Technologies Challenge Program (CTCP). Round 2 of the Critical Technologies Challenge Program (CTCP) invites solutions to market-led challenges, according to Australia’s Chief Scientist, Cathy Foley. Foley said: “Challenges fall in priority areas of biosecurity, energy, transport and health outcomes for first nations peoples. “I urge…

Satellite manufacturer and space-based mineral detection company Fleet Space Technologies has closed a $150 million Series D funding round, led by Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), an arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Joined by existing investors Blackbird Ventures, Hostplus, Horizons Ventures, Artesian Venture Partners, and Alumni Ventures, the raising is one of the largest in…

AML3D has opened its new US headquarters and purpose-built manufacturing in Ohio, in the US.

Victoria is pushing manufacturers to electrify their operations to help slash energy bills.

Satellite manufacturer Space Machines Company Space Machines Company (SMC) today unveiled Optimus Viper, a rapid-response spacecraft specifically designed to provide immediate, high-fidelity intelligence and protection for critical space assets. Operating at distances less than 10 kilometres from target satellites, Optimus Viper delivers detailed, actionable intelligence about critical space infrastructure that, until now, has been impossible…

Assured positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) technologies and autonomous systems specialist Advanced Navigation has finalised a multi-million deal with Rheinmetall Defence Australia to supply fibre-optic gyroscope (FOG) inertial navigation systems (INS). The systems will be integrated into Rheinmetall’s Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV), now in service with the Australian Army. This follows a previous deal…

The West Australian government has committed $6.6 million to drive the digital transformation of the state’s small to medium businesses.

A global survey by the World Economic Forum has outlined the seven factors reshaping manufacturing and how they create a gap between intent and reality for the industry.

The federal government has announced Australia’s biggest ever round of investment in renewables, approving 19 projects across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia mostly due to be operational by 2028. The projects backed under the government’s Capacity Investment Scheme also will make history, with South Australia becoming the first large-scale electrical grid in…

Electrical and electrification technologies manufacturer Ampcontrol has acquired Queensland high voltage service and maintenance business Protech power, expanding its reach in the sunshine state. Acquisition allows for continued growth and expansion into new markets, locations, and diversification of high voltage service business, according to the company. Protech Power will operate as Ampcontrol effective Wednesday 11…

Metal 3D printer manufacturer Titomic and standards body SAE International have announced the successful development and acceptance of SAE International’s Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing Specification, AMS 7057 (Specification). This milestone project, which began in February 2023 with Titomic’s sponsorship and technical expertise, represents a transformative moment in the commercialisation of cold spray technology and its…

Australian nuclear technology developer Silex Systems is poised to become a major enricher of uranium in the US market, displacing the current reliance on Russia for nuclear fuels. This follows the selection of Silex’s 51 percent owned Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) by the US Department of Energy as one of six companies to receive funding…

Defence contractor Kongsberg has announced that its first Australian manufactured launcher for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) capability has successfully completed a Blast Test Vehicle (BTV) firing in Port Wakefield, South Australia. This activity has been performed as part of deliveries under Project SEA 1300 Phase 1 – Navy Guided Weapons. This BTV firing was…

Construction of the First Building at the new Bradfield City Centre in western Sydney – housing Stage 1 of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) – has been completed. Located close to the new airport serving Western Sydney, the AMRF will offer support to help businesses grow faster, reduce risks, and compete globally, while strengthening…

Suzuki and Applied EV have unveiled their new, configurable robot EVs designed for logistics and industrial applications.

Orora has received regulatory approvals for the $1.775 billion sale of its North American packaging business to Veritiv Corporation.

Defence tactical watercraft manufacturer The Whiskey Project Group (TWPG) has acquired the former factory of boat maker Moda Boats, in Newcastle.

Do you have what it takes to be named as one of Australia’s top 50 in @AuManufacturing’s annual Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers campaign? @AuManufacturing news is again looking to identify and celebrate Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers. Nominees are assessed by an expert panel, are selected for a shortlist, are profiled by our editors…

Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has shocked the space sector, announcing it will immediately cease operations of the Arnhem Space Centre in the Northern Territory and relocate the spaceport to a new site in Queensland. The decision was forced by the inability of the company to finalise a lease for the expansion of the Arnhem Space…

Australia is again reviewing Australia’s innovation system – the Strategic Examination of R&D – and its apparent inability to contribute sufficiently to national economic development. Here Dr John Howard looks back at what we know from 25 years of such reviews. Australia’s ability to harness the full potential of its research and development (R&D) capacity…

The maker of Penfolds, Treasury Wine Estates has entered the Chinese winemaking business, acquiring 75 percent of Ningxia Stone & Moon Winery Co. Ltd for RMB 130m (approximately A$27.5m). Located in the highly-regarded wine production region of Ningxia in north-western China, Stone & Moon’s asset base includes 43-hectares of planted luxury vineyards, a modern winery…

Advanced manufacturing and defence have been labelled Victoria’s number one priority in the state’s new Economic Growth Statement.

BrainChip has won a $1.8m US Air Force Research Labs contract to use its artificial intelligence that mimics the human brain in radar signalling processes.

The federal government has begun work on a new training facility at HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia to train the future submariner workforce. The $200 million training school will complement training already underway in the United States and the United Kingdom and develop skills as: Communication Networks Operators Submariner Electrical Fitters Electronics Technicians…

Recycling technology company Samsara Eco has developed enzymes capable of recycling nylon 6, a synthetic fibre commonly used in apparel, hosiery and automotives which have proven difficult to recycle. The innovation builds on Samsara Eco’s existing capabilities to infinitely recycle nylon 6,6 and polyester and marks an important leap to tackle waste and eliminate the…

Multiple government funds are boosting quantum computing in the country following investment in company Quantum Brilliance and University of Western Australia research programs.

A new research centre to tackle the challenges of AI adoption has been launched with the opening of the Adelaide-based Responsible AI Research Centre (RAIR) Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic officially launched the centre created with the South Australian government. The RAIR will embark on research that will ensure AI implementation addresses misinformation…

Low emissions industrial technology developer Calix is raising $25 million from investors to speed the commercialisation of its technologies to decarbonise the production of cement and lime, iron and steel and lithium. The company has completed a $20 million institutional placement and announced a share purchase plan for existing investors to raise a further $5…

Radiopharmaceutical medical imaging manufacturer Cyclopharm has revealed a possible new use for its Technegas system – for evaluating the progress of lung transplantation. The use is detailed in a US-based study which highlights the clinical utility and operational benefits of the Technegas technology compared to current US ventilation imaging radiopharmaceuticals used in lung transplant evaluation.…

Cobalt Blue has signed an MoU with the Mount Isa City Council to develop a solution to a looming sulphuric acid supply shortage.

AML3D has won a $2.27 million contract with power utility company, the Tennessee Valley Authority, for its ARCEMY X 3D metal printing system.

Vanadium developer Tivan’s Speewah Fluorite Project in Western Australia has been awarded Major Project Status by Industry Minister Ed Husic, recognising the national significance of the project. Aligned with the government’s Critical Minerals Strategy and National Battery Strategy, the project has also been awarded a $7.4 million cash grant under the government’s International Partnerships in…

CSIRO has found a ‘lack of economic advantage’ in investing in nuclear power over renewables, according to its GenCost 2024-25 draft report released for consultation. The report took into consideration suggestions raised since its last report that nuclear had a longer operational life, a higher capacity factor and shorter time to delivery than previously estimated.…

Waaree Energies, the largest solar PV manufacturer in India is launching an Australia subsidiary.

The US Navy has exercised $74.4 million (US$48 million) of additional options under a previously awarded contract for shipbuilder Austal to perform maintenance on Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and regional countries. The original 2021 contract to maintain the vessels was for US$72.5m to perform the sustainment works, with…

Lithium chemicals manufacturer Lepidico Limited has become the latest victim of the worldwide glut in lithium supply, with KordaMentha appointed as administrators. The board of directors of Lepidico appointed Richard Tucker and Paul Pracilio of KordaMentha as Voluntary Administrators of Lepidico Limited, Lepidico Holdings Pty Ltd, Bright Minz Pty Ltd, Li-Technology Pty Ltd, Mica Exploration…

Iluka Resources and the federal government have come to a funding agreement which will see the construction of a rare earths refinery at Iluka’s mine at Eneabba in Western Australia, a key part of the government’s critical minerals and Future Made in Australia plans. Following a positive outcome to the funding discussions on Friday, both…

Cold cathode X-ray manufacturer Micro-X has announced its Head CT test bench has successfully generated CT images as part of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) programme to develop a stroke imager capable of being transported by first responders. The images generated from Micro-X’s world-first miniature carbon fibre X-ray nanotube array show clinical detail and…

Kongsberg Defence Australia has broken ground for its highly anticipated missile factory in Williamtown, near Newcastle in NSW which will manufacture and maintain long-range strike weapons for the Australian Defence Force. The state-of-the-art facility is located within the Astra Aerolab Business Park defence and aerospace precinct, directly adjoining Newcastle Airport and the home to the…

The Australian government is investing millions in Australia’s critical minerals industry as part of its Future Made in Australia initiative.

Codan completes the acquisition of Kägwerks Communications and metal detection manufacturer Codan, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Codan US Inc, has completed the acquisition of 100 percent of US-based organisation SKT2 LLC dba Kägwerks (Kägwerks). Kägwerks is a leader in tactical operator-worn networking communications technologies that enable connectivity and integrated secure networking in a military…

Breakthrough Victoria is investing $2 million in Umps Health, a Victorian company developing sensors and AI to enable proactive aged care at home. The Umps Link, a smart home platform, is the product of six years of research and development and now supports thousands of households across Australia. The technology is easily installed in the…

The federal government has moved to equip the Australian Army with land-based, long-range fires to protect Australia’s northern approaches. In line with the priorities of the 2024 National Defence Strategy, the Government will select from two options: The Precision Strike Missile fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher vehicle The Naval Strike…

Additive manufacturer Aurora Labs has received an order from the Department of Defence to 3D print a micro gas turbine aircraft engine. The order, valued at $319,000, demonstrates the company’s growing role in enhancing sovereign capabilities through cutting-edge additive manufacturing technologies, according to an announcement. It builds upon the ongoing development of A3D’s existing range…

The South Australian government has launched a new, $1 million program to accelerate manufacturers uptake of advanced tech.

Moderna has opened the Southern Hemisphere’s only mRNA vaccine manufacturing site in Victoria, aiming to make 100 million doses a year.

The Western Australian government has allocated $45 million in venture capital funding to supercharge local start-ups. Seven venture capital firms have been selected following a Request for Proposal, and will be supported to invest through the state government’s WA Venture Capital initiative (WAVC). The partnership will see the chosen firms invest a total of $150…

Pharmaceutical developer Mesoblast’s Revascor (rexlemestrocel-L) drug for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has been granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier this year FDA granted REVASCOR both Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) and Orphan-Drug Designation (ODD) for congenital heart disease, acknoeledging that the disrase is…

The Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition Co-operative Research Centre (HILT CRC) has launched a flagship three-year project on energy infrastructure to help guide heavy industry decarbonisation. The project will provide clear, data-driven estimates of energy costs to inform government policy and enable heavy industry to plan its decarbonisation pathway. ‘Unlocking investment in energy infrastructure for net-zero…

Drone detection and countermeasure manufacturer DroneShield announced an $8.2 million repeat order this morning from a European defence customer. However, trading in the company’s shares on the ASX was then paused, pending a further announcement. DroneShield said that delivery of the latest order to a major European government agency was expected in the next three…

Drug manufacturer AstraZeneca has ordered four more APAS Independence laboratory instruments from AI microbiology automation manufacturer Clever Culture Systems, formally known as LBT Innovations. The order, worth $3.1 million over seven years, adds to the five APAS instruments already in use by the global pharmaceutical company, where they monitor for bacterial contamination in the company’s…

Growing environmental concerns have driven a surge in bioplastics, but unclear labelling for disposal is creating challenges, according to a new report from CSIRO. The State of bioplastics in Australia report found consumer confusion over bioplastics, with many bioplastic items ending up in landfill or contaminating recycling and composting streams. Plastics derived from fossil fuels…

Aluminium chemicals company Alpha HPA is in production of battery metals precursor materials at its stage 1 plant at Gladstone, Queensland and construction of the company’s Stage 2 commercial plant is well underway, according to an investor update. Now the company producing aluminium materials for high tech industry has turned its attention to the development…

An eco-friendly, high-performance organic battery is being developed by scientists at UNSW Sydney. A team of scientists at UNSW Chemistry have successfully developed an organic material that is able to store protons, and used it to create a rechargeable proton battery in the lab. By leveraging hydrogen ions – protons – instead of traditional lithium,…

The South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and Minister for Energy and Mining Tom Koutsantonis has held an ‘urgent meeting’ with operators of the troubled Whyalla steelworks, emerging confident that the blast furnace would be up and running within a week. However Koutsantonis has ‘grave concerns’ about unpaid bills, according to media reports, with…

Innovative solar cell manufacturer SunDrive has announced a major milestone, with the company hitting a copper plating production yield of >99 percent at its commercial pilot production facility in Kurnell, Sydney, with those cells being turned into modules. At the same time SunDrive and aluminium manufacturer Capral entered into a MoU to develop a supply…

The federal government has awarded several contracts under a qualification process that paves the way for the Australian businesses to enter UK and US submarine supply chains as part of the AUKUS pact. The Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program aims to enable Australian businesses to supply their products and services into the AUKUS trilateral…

Electronics manufacturer REDARC has extended its defence businesses with the acquisition of electronic warfare specialist Asension which has been in voluntary administration. REDARC Defence & Space will continue Asension’s work at the forefront of electronic warfare, engineering, operations, and grow partnerships with universities, the Defence Science and Technology Group, and industry partners, according to an…

The technical advances of cold cathode X-ray manufacturer Micro-X have seen the company secure a US government contract valued at up to $25 million to develop a micro-sized full body CT scanner. A first two year contract worth $12.5 million will produce a prototype with the option of a further $12.5 million contract being awarded…

A new report prepared by CSIRO has projected the nation’s hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing (HEM) sector could create $1.7 billion in revenue and nearly 4000 jobs by 2050.  In a statement on Wednesday, the nation’s scientific agency said the research highlighted “a significant opportunity in manufacturing devices that generate hydrogen from water using electricity” from an…

Engineering company Marley Flow Control has completed the first project with the NSW government-owned Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF.) In a statement on Wednesday, the AMRF – which was until recently named the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility – said the completed work was a time-study project, which identified operational efficiencies in Marley Flow Control’s manufacturing…

Building products manufacturer Boral has upgraded carbon emissions reducing technology at its Berrima Cement Works which supplies more than 40 percent of the cement used in NSW and the ACT. The company said the upgraded facility was a significant milestone in the company’s decarbonisation efforts and transition from its reliance on emissions-intensive fuels. A key…

Western Australian businesses can join the wind energy manufacturing supply chain with the help of a new co-investment programme which could cover up to 50% of eligible project costs. The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program is a co-investment and advice programme co-created by the WA Government and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre with $8 million…

Sparc signs distribution agreement for graphene additive Sparc Technologies has executed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CLP Group subsidiary Chin Leong Construction Systems Pte Ltd. The parties will collaborate on marketing Sparc’s ecosparc additive to CLC’s coatings customers in Southeast Asia. Sparc Managing Director Nick O’Loughlin said: “Sparc…hopes to establish this partnership as…

Shares in cold cathode X-ray manufacturer Micro-X leapt 27 percent to be 0.07 cents at lunchtime today on the publication on a US government website of the award of a development contract worth $8.2 million. However the company issued a statement to ASX which said that while it was aware of the it had not…

Defence engineering firm Babcock Australasia has launched a new International Engineering & Technology Hub in Melbourne, as part of increased research and development efforts including projects under the AUKUS pact. The $3.5 million Abbotsford facility will drive engineering initiatives supporting Babcock’s global operation and is designed as a collaborative environment for engineers and technologists to…

Fortescue has been awarded $10 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop a six megawatt (MW) fast charger test unit aimed at the mining industry. The project involves building, testing and validating multiple test unit chargers with the aim to deploy the first production 6MW charger by the end of…

Iondrive has announced a $6.1 million raise, before costs, which it says will be used for building and running a pilot plant using its novel battery recycling method, progressing industry collaborations in the key European Union and United States markets, and for general working capital. In a statement to the ASX on Tuesday, Iondrive said…

Perth’s Hazer Group has secured a $6.2 million Western Australian government grant, enabling it to speed up the development of a commercial scale plant to produce hydrogen from biogas utilising its proprietary Hazer process. The company was awarded the grant from the state’s Lower Carbon Grants Program – Gorgon Fund which supports transformational technology platforms…

The operator of Australia’s B-cycle battery recycling scheme, the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC), has called for government regulation to boost the country’s recycling and materials recovery efforts. The call came with the release of the B-cycle 2024 Positive Charge Report which showed 2,935 tonnes of used batteries were collected in 20241 – a 24 percent…

Combined NSW and federal funding worth $47 million has been announced to establish the Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at TAFE NSW Wollongong, the third TAFE CoE announced for the state. According to a joint statement from the two governments on Tuesday, the upcoming facility will: Provide targeted training in traditional and emerging…

On Monday Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic announced that the Chair of Tech Council of Australia and electric car maker Tesla would conduct a year-long Strategic Examination of Research and Development (R&D) in Australia, and why national effort has been falling. Here are Husic’s opening remarks announcing the review. “First, I just want to…

Grants have been announced for 12 companies under the Western Australian government’s Innovation Booster Grant (IBG) and Commercialisation Bridge Grant (CBG) programs. Funding totalling $736,157 was announced on Monday by state innovation minister Stephen Dawson, made up of $380,157 to 10 IBG recipients and $356,000 to two CBG recipients. IBG funding is aimed at early-stage…

Sparc Technologies has extended claims of improved anti-corrosive performance from solvent based coatings enhanced with graphene towards more environmentally desirable water based alternatives. The technology development company told investors that initial test work had demonstrated significant corrosion improvement in graphene enhanced water-based acrylic epoxy coatings which are experiencing strong market growth as alternatives to coatings…

First Graphene has announced it has entered new markets in Vietnam and China for its PureGraph graphene products through distribution agreements, while also revealing maiden sales and recurring orders from a textile company in Brazil. The two new distribution agreements cover the coatings, composites, and construction materials segments across Vietnam and China, and take the…

Japanese electronics company Omron has announced the opening of its new Oceania regional headquarters at Western Sydney University’s Engineering Innovation Hub, located at the Parramatta City Campus According to a statement from WSU on Monday, the precinct will be a regional base for Omron, which will officially launch its Proof of Concept (PoC) Centre on…

An expert panel led by businesswoman Robyn Denholm, who chairs lobby group the Tech Council of Australia and electric car maker Tesla, will conduct a year-long Strategic Examination of Research and Development (R&D) in the nation. According to The Australian Financial Review – which got advance notice of the announcement by industry minister Ed Husic…

Not enough is known about the nature of Australian manufacturing and the issues it faces to plan for a future made in Australia. Here Julie Harrison argues for as comprehensive audit to help move us forward. There’s an axiom of business that says you can manage what you measure – when you know the parameters…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Monash betadine battery breakthrough begets new company Engineering researchers from Monash University have formed a new lithium sulphur (Li-S) battery startup, armed with chemistry inspired by an over-the-counter antiseptic and initially targeting drone applications. According to a statement from the…

State government-backed venture fund Breakthrough Victoria has announced a new $7.5 million Breakthrough Fellowship Program, aimed at supporting researcher entrepreneur talent. According to a statement from the organisation on Friday, the program aims to cultivate “the next generation of startup founders from Victorian universities and medical research institutes” and is predicted to “establish up to…

Melbourne’s RMIT University has launched the Centre for Atomaterials and Nanomanufacturing (CAN) to work with industry to commercialise nanomaterials. Led by Distinguished Professor Baohua Jia (pictured), CAN will drive the translation of atomaterial research to support industry and Australia’s transition to a circular economy. Distinguished Professor Jia said: “Atomaterials are microscopic materials about one millionth…

Welding industry professional body Weld Australia announced the winners of its South Australia Welding Excellence Awards for 2024 on Thursday night. The event at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide showcased “the exceptional talent of welders and fabricators across South Australia” Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said in a statement on Friday. “The 2024 Welding Excellence…

The federal government has husbanded the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Bill 2024 and its two supporting bills through federal Parliament. The bills establish a voluntary Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, an Australian Government-backed certification scheme to authenticate low-emissions products and support renewable electricity and hydrogen production. According to Climate Change and Energy…

Six new Custom Denning buses head for Rotala UK Operations Six more Custom Denning Element 2 electric buses are on their way to Rotala, a transport operator in the UK, as part of Rotala’s bigger plan to enhance its fleet with zero-emission vehicles. The six new Custom Denning Element 2 electric buses will be hitting…

Industry Capability Network NSW (ICN NSW) celebrated its 40th anniversary this week at an event in Sydney’s CBD featuring a four-decade retrospective and a keynote address from NSW industry minister Anoulack Chanthivong. According to a statement, Chanthivong commended ICN NSW for its unwavering commitment to supporting local businesses to engage with domestic supply chains and…

Composites manufacturer Quickstep’s Chairman Patrick Largier has left the way open for the company to come to terms with the local conglomerate of defence SMEs, ASDAM Group, which is bidding to take over the company. Largier told the company’s AGM that the company’s board and its advisers were studying the offer. Largier said: “Quickstep’s board…

Funding totalling $12 million has been awarded to 68 research projects through the fourth round of the National Industry PhD Program, addressing industry problems in laser dentistry, surgical robotics, meat analogue foods, and elsewhere. PhDs under the program are designed to tackle an industry application, with candidates undertaking a co-designed research project with university and…

Building-integrated photovoltaics company ClearVue Technologies has entered into an agreement to acquire the IP and assets of Israeli company ROOTS Sustainable Agricultural Technologies. The acquisition, by subsidiary OptiCrop (Israel) Ltd, aims to expand photovoltaic glass and curtain wall systems manufacturer ClearVue’s offerings in agriculture markets. ROOTS, formerly listed on the ASX, has developed a Root…

A CSIRO-developed tubular solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) system for generating hydrogen began operation at BlueScope Steel’s Port Kembla Steelworks in October, and has passed 1,000 hours of operation, according to the nation’s scientific agency. In a statement on Thursday, CSIRO said the system differs from water-splitting electrolysis machines – which separate water into hydrogen and…

By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra This year will set a record for the addition of renewables to the grid, according to figures to be released on Thursday by the Clean Energy Regulator. It projects the average annual renewable share of the electricity market will be 45% in 2025. The Albanese government’s target is 82%…

Radiopharmaceutical medical imaging company Cyclopharm has received its first purchase orders from two United States Veterans Health Administration (VA) Hospitals – part of the largest integrated US Government health care system in the United States (US). The purchase orders for an initial five-year term apply to the installation and annual charges associated with the Technegas…

A new gold-based drug can slow tumour growth in animals by 82 percent and target cancers more selectively than standard chemotherapy drugs based on platinum, according to a study by RMIT University. Published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the study found a new gold-based compound 27 times more potent against cervical cancer cells…

The federal government is ‘cleaning up the mess’ left by the previous government of defence projects that have fallen behind schedule or going over budget, according to the Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy. Conroy held a Projects of Concern Summit in Canberra yesterday to discuss the Civil Military Air Traffic Management…

Four grant winners have been announced under the NSW Physical Sciences Fund: Envision Systems, Lab 360 Solar, MicroTau and Syenta. The grant winners were named at an event on Tuesday marking five years of the PSF, which is administered by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer.  The PSF is a competitive development…

Laser uranium enrichment company Silex Systems has taken a step closer to producing uranium fuels needed for small modular reactors (SMRs) at its facilities in the United States. The company’s 51 percent owned Global Laser Enrichment LLC (GLE) has acquired a 665-acre parcel of land for the company’s planned Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF), in…

Packaging and recycling company Visy says it will have new solar panel arrays up and running at seven of its 120-plus Australian sites next month, representing a combined 4,500 kilowatts of generation capacity. In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it partnered with Energy Aware on six sites in Victoria and 1K5° Commercial in…

Research programs developing new metamaterials, higher-quality long-life lithium batteries, and novel thermal energy storage approaches are among those supported in a new round of Australian Research Council Discovery Projects. Announced on Tuesday, the round allocated $342 million in funding to 536 projects supporting basic and applied research.  “Discovery grants support individual researchers and research teams…

Levett Engineering has been awarded a contract by Kongsberg Defence Australia (KDAu) for the manufacture and supply of Stacking Frames for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) capability being delivered under Project SEA 1300 Phase 1 – Navy Guided Weapons. Elizabeth South, Adelaide-based Levett Engineering is a precision component manufacturer and part of the ASDAM Group…

A new industry body representing Albury-Wodonga manufacturers has been launched, with Manufacturing BRIDGE (Border Region Industry Development & Growth Exchange) to hold its first meetup on Thursday. In a statement welcoming the establishment of Manufacturing BRIDGE, NSW MP for Albury Justin Clancy (pictured) compared it to local SME groupings such as i3net in the Illawarra…

Engineering researchers from Monash University have formed a new lithium sulphur (Li-S) battery startup, armed with chemistry inspired by an over-the-counter antiseptic and initially targeting drone applications. According to a statement from the university on Tuesday, the team behind Ghove Energy has “overcome one of the last remaining barriers to commercialisation” for the battery type.…

Vast Renewables has signed a funding agreement to access up to $30 million of its existing $65 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to progress its concentrated solar thermal power (CSTP) projects in Australia and internationally. Vast’ manufactures equipment at its Queensland facility, with ARENA’s funding to see the NASDAQ-listed company scale…

Quantum technologies developer Archer Materials has received prototypes of its tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors from its foundry partner, MultiDimension Technology (MDT). Archer is sending the TMR sensor prototypes which are used in data centres, automotive, medical devices, and internet-of-things (“IoT”) and consumer electronics to its research partner in an Australian university for characterisation. The company…

CSIRO venture FPR Energy has secured $15 million in seed funding to commercialise next generation solar thermal technology that will help reduce industrial emissions, which account for 20 per cent of Australia’s annual carbon footprint. The company was launched in collaboration with advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and utilities business Osaka Gas, raising…

Oil and gas sector composites manufacturer Matrix Composites & Engineering has won another large contract for subsea buoyancy systems for the supply subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines. The contract, worth between $21 million and $23 million, is for an international project and will be manufactured at Matrix’s facility at Henderson, south of Perth. This brings…

Personal care product manufacturer Kimberly-Clark Australia says a new packaging approach is delivering promising early results, and could see 15 tonnes of plastic removed annually from supply chains nationally. According to a statement from K-CA on Monday, the trial with with supermarket chain Woolworths began in mid-September, following “over a year in development and testing”.…

Bioengineering firm ByoMax has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Green Steel WA to supply ByoCoke made from waste biomass as a sustainable replacement for coal and coke at the company’s Collie, Western Australia green steel plant. Green Steel WA is developing an electric arc furnace to recycle scrap and the state’s first…

The federal government has scheduled to introduce the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2024 to Parliament today, with its focus the global net zero transformation. The legislation implements the government’s production tax incentives for renewable hydrogen and critical minerals, and also expand the role of Indigenous Business Australia. The…

The federal government has down-selected two shipbuilders, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, to progress designs for Australia’s future general purpose frigates under the SEA 3000 programme. In May, Defence released an approach to market to five shipbuilders, with Defence now planning to work with the two industry partners to further develop the proposals…

The Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic have announced the establishment of an Investor Council to help unlock more private sector capital in key areas like housing and cleaner and cheaper energy. An outcome of an Investor Roundtable on Friday, the council support better coordination of investment in national…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) $60m in defence quantum technology grants announced The federal government has invested $60 million in quantum and counter disinformation technologies critical to defence and to a future made in Australia. The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies…

The federal government has continued a run of announcements of major defence acquisitions, selecting a design by Damen Shipyards Group as the preferred option for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy vessel (pictured). The announcement is a step in the establishment of a littoral fleet which is expected to create 1,100 direct jobs and…

Altech Batteries has announced that it has progressed funding of its CERENERGY sodium-chloride solid-state battery project in Saxony, Germany, appointing key advisers to assist. The company, through its Germany subsidiary Altech Batteries GmbH, appointed a global big four professional services firm to assist in securing finance for the 120MWh CERENERGY battery manufacturing plant. The project’s…

SciDev enters European PFAS treatment market Wastewater treatment company SciDev has entered the important European market for PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ treatment, securing its first commercial order in Europe. The contract with Swedish Hydro Solutions AB is for a containerised PFAS treatment system to remediate contaminated landfill site in Northeast Sweden. The initial value of the…

Mechanical arm and gripper specialist Reach Robotics has announced a new contract with the Australian Defence Force, which sees the company scheduled to deliver a new manipulator system able to operate over 800 meters below sea by mid-2025. In a statement on Friday, the company – formerly known as Blueprint Lab – said it will…

This week Russell Mineral Equipment was announced as the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation’s first investee, with the NRFC taking a $40 million stake in the company alongside US-based private equity firm Resource Capital Funds. Earlier this year, RME was a gold award winner in @AuManufacturing‘s Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers campaign for 2024. Below is…

Defence manufacturer Electro Optic Systems has sold off its naval satellite communications arm EM Solutions only five years after buying the business, further focusing EOS on its core business of Remote Weapon Systems. EOS entered into a binding share sale agreement to sell the Brisbane subsidiary to UK listed Cohort plc for an enterprise value…

Navigation and autonomy manufacturer Advanced Navigation and European innovator NILEQ have signed a MoU to co-develop a resilient navigation system integrating its MBDA NILEQ absolute positioning technology. The co-developed solution will foster joint technology development between AUKUS partners the United Kingdom and Australia, and provide resilient absolute positioning for airborne platforms. The development comes amid…

Gilmour Space Technologies has announced that it will provide a bus that will be part of an upcoming earth imaging satellite to be launched from India. In a statement on Thursday from Gilmour – best known as a launch services provider and rocket builder – it said its ElaraSat bus will be part of a…

The Australian Aluminium Council has announced that it will integrate the Australian Aluminium Extrusion Association, saying this will create “a unified, independent advocacy voice” spanning “mine to market” for the sector nationally. In a statement on Thursday, the AAC said it will consolidate the other association into its membership and organisational structure. It said the…

Winners were announced at a gala dinner in Canberra on Wednesday for the Australian Export Awards, now in their 62nd year, from a field of 88 finalists creating combined export earnings of more than $7.8 billion The Manufacturing and Advanced Materials category was taken out by food processing and packaging company TNA Solutions. TNA was…

Satellite and space systems manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has successfully demonstrated two-way voice and data (TVAD) satellite communications for the Australian Defence Force in support of the ASCEND2LEO satellite communication programme. Developed as part of a $6.4 million contract with Defence, Fleet Space’s TVAD demonstration included a full duplex satellite communications system, enabling two-way voice…

Food processing and packaging machinery manufacturer TNA Solutions is offering food manufacturers technology that would enable them to create a digital twin of their operations and plan new investment to minimise disruption. Part of TNA’s Industry 5.0 offerings, tna intelli-assistTM delivers 95 percent manufacturing investment planning accuracy and reduces reworks down to zero, according to…

Smart sensor manufacturer Infinity Avionics has been contracted by entX Limited to design and manufacture parts of their Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) Demonstrator Payload designed to provide heat to spacecraft during the lunar night. An RHU is a novel thermal solution for interplanetary space missions that will revolutionise future rover and lander missions, with Infinity…

Automotive, aerospace and defence manufacturer PWR Holdings expects H1 FY25 net profit after tax to be between $3.2 million and $3.7 million, below the NPAT of $9.8 million achieved in the first half of FY24. The profit figure includes expenses incurred with PWR’s new $22 million headquarters at Stapylton on the Gold Coast which opened…

After the second world war there was another bout of industry building. Here, in an extract from his Keynote Address at the 2024 Pearcey Foundation National Awards, Emeritus Professor Roy Green reflects on the creation of Australia’s first computer, and what it can teach us about today’s industry policy challenge. We are here tonight to…

We are forever hearing how SMEs are the “engine room” of the Australian economy, but not all SMEs are the same and not all their engines are revving. Sandy Plunkett considers “growth economy” companies, their importance, and what they need in this interview with the Australian Business Growth Fund’s Anthony Healy

Technology development company Sparc Technologies has signed a trial agreement with energy company Santos to trial the company’s graphene enhanced protective coatings. Sparc and Santos will conduct a collaborative field trial with the application of an ecosparc enhanced coating at the Santos gas facility Port Bonython in the Upper Spencer Gulf of South Australia (pictured).…

The new state government has said it will increase funding to the Made in Queensland grant program by $5 million per year. According to its website, MiQ has been running since 2017 and currently provides matched funding worth $50,000 to $2.5 million per grant.  “Make it in Queensland” was allocated $25 million in the June…

Optiscan Imaging advances veterinary medtech Confocal microscopy manufacturer Optiscan Imaging has signed a Collaborative Research Agreement with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. The agreement follows a MOU with the university, and is a step in expanding the clinical applications of Optiscan’s confocal endomicroscope imaging system in veterinary medicine. The initial focus of…

The first of 25 new X’Trapolis 2.0 trains has been built at Ballarat, the state government announced on Tuesday. The first train is part of a $986 million spend on the fleet – which will replace the 1980s-era Comeng trains and travel on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines – as well as major upgrades…

Industrial process technology company Calix has been recognised at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, winning the Net-Zero Industries Award for Outstanding Project with its zero-emissions steel technology. Calix’s Zero Emission Steel Technology (ZESTY) was celebrated for its “success and potential as a lowest-cost solution to green iron and steel production”,…

Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have reached an agreement to accelerate the testing of hypersonic vehicles and related technologies. Under AUKUS Pillar II, the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement (PA) will enable the three nations to accelerate development of what could ultimately become high speed weapons delivery systems. Pentagon…

IoT security systems manufacturer Spectur’s offshoot 3 Crowns Technologies (3CT) has signed a three-year contract for $787,428 with Transport for NSW with optional extensions to nine years and a total price of $2.6 million. The company offers a range of solar powered surveillance and security systems which can be connected to a base via the…

The construction of a $500 million renewable hydrogen production plant and power station at the industrial city of Whyalla in South Australia has attracted a plan for the development of a low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel production facility. Synthetic fuel producer Zero Petroleum has embarked on a feasibility study for a commercial-scale production plant – Plant…

The federal government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund has made its first investment – $40 million will be invested into innovative mineral processing equipment manufacturer Russell Mineral Equipment. The funds, which is alongside private sector investment, will ensure a pioneering Toowoomba manufacturer stays in Australia and boosts production, according to a statement. The investment from…

The federal government has invested $60 million in quantum and counter disinformation technologies critical to defence and to a future made in Australia. The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) programme has signed 21 contracts with Australian universities and industry partners. The investment was made under the National Defence Strategy and…

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designer and manufacturer AMSL Aero says it has passed a major milestone: the first free flight of its Vertiia, conducted on battery power and by remote control in NSW’s Central West region. In a statement from the company on Monday, it said that since the first untethered flight…

Energy storage solutions provider RedEarth Energy Storage has entered into a partnership with electric vehicle technology company ambibox to produce V2G bi-directional EV chargers for Australia and New Zealand customers at its manufacturing facility in Darra, Queensland. The partnership will deliver Australian made DC EV chargers to EV owners without rooftop solar or home batteries…

Six collaborative R&D projects have been awarded a total of $3.2 million in funding from the SmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), with a total of $14 million (cash and in-kind) to be invested.  Participants in projects supported through the funding round were not mentioned, but the projects were described as “focus[sing] on developing innovative materials, …

The University of Queensland-based Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) has released a report on what it says is a “transformative opportunity” offered by precision fermentation. In a statement on Monday, UQ said that while fermentation itself is nothing new, its more recent version of the technique was “on the brink of producing tailored, sustainable food…

Submarine maintenance and construction staff working at government-owned shipyard ASC in Adelaide have been given wage parity with colleagues doing similar work in Perth – but it has taken a year long wage dispute to achieve it. In a dispute that saw ASC CEO Stuart Whiley dig in against union demands only to eventually decide…

It’s that time again.  Today we launch the third iteration of our Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers campaign, or the 50 Most Innovative in its abbreviated form, or #A50MIM if you’re really into the whole brevity thing.  This time around, it’s been made possible through the support of these fantastic sponsors – Australia Wide Engineering…

Vehicle electrification company 3ME Technology has added its support to the Defence Future Energy Strategy and Defence Net Zero Strategy released last month. The strategies outlined ways to reduce emissions and decrease the environmental impact of Defence’s activities, with initial action concentrating on the Defence estate. The strategy and associated implementation plan for energy transition…

The Western Australian government has opened its Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP), billed as a ‘world class innovation hub to drive advancements in autonomous systems, robotics and zero-emissions technologies’. Located on 51 hectares north of Perth, the $28 million precinct offers state-of-the-art facilities to support local, national and global companies with testing and development…

Cloud migration is shaping the future of Australian manufacturing through greater efficiencies. But companies should plan before they leap says David Leen. Australian manufacturing has arrived at a fork in the road. At a time where the industry is struggling amid international competition, with China and America leading the way, the question of how Australian…

Pharmaceutical and vaccine company BioCina is planning to scale up from laboratory to industrial scale a bioseparation resin technology for the large-scale production of complex medicines made from biopharmaceuticals. Backed by an Australian Economy Accelerator (AEA) grant, Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics Principal Research Leader, Professor Bernd Rehm and his team are leading…

The Tasmanian government has opened applications for grants worth up to $20,000 – covering “a variety of productivity enhancing activities” – through its Advanced Manufacturing Productivity Grant program. In a statement on Thursday, Tasmania’s premier and trade minister Jeremy Rockliff said up to $450,000 had been allocated to the program through the recently-released Advanced Manufacturing…

The federal government is unconcerned about the future of the AUKUS agreement and the construction of nuclear powered submarines in Australia under a Trump presidency, and will press on with developing the workforce and infrastructure at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, according to Defence Minister Richard Marles. Marles, who is also Deputy Prime Minister,…

ERA celebrates recycling of electronics In time for National Recycling Week Electrical Recycling Australia (ERA) has celebrated its achievements in recycling e-waste in South Australia. Backed by Bedford Industries, the company has in the the year to date notched up these statistics: 4,759 e-waste deliveries received; Daily average intake: 10,285 kilograms; and total e-waste processed:…

Compound semiconductor developer and manufacturer BluGlass has announced that it has entered into a $US1.925 million ($2.9 million) contract with North Carolina State University (NCSU) for laser development activity The contract, announced on Thursday (Australian time) is part of the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS) Hub, which BluGlass is an industry partner…

By Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney Productivity is the greatest structural problem in our economy, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers. He says there is “no higher priority for reform”. Announcing a A$900 million productivity fund to be shared with the states, the treasurer told a meeting of the Australian Business Economists on Wednesday Australia’s…

The Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance (Manufacturing Alliance) has launched a national project to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in defence manufacturing, including submarine manufacturing now underway. The move follows Wednesday’s announcement of the start of the industrial campaign which will ultimately see BAE Systems and ASC construct SSN-AUKUS nuclear powered submarines at the…

By Peter Roberts The Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic has released its first State of Australian Quantum report which the government says reveals the depth and strength of our national quantum sector. According to a statement, the government has committed billions in funding for quantum and broader critical technologies since the launch of the…

Building-integrated photovoltaics company ClearVue Technologies has entered into a Manufacturing and Distribution Licence Agreement with a leading UK glass fabrication company that has worked on iconic projects such as One World Trade Centre in New York. Perth-based ClearVue has linked with My Glass Projects which is granted non-exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute products incorporating…

Poker machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure has announced revenue growth of five percent in FY24 driven by performance in North America Gaming Operations, with ~7,100 net units added to the installed machine base. The company reported 17 percent growth in normalised NPATA to $1.6 billion, reflecting ongoing investment in organic growth initiatives and cost optimisation across…

The main initiative serving the federal government’s 2022 election pledge to transform the nation’s industry, the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund, is about to start investing in Australian companies, according to industry minister Ed Husic. The NRF Corporation – the independent body administering the fund – “will soon be cutting its first cheques”, according to…

Aluminium extruder Capral has successfully trialled an aluminium billet with 20 percent recycled content produced by Rio Tinto at Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL). Utilising 50 to 100 tonnes of post-production aluminium scrap from Capral’s Bremer Park extrusion plant in Southeast Queensland, Rio Tinto remelted the metal and cast it into billets, resulting in a new…

Multi-generation family-owned bed maker A.H. Beard is marking its 125th anniversary, hinting at plans for a new luxury collection aimed at a global audience in 2025. In a statement on Wednesday, the company said it has “sights set on growth in Asia, Europe and the UK next year” as it builds on its current “significant…

The federal government has begun the industrial campaign which will ultimately see Australia construct SSN-AUKUS nuclear powered submarines at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide. In March it was announced that the submarines, to follow on from the arrival of interim US nuclear powered vessels for service in the 2040s, are to be constructed by…

Minerals processing equipment manufacturer Gekko Systems has launched the Wolff Batch Centrifugal Concentrator (Wolff), a technology designed to transform gold processing by utilising ‘dirty’ water. This ‘first of its kind’ innovation enables mining companies to recycle water efficiently, addressing water stewardship while reducing maintenance costs and requirements, according to the Ballarat, Victoria company. In some…

Australian electronics manufacturer GME is linking with Korea’s Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) and Hanwha Systems through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that brings together leading command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) capabilities . Signed at the annual Military Communications and Information Systems (MilCIS) Conference in Canberra, the agreement will see the three parties working…

The Western Australian government will begin detailed planning for a new WA container port in Kwinana south of Perth, supporting a growing industrial region and freeing up land at the historic Port of Frmantle for housing development. Project definition planning will support completion of designs, securing approvals, resolving risks and uncertainties, land acquisition and refining…

Battery materials company International Graphite has secured funding to construct the first purpose-built commercial graphite micronising plant in Australia. The company has entered into a funding agreement with the Western Australian Government releasing $4.5 million of the grant announced by WA Premier Roger Cook on 22 April 2024. $2.0 million will support construction of Stage…

Rhythm receives R&D tax incentive refund Predictive cancer diagnostics technology company Rhythm Biosciences has received multiple tranches of its research and development tax incentive (RDTI), totalling $3.23 million. This total is made up of approximately $1.24 million in relation to FY23, being a second tranche of funds following the submission of an amended FY23 tax…

Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has received Military Production Organisation Approval (MPOA) from the Defence Aviation Safety Authority (DASA) for the local manufacture of aerospace parts and components. The approval will speed up parts availability for Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft while driving down overall sustainment costs. The MPOA permits BDA to bulk produce a range…

Li-S Energy has successfully completed its first uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) test flights, powered by the company’s twelve cell lithium sulfur battery pack. The flight tests aimed to demonstrate that the company’s LiS cells can be configured into a battery pack, integrated into a fixed wing UAV, and successfully flown for take-off, ascent, level flight,…

The Defence Trailblazer research group has announced a strategic partnership with the University of Adelaide and QuantX Labs, aimed at advancing cutting-edge quantum technologies. The partnership builds on four years of collaboration, and will focus on advancing atomic clock technology to exceed industry standards and significantly enhance navigation networks. High precision clocks provide greater stability,…

Scrap carpet fibres can be a key ingredient in stronger, crack-resistant concrete, a research team from RMIT University is proving.  The team is currently engaging with partners including Textile Recyclers Australia, Godfrey Hirst Australia and councils in Victoria, conducting field studies of on-ground slabs incorporating reclaimed textiles, according to a statement from the university of…

SPONSORED CONTENT The long-anticipated mandatory climate-related financial disclosures have been passed into law and will affect some companies as soon as January 2025. The requirements will be phased in over a three-year period and capture companies based on size, value and turnover. Companies that are not directly in scope of reporting may be affected due…

Brain imaging company EMVision Medical Devices has revealed what it called ‘exceptional’ results for its world-first emu scanner to identify stroke and stroke type. In total 307 participants were enrolled in the EMView trial and scanned with the EMVision emu brain scanner (pictured) at Liverpool Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital, including…

Canberra-based food technology company Nourish Ingredients, which has developed a method to create specialty fats for plant-based foods through precision fermentation, has signed a joint commercial agreement with China’s Cabio Biotech. In a statement from Nourish on Tuesday, the company said it is combining “Australian innovation with China’s manufacturing might” and exposing its flagship product…

Adelaide-based thermal energy storage company 1414 Degrees has appointed John O’Donnell (pictured) as its General Manager, beginning in the role on Tuesday. In a statement from the company on Monday, it said that O’Donnell  will lead implementation “pioneering clean heat technologies across industries globally” and comes with experience “span[ning] the project lifecycle from solution-design to…

Skincare company Ego Pharmaceuticals aims to save 18 tonnes of packaging waste from landfill annually by switching to recyclable low-density polyethylene (LDPE) for its QV Skincare brand tube products.  In a statement on Monday marking National Recycling Week, the company said the transition from laminate for the packaging was already underway, with “a mix of…

Liontown Resources has become the latest lithium producer to respond to the global glut in lithium supply, moving to less risky and expensive underground mining at its Kathleen Valley lithium mine in Western Australia. Liontown told investors it is resetting the baseline for its mine and production plans to prioritise higher margin ore at reduced…

Explosives and fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot’s losses continued during FY24 as it unwinds the effects of the closure of its Gibson Island, Brisbane fertiliser plant and the sale of its troubled Waggaman, Louisiana ammonia facility. The company reported a net loss after tax including individually material items (IMIs) of $311 million, down from FY23’s profit…

Consumers will soon be able to operate like their own mini power station, generating and storing electricity through rooftop panels, home batteries and the batteries in electric vehicles, and feeding power into the grid when prices are highest. This stems from decisions spearheaded by Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and agreed to by…

Victoria has set 62 percent as a local content requirement for future public bus purchases following its decision to transition to Zero Emission Bus (ZEBs) procurements for contracts through a new road map. The ZEB plan is set to guide how the state’s diesel fleet will be progressively phased out and replaced by ZEBs, with…

Lynas Rare Earths has opened the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility, the first of its kind in Australia, with a ceremony officiated by Resources Minister Madeleine King, the Chair of the Lynas Rare Earths board, John Humphrey, and Lynas CEO & Managing Director Amanda Lacaze. The Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility is a key part…

The federal government has withdrawn some defence product export permits to Israel due to the ‘high intensity conflict’ engulfing the Middle East. The Senate foreign affairs, defence and trade committee was told that the Department of Defence had examined export permits to Israel at the request of the government. Defence ‘provided advice’ to government and…

A new lager beer release has fuelled strong sales growth for Australia’s largest independently owned brewer Coopers Brewery. The launch of Coopers Australian Lager has helped family-owned Coopers to post a 1.5 percent rise in total beer sales for the 2024 financial year, defying a year on year 2,.6 percent decline in total Australian beer…

Professor Thas Nirmalathas, Interim Dean since January 2024, will officially begin as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne on Monday. Nirmalathas (pictured) is a professor on electrical and electronic engineering as well as a Fellow of both Engineers Australia and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and…

New maintenance opportunities will be available to defence industry with the delivery of a new fleet of main battle tanks, with the first cohort of Australian Army soldiers completing training on operations and maintenance at Puckapunyal. Army will have a fleet of 75 of the Abrams M1A2 main battle tanks, with 46 already delivered from…

Aerospace composites manufacturer Quickstep has rejected as inadequate a takeover offer tabled on Thursday by a group of Australian defence contractors represented by ASDAM Operations, a company majority owned by CPE Capital. CPE Capital specialises in growing mid-sized businesses by providing development capital, and has investments in a wide range of businesses, including manufacturers. ASDAM…

Plant based food manufacturer Forbidden Foods has reported early cost savings and sales momentum following the strategic acquisition of Oat Milk Goodness (OMG) brand of oat drinks. The company told investors that the first full month of operations as a combined entity saw an initial round of cost savings complemented by strong monthly sales growth.…

Long duration energy storage (LDES) developer and operator Hydrostor and the New South Wales (NSW) government have signed a Crown Lands agreement to enable the construction of the Silver City Energy Storage Centre designed to provide backup power to Broken Hill. With the region recently suffering prolonged energy supply blackouts, the project will support the…

Crop protection and seed developer Nufarm has established a strategic R&D partnership to expand its bioenergy and sustainable oils platform technology originally sourced from CSIRO. The company’s Biomass Oil trait technology comprises a significant estate of patents and know-how that when deployed into crops boost accumulation of oil in plant tissue, increasing oil yields from…

Shares in aerospace composites manufacturer Quickstep increased 94 percent today to reach 38 cents on news of a takeover offer that would see the company join an expanding and market leading group of defence suppliers majority owned by CPE Capital. CPE Capital is a highly experienced provider of development capital to medium sized growth businesses…

Mac Uni launches semiconductor initiative Macquarie University launched a new on-campus Silicon Platforms Lab (SiP Lab) in collaboration with Atto Devices this week, which will be co-located on campus “to serve as the primary commercialisation pathway for the lab’s research” and “deliver an important boost to the industry in Australia.” Atto Devices is a designer…

Approximately a billion beverage containers have been kept out of landfill in the first 12 months as a result of the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic), according to its coordinator. CDS Vic was announced in April last year and the program officially launched the following November 1. VicReturn – which includes Lion, Coca-Cola Europacific…

Welding industry professional body Weld Australia announced the winners of its Victoria and Tasmania Welding Excellence Awards  for 2024 on Wednesday night. The event at Crowne Plaza in Melbourne showcased “the exceptional talent of welders and fabricators across Victoria and Tasmania” Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said in a statement on Thursday. “The winners this…

Timber products and chemical maker Koppers Wood Products has launched its upgraded Longford pine processing plant, backed by the Tasmanian government’s On-Island Processing Program. According to a statement from industry minister Eric Abetz, the state’s timber is being “pushed to the fore in public infrastructure and construction” and represents an industry supporting over 5,000 Tasmanian…

Australian Vanadium subsidiary VSUN Energy has completed Phase 1 of Project Lumina designed to assess the viability of constructing a vanadium flow battery energy storage system in Australia. Phase 1 was an internal analysis which has undergone an independent external review to assess whether a VFB battery electric storage (BESS) solution is likely to be…

Thirty-six grants totalling $38 million have been awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) under the 2025 ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme.  LEIF supports eligible organisations with research infrastructure, equipment and facilities, with the goal of having this shared between higher education organisations and industry. “The LIEF Scheme supports outstanding basic, strategic…

Monash University food engineers have developed a “super yoghurt” formula using lupins, which the university says represents a “major advancement in the plant-based food sector” due to its fast fermentation time, texture, and nutritional benefits. According to a statement from Monash on Wednesday, researchers at the BioPRIA institute led a study investigating how different probiotic…

ANSTO’s OPAL research reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney has recommenced operations following a months-long planned shutdown to carry out essential maintenance and upgrades. Central to these upgrades was the elaborate replacement of OPAL’s cold neutron source, located next to the reactor core. The three-metre-tall device slows down neutrons as they travel from the OPAL…

Pharmacy supply company Wellnex Life will defer payment for its takeover of natural topical pain relief brand Pain Away as it seeks a dual listing for its shares in London. Wellnex Life has entered into an agreement with 365 Health, the vendors of Pain Away, to delay the payment of a first instalment of $2.95…

HMAS Parramatta – the final ship in the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) – recently had its new mast installed, as an 8-year upgrade programme for the Royal Australian Navy vessels nears completion. The new mast is the eighth to be manufactured by by BAE Systems Australia at its Henderson shipyard in Perth, through…

Bus manufacturer Custom Denning has laid claim to be first in Australia to produce an electric bus equipped with pantograph fast-charging capability (pictured). Thirteen Element 2 buses are now equipped with pantograph charging, with the company demonstrating consecutive 1C fast-charging sessions using a single bus pantograph charger. The event was witnessed by representatives from Transport…

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…

Rocket manufacturer and launch services company Gilmour Space Technologies was granted a launch permit on Monday afternoon, which it says is a green light for the first orbital test flight of a locally-made rocket from Australian soil.  In a statement on Tuesday, Gilmour Space said the permit granted by federal industry minister Ed Husic and…

The Australian Food and Grocery Council, the peak industry lobby for that sector, has warned that manufacturing costs have soared and are threatening the viability of its members. In a statement on Tuesday, the AFGC said while some costs – including for some commodities, energy, and shipping have slightly moderated – others are increasing, and…

Steel manufacturer and distributor InfraBuild has become the first distribution business in Australia to secure accreditation under the Australian Steel Institute’s traceability standard. With the ASI, Steel Compliance Australia has awarded InfraBuild Steel Centre Dandenong the accreditation under AS/NZS 5131. The Australian Steel Institute amended the current standard to include traceability measures in the current…

Tissue regeneration developer Osteopore is to invest in a new entity, Regen SPV, to be setup by scientists Dr Xianmin Zeng and Dr Brian Kennedy. Regen SPV aims to advance cutting-edge regenerative technologies, disease cures, and the promotion of geroscience and longevity. Its work will continue to advance the broader understanding of aging and the…

The federal government has unexpectedly axed what was an iconic project to deliver an Australian Defence Satellite Communications System that would provide the ADF with a sovereign military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) system. Project JP9102 was to have been delivered by prime contractor Lockheed Martin Australia, with the company bringing in a growing number of local…

SPONSORED ARTICLE New research by Telstra has found a lack of connection between senior business and public sector leaders could mean a missed opportunity of about $53 billion in revenue annually across large Australian organisations. Telstra’s Return on Connection report quantifies the value of human-to-human connection for leaders, their organisation and the industries they support,…

Drinking water appliance manufacturer Zip Water has launched a new series of its HydroTap G5, which the company says is the most energy-efficient in its HydroTap collection. According to a statement from the company on Monday, the G5 “can deliver consistent chilled water while enhancing energy efficiency” by up to 24 per cent versus other…

Optiscan Imaging and Monash University have agreed to work together on its its project to develop the next-gen gastrointestinal (GI) flexible endomicroscope and Edge-AI-enabled technology. The agreement represents a further extension of the longstanding relationship Optiscan has with Monash University, with the company’s technology originally created at the university. AI capabilities are critical to Optiscan’s…

Southern Launch has been granted all approvals for the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex located on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, with work on permanent facilities to be ready for the first launches from the site scheduled for late 2025. Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said: “Access to space is critical…

The Envirostream Australia subsidiary of Livium Ltd has been awarded an $850,000 grant from the Western Australia government to support the development of Envirostream’s battery recycling operations in the state. Formerly known as Lithium Australia, Livium is developing a whole of life lithium value chain including Envirostream recycling which currently recycles batteries at a facility…

Silicon energy storage system developer 1414 Degrees is becoming increasingly confident that its SiBox storage technology is at the point of commercialisation. SiBox, which is is being developed in association with Woodside Energy Technologies, stores renewable electricity as latent heat. In a demonstration module, it has produced up to 900◦C hot air, proving its potential…

By Peter Roberts Shipbuilder Austal has again shown at its annual general meeting the folly of Australia’s apparent unconcern should the company fall under foreign ownership. In September Korea’s Hanwha gave up on a takeover of Austal, a deal that was waved through by Defence Minister Richard Marles as of no concern to the government.…

Health technology developer Cardiex has begun to receive pre-orders in the United States for its CONNEQT Arterial Health Assessment, which comes complete with the CONNEQT Pulse vascular biometric monitor (pictured). Following a successful waitlist and nurturing of the 20,000 sign-ups for Pulse, exclusive invitations for pre-orders have now commenced, according to the company. The milestone…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) WA hydrogen strategy aims for green ammonia, iron The Western Australian government has released a refreshed Renewable Hydrogen Strategy for Western Australia, with a major focus on producing green products and value-adding to the state’s resources. The first update in…

Although the consumer price index (CPI) slowed to 2.8 per cent this week, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that inflation is also “re-accelerating in some parts of the industrial ecosystem”, employer representative the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has said. In a statement on Friday, Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox called slowing consumer…

Space Machines Company, which is developing vehicles for in-space servicing of satellites, has announced former Head of Engineering at Nanosonics Shane Albances as its new engineering lead. Albances (pictured) is leading the team at SMC preparing for the MAITRI mission, scheduled for 2026, which will feature the planned launch of Space Machines Company’s second Optimus…

The federal and South Australian governments have announced that they are establishing a $2.5 million SA Wine Recovery Program to aid the industry’s adjustment to “adverse events and market disruptions” in recent years.  According to a joint statement from federal agriculture minister Julie Collins and state primary industries minister Clare Scriven, the program is in…

Electrical engineering company Ampcontrol has celebrated 20 years of research collaboration with the University of Newcastle through their ResTech R&D collaboration. ResTech held a public open day yesterday at which Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic officially opening the new ResTech Living Labs facility. Located at the industrial-focused Callaghan Campus, NSW, Living Lab aims to…

This week the government of South Australia received a key approval for its big play for leadership in the world of green hydrogen – the $500 million Hydrogen Jobs Plan. The plan for 250MWe of electrolysers, 200MW of hydrogen power generation and a 100t renewable hydrogen storage facility was granted approval under the Environment Protection…

Carbon fibre nanotube X-ray manufacturer Micro-X made significant progress in the quarter to September as it commercialises its unique technology through increased sales activity, funded R&D activities and technology licensing to non competing firms. During the Quarter the company successfully completed the technology transfer to medical X-ray tube to Varex Imaging Corporation for NEX Technology…

Beverage business Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia has opened a new $22.2 million line (pictured) at Richlands, able to make 2,000 canned drinks per minute, and announced a planned “multi-year $75 million investment” to “supercharge” output of Monster Energy Company’s caffeinated beverages at the same location. In a statement on Thursday, CCEP said the new…

CSIRO solar cell printing facility unveiled Solar cells that can be printed onto flexible film have been made possible through a new CSIRO Printed Photovoltaics Facility that uses roll-to-roll printing technology to produce high quality cells at large scale. The new $6.8 million pilot facility is being funded by CSIRO and the Australian Renewable Energy…

A satellite imagery tool developed by RMIT University scientists and able to spot plastic rubbish beaches has been successfully field tested on a remote stretch of coastline, according to the university. In a statement on Thursday, RMIT said the satellite imagery tool “picks up differences in how sand, water and plastics reflect light,” and is…

Federal funding bodies supporting energy and industrial transformation should direct more funds towards early stage R&D to support innovation according to a new report from the Centre for Policy Development. The report – Ideas to industries: How to get the most out of public money for industrial development – said most of the funds from…

The federal government is studying ways of building on investments in new energy infrastructure to use more Australian content, looking first at structural steel and local manufacturing opportunities. The government said in a statement that it wanted to make sure that more good jobs flow from renewable infrastructure projects, and that households and businesses pay…

By Peter Roberts It has been a long while coming, but after 29 months in office the federal government has released a Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Plan. A recommendation of the Defence Strategic Review, the government has been meanwhile buying new weapons overseas and supporting local manufacture of some missiles and munitions. It has…

The federal government today committed to two new Australian defence factories – one to manufacture Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS, pictured), and the second a new 155mm artillery ammunition forging plant. The government did not reveal the cost of the new plants, except to say they were part of the Guided Weapons and Explosive…

Industrial technology company Calix and Pilbara Minerals have deferred any construction works not under contract at their $105 million Mid-Stream Demonstration Plant at Pilbara’s Pilgangoora Project in Western Australia. The project, supported by $20 million through the federal government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative, is 60 percent complete but will be paused until lithium markets return to…

Melbourne-based engineering company MEMKO has expanded into Singapore, launching its second international subsidiary. The company said the Singaporean presence will “broaden its market reach… in the region for its portfolio of products and services” and follows it establishing a presence in Bangalore, India. MEMKO said in a statement on Tuesday that its “collective businesses in…

Five companies in the state have been awarded $1.25 million in total under the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) METS Innovation Program. According to a statement from WA mines minister David Michael, the funding of $250,000 per grant is matched by each mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector company, aiding projects that…

The Western Australian government has awarded a $340,000 grant to Gemco Rail through the Local Manufacturing Investment Fund, which will support upgrades to the company’s Forrestfield factory. According to a statement from Stephen Dawson, WA assisting minister for industry development, the modernisation investments will help the company deliver 40 iron ore rail wagons to BHP.…

UNSW Sydney in association with start up Diraq have reached a milestone in the hunt for the perfect quantum computing storage qubit to allow faster and more efficient quantum computing applications. The team demonstrated hole-spin qubits – positively charged particles in semiconductors – using industry standard silicon manufacturing processes. Hole-spins qubits have the potential to…

The Western Australian government has released a refreshed Renewable Hydrogen Strategy for Western Australia, with a major focus on producing green products and value-adding to the state’s resources. The first update in five years, the Australian Renewable Hydrogen Strategy has a strong focus on using renewable hydrogen to produce green ammonia and green iron. And…

Gravitational energy storage developer Green Gravity has begun minesite concept engineering, and local community engagement in Mount Isa, Queensland for the deployment of up to 2 GWh of gravitational energy storage. Green Gravity is working with the Mount Isa City Council and copper mining company Glencore to examine the potential of utilising mineshafts at the…

Food manufacturer Mars Incorporated has announced that its Wodonga, Victoria pet food manufacturing facility will become the first large-scale steam-based manufacturing site in Australia to be powered 100 percent by renewables. The company will complete by 2026 the $39.3 million Mars Wodonga Solar Thermal Plant, including the installation of an 18-megawatt Parabolic Trough Concentrated Solar…

Additive manufacturing machinery manufacturer Titomic has broken into the US ship and submarine construction market, making its inaugural sale of a cold spray repair system. The sale to U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), adds to its recent successes with the Royal Dutch Army and French Navy. Titomic told investors that reseller, Anywise America…

eLumina, which plans to begin production of large-scale lithium batteries and electric vehicle chargers, officially opened its Yatala, Gold Coast factory on Tuesday. According to a statement from the company – which had planned to launch the site in August – the $20 million factory is “set to produce 300 batteries and EV chargers a…

Prefabricated home system manufacturer AltForm is launching its first Victorian prototype in Ormond, Melbourne, which can reduce construction time by up to 45 percent, according to the company. In collaboration with SRH Architecture and Highline Living, the Bayside project will see dual townhouses installed later this month, starting at $2.5 million each. Executive General Manager…

ASX-listed surface coating technology company AnteoTech has been awarded a grant of $3.99 million through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), supporting a three-year, $11.1 million project to commercialise a proprietary silicon anode technology. The project for lithium ion battery anodes is supported through the agency’s Advancing Renewables program, and concerns anodes containing AnteoTech’s AnteoX…

BlueScope Steel today cut guidance for earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for 1H FY2025 on continued record China steel sales in the region and softness in North America in the countdown to the Presidential election. The company told investors it expected underlying EBIT to be in the range of $270 million to $310 million,…

The NSW and federal governments have announced that they will spend $28.1 million each over five years to establish a Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Newcastle, aimed at developing workforce skills needed to support the energy transition. According to a release from the state government on Tuesday, the funding will “accelerate the…

Needle free biotechnology company Vaxxas has announced that the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) has granted the company a licence to a vaccine antigen candidate (DS2), designed for use in prophylactic vaccines against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV is a common contagious virus affecting the lungs and breathing passages which causes an estimated…

A study by composites manufacturer Quickstep Technologies and RMIT University has concluded that braiding technology offers an opportunity to enhance the production rate of composite structures for eVTOL UAS applications. A collaboration between Quickstep, RMIT and the Defence Science Institute studied the use of advanced composite manufacturing methodology — braiding — to produce the primary…

Defence engineering services group Babcock Australasia has opened a new cutting-edge facility, that will see its Adelaide maintenance, manufacturing and repair footprint double in support of critical army and navy programmes. The $31 million building will be home to more than 100 Babcock engineers and technical experts working across nationally significant defence programmes including: Collins…

Battery manufacturer Li-S Energy has announced that it has proved substantial improvement in energy density for its lithium sulfur battery technology in tests. Li-S said on Monday that it had manufactured full-size 10Ah (amp-hour) semi-solid-state cells at its production facility, with the pouch cells using the company’s GEN3 cell chemistry (announced in April 2023.) According…

Lincoln Minerals has released a revised pre-feasibility study for its Kookaburra Graphite Project 35km north of Port Lincoln in South Australia. Described as the newest mine to market in Australia’s graphite industry after the Uley Mine in SA closed in 2017, the study proposes open-pit mining and a simple floatation process to produce a graphite…

Sleep apnoea treatment business ResMed has launched its new AirTouch N30i product – manufactured at Bella Vista, New South Wales – in Australia, describing the new nasal mask as combining softness, breathability, and a high-performance seal. The company’s first fully-fabric mask is “a fabric-wrapped frame featuring a soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking design”, ResMed said on…

Electronics business GME has released the new TX6165 range of 5-watt UHF CB (citizen band) radios. In a statement on Monday, the company said the range offers class-leading features including a “large, clear LCD display, 2-Watt speaker and a user-programmable button” as well as 5-Watt transmission power and an IP67 ingress-protection rating. It described the…

Queensland manufacturer Products For Industry (PFi) is introducing what is believed to be a world-first pure titanium cross flow membrane solution, which has uptime, environmental, and yield benefits compared to traditional wastewater treatment methods. After more than 10 years of development, the product is now entering service in Australia with a leading beverages company, which…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Licella, Shell partner to pursue biomass-to-aviation fuel processing Recycling technology company Licella has announced a new partnership with the decarbonisation division of Shell, applying the two companies’ collective expertise to biofuels, particularly sustainable aviation fuels (SAF.) In a statement on…

Edge computing for space developer Aicraft is looking forward to a future of innovation and collaboration following a successful visit to Taiwan. The company took part in the TAcc+ (Taiwan Accelerator Plus) programme along with other high tech companies and inked what Chief Executive Officer of AICRAFT Tony Scoleri describes as ‘some incredible partnerships and…

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) has acquired Furniture Complaints Australia, taking full control of monitoring and resolving consumer complaints through the national platform. FCA was established in 2019, aimed at addressing consumer complaints related to furniture products – FCA manages issues ranging from poor customer handling through to overseeing recall claims to the ACCC. Over…

GreenHY2 receives first grant funding for Telstra project Hydrogen Energy storage manufacturer GreenHY2 has received the 1st Instalment of the grant funds allocated by the federal government to provide its Hy2MEDI generation and storage system to Telstra. The amount received is $432,000 plus GST, with the total grant for the project valued at $1.5 million.…

Sleep apnoea device manufacturer ResMed has reported that revenue grew by 11 percent on a constant currency basis in the first quarter FY25 to US$1.2 billion, driven by demand for its constant air pressure systems. Revenue grew from its sleep devices and masks portfolio, as well as strong growth across its Residential Care Software business.…

With almost $4 trillion in Australian superannuation assets, that pool of capital is sometimes cited as an untapped resource for worthwhile but underfunded causes, such as developing high-tech local businesses. Encouraging just a small portion of this to find its way into tech startups is a popular idea — one sometimes advocated by contributors to…

The winners of the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Welding Excellence Awards were announced in Sydney on Thursday night. The awards at Rydges World Square in Sydney celebrated “both businesses and individuals who are making waves in welding through their dedication to quality, safety and innovation” said Geoff Crittenden, CEO of event organiser…

Satellite and space services company Fleet Space Technologies will collaborate with Rio Tinto to advance exploration at its Rincon Lithium Project in Argentina. Leveraging Fleet Space’s AI and satellite enabled exploration solution, ExoSphere, Rio Tinto will develop 3D subsurface maps of the reservoir, basement depth, and brine influencing structures across 100km2 of the project’s salt…

Radiopharmaceutical developer entX Ltd is poised to make a decision to green light construction of a radiopharmaceutical production facility targeting cancer treatment with radioactive isotopes. The facility is supported by a $1.9 million Economic Recovery Fund (ERF) grant from the South Australian Government as well as a $2,915,000 Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grant announced…

Three innovative Australian SMEs will use the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their medical products and become internationally competitive as part of a new accelerator starting this month. Cortical Dynamics, Microbio, and Resonait Medical Technologies have been selected for the Biomedical AI Sprints Accelerator (BASA) run by leading innovation centres the…

When the Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic revealed the latest budget estimates for R&D he claimed that ‘Gov’t R&D (was) up’. A detailed analysis of the figures by Dr John Howard confirms that government investment in R&D as a proportion of GDP was, in fact, down, with worrying trends also apparent in higher…

Clinical trials of its Felix sperm separation device for IVF clinics are now 90 per cent complete, according to reproductive technology specialist Memphasys, with the company also sharing that it now anticipates “entering larger markets earlier than previously expected” following a decision to pursue CE mark registration. In a statement on Thursday, the company told…

The US arm of shipbuilder Austal has celebrated the start of construction for a new manufacturing facility for submarine modules (MMF3) at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. This new building, scheduled to be fully operational in late 2026, will significantly increase Austal USA’s capacity to support the U.S. Navy Submarine Industrial Base (SIB). The new…

Completion rates for vocational education and training (VET) qualifications held steady at a high rate according to the latest report released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The VET qualification completion rates 2023 report shows that 47.3 percent of all VET qualifications that commenced in 2019 – the year before the…

After decades of sourcing rail cars overseas, the NSW government has re-committed to deciding on a replacement for the first 445 ageing Tangara suburban rail cars in 2025, and commencing procurement in 2026. The government has updated the Project Overview for the Future Fleet Program project page on Gateway by ICN and released an Early…

Steelmaker GFG Alliance’s executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta put on a brave face in South Australia this week, vowing the company’s troubled Whyalla blast furnace would produce again and that the site had a future making green steel. Gupta travelled to Whyalla in South Australia to inspect repair work on the blast furnace which has been…

Defence tactical watercraft manufacturer The Whiskey Project Group (TWPG) has announced the establishment of its new US headquarters and manufacturing hub in Edenton, North Carolina. The Australian veteran-founded company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities with a 50-acre footprint that integrates shipbuilding and warehousing in the big US defence and security market. In April The Whiskey…

Drone manufacturer and solutions provider Carbonix has partnered with Toll Uncrewed Systems which will see the Sydney company become the primary training organisation for Carbonix drones in Australia. Carbonix CEO Philip van der Burg said: “Carbonix drones are already used in a range of scenarios all over the world including in commercial and military operations,…

ICN Victoria celebrated its anniversary, marking 40 years since its founding as the Industrial Supplies Office (ISO), at an event on Tuesday. According to a statement from ICN Victoria – a non-profit company majority funded by the state government and linking smaller suppliers to major projects – it has played “a critical role in shaping…

Space systems and satellite sector manufacturer Inovor Technologies has become the latest company to graduate from the Lockheed Martin Mentor Protégé Program which mentors the leadership teams of key defence suppliers to the company. Inovor joins Clearbox Systems, the first supplier to graduate outside the US, and Silentium Defence which have also benefitted from the…

The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) has called on furniture manufacturers and suppliers to address the presence of persistent PFAS chemicals which have been linked to harmful effects in humans. Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been identified in numerous consumer goods, including furniture, where they are often used in fire retardants, stain repellents, and water-resistant treatments. The…

SwarmFarm Robotics’ farm robot rolls out of new Toowoomba factory Farm robotic vehicle manufacturer SwarmFarm Robotics has released images (pictured) of the very first SwarmBot as it rolled out of the company’s new manufacturing plant in Toowoomba. SwarmBot is an autonomous platform that can be customised for tasks faced in local crop farming systems. SwarmFarm…

Food ingredient startup Pectin 360 (P360) has announced a partnership with ASX-listed The Original Juice Company (TOJC), aiming to upcycle food waste into pectin and fibre, with an unnamed research and commercialisation partner selected to help establish a pilot plant. In a statement this week from P360, the company said a Heads of Agreement had…

Aerospace composites manufacturer Quickstep has been unable to find a buyer for its loss making Quickstep Aerospace Services maintenance business at Tullamarine in Melbourne, and will close the operation. The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operation was originally purchased from Boeing Australia, with Quickstep investing $4 million and expanding the operation in 2021. QAS works…

SunCable International, the company planning to supply solar and wind powered electricity to Singapore via an undersea cable, has received conditional approval for the project from the Singaporean Energy Market Authority (EMA). The Conditional Approval follows a comprehensive process by the EMA which determined that AAPowerLink that aims to supply up to 15 per cent…

Monash University engineers have developed and tested EDTA-aided loose nanofiltration (EALNF), a new method enabling direct lithium extraction from lithium-rich saltwater sources which are untappable using current methods. With some predicting global lithium supply could fall short of demand as early as 2025, the innovative technology sets a new standard in lithium processing, according to…

Round 16 Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-P) grants totalling approximately $55 million have been awarded to 23 projects, involving companies including junior mining explorer Impact Minerals, medical test maker ZiP Diagnostics, drone mapping specialist Emesent, and hydrogen storage company Rux Energy. In a statement on Tuesday, industry minister Ed Husic said one grant for almost…

Fail-safe commercial vehicle brake manufacturer Advanced Braking Technology has announced a global distribution agreement with RaptorTech Pty Ltd to distribute, market and sell its auto braking system designed to integrate with Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS). ABT, which supplies the mining and defence sectors with sealed braking systems, will market and sell the product for an…

Automated laboratory systems manufacturer LBT Innovations has completed the sale of an APAS Independence instrument (pictured) to Bristol Myers Squibb in the United States, the first to a pharmaceutical customer in the US. The APAS Independence instrument utilises artificial intelligence, image analysis and software engineering to monitor quality in a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility by automating…

Eighty-eight finalists – each a winner at their state or territory export awards – have been named for the Australian Export Awards, with winners to be announced at a November 20 gala dinner event. In a statement on Tuesday, federal trade minister Don Farrell said the field for the upcoming awards collectively employed over 24,300…

3D printed automotive, aerospace and drone heat exchanger manufacturer Conflux Technology has secured $11 million in its Series B funding round, led by the Victorian government venture capital arm Breakthrough Victoria. Breakthrough pledged $5 million along with investors AM Ventures and Acorn Capital, with the cash to be used to accelerate development of its Conflux…

Industry research and development, marketing and regulatory body Wine Australia has released its latest Export Report, showing exports up 34 per cent by value and 7 per cent in volume for the 12 months ending September 2024, both reaching their highest levels in three years. In a statement on the report on Tuesday, Wine Australia…

Newly-formed consortium Green Iron SA has announced its arrival and its vision, which includes turning Port Pirie into a hub for green iron pelletising, downstream manufacturing and bulk export. Green Steel SA said it hopes to exploit the state’s natural assets of the Braemar Iron Region and its renewable energy potential to “position South Australia…

Pharmaceutical manufacturer IDT Australia has reported revenue for the quarter ended 30 September up 70 percent on the previous corresponding period to reach a two year high of $5.2 million. The Melbourne company said the results were encouraging and came on top of the it submitting proposals worth $24.7 million and securing $6.8 million in…

Charles Darwin University (CDU) has shared some of the uses of an electrospinning machine at its Casuarina campus, producing nanofibres “10 to 100 times thinner than a spider’s silk”. In a statement on Monday, the university said the extreme surface area-to-volume ratios of such fibres could act like a superpower with usefulness in applications “whether…

Mining equipment manufacturer Austin Engineering has won more than 100 orders for new min truck trays at its Chile business in the first three months of FY25. The orders are collectively worth $35 million and represent significant, and potentially ongoing incremental business over the previous year, according to the company. The bulk of the purchase…

Battery recycling company Iondrive has claimed “exceptional results” in large-scale bench trials this month, using its process to recover critical minerals from end-of-life battery materials. In a statement on Monday, the ASX-listed company shared that “a major leap forward” had been achieved in its ability to demonstrate recovery of valuable minerals, including lithium, even from…

Environmental Clean Technologies has signed a joint venture agreement with ESG Agriculture to conduct field trials targeting construction of a facility with initial production of 30,000 tonnes per annum of lignite-nitrogen fertiliser at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, increasing to 50,000 tpa. The JV, which follows a heads of agreement signed in July, is backed by $500,000…

Perth based Aurora Labs has received a second direct order for the Department of Defence for experimental additively manufactured metal components. This follows a June order from Defence to supply experimental metal alloy 3D printed parts, as well as supplying print production specialty componentry over the coming months. The company develops metal additive printers and…

Recycling technology company Licella has announced a new partnership with the decarbonisation division of Shell, applying the two companies’ collective expertise to biofuels, particularly sustainable aviation fuels (SAF.) In a statement on Monday, Licella described the news as a “global upgrading collaboration” combining its proprietary hydrothermal liquefaction process, known as Cat-HTR, with partner Shell Catalysts…

Biotechnology company InhaleRx has secured $38.5 million in funding to further develop its precision medicines delivered via inhalation. Clendon Biotech Capital has entered into a strategic partnership with the company to provide funding to cover all direct costs associated with the Phase 1 & 2 clinical development of its’ key drug development projects – IRX-211…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Green hydrogen plant breaks ground at Wodonga Ground has been broken in Wodonga, Victoria today on one of Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen plants – a facility that is predicted to cut CO2 emissions by around 4,000 tonnes each year from…

Solar PV innovator SunDrive Solar has linked with a big overseas solar manufacturer to help get its technology utilised internationally and establish a major Australian solar manufacturing facility. The company, which has developed solar panels based on copper rather than expensive metal components, has signed a MoU with Trinasolar, one of the world’s largest solar…

The federal government has issued an Australian Innovation Statistics (AIS) dashboard showing, according to the headline on the government’s media release, ‘Govt R&D up, overall R&D needs uplift’. The problem with this convenient analysis is that it belies the reality established in @AuManufacturing’s editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – of a national innovation effort…

Rio Tinto aluminium production steady Rio Tinto has announced aluminium production of 809,000 kiltonnes worldwide in the third quarter — including from its Australian smelters at Boyne Island and Bell Bay — down two per cent on the previous corresponding period. Production for the first three quarters of the year is up one per cent.…

ASX listed water purification technology developer PurifloH has reported the external validation when tested by Osmoflo Pty Ltd of its PFAS destruction technology. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent chemical contaminants thought to have the potential to cause damage to the liver and the immune system. Water samples from two PFAS…

Melbourne-based Luyten 3D, which makes large-scale concrete printers for the construction industry, has announced the sale this week of a Platypus X4 Special Edition machine to startup 3VIMA. According to its website, the machine sold is able to “construct large-scale projects with complex geometries” up to four metres high, eight metres wide, and 16 metres…

Drainage, wastewater and environmental products manufacturer Everhard Industries has announced that Dean Jennings (pictured) is its new CEO. In a statement on Thursday morning, the company said that the board had appointed Jennings, who possesses a deep understanding of the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.  “Dean’s expertise in manufacturing across the grocery, apparel and hard…

Australia’s largest bus body manufacturer Volgren has has revealed its first hydrogen-powered bus (pictured), in collaboration with Wrightbus. A second hydrogen bus is already in production and will be delivered to the customer in the coming months, further expanding Volgren’s role in zero-emission transport solutions. The hydrogen bus follows the announcement earlier this month that…

Derrimut-based Viridian Renewable Technology, which produces fertilisers and insect-based protein ingredients for pet and animal feed, has received a $2.5 million investment from state government-backed venture fund Breakthrough Victoria Located in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Viridian plans to up factory capacity over the next 12 months and take on 15 employees. The plant will supply “over…

Chemical engineering company Hazer Group and Japanese trading company Mitsui & Co have extended their MoU, announced almost two years ago, regarding joint investigation of potential markets for graphite. The original November 2022 MoU covered an initial marketing survey – making use of Mitsui’s global network – for applications of graphitic carbon, which the Australian…

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…

The federal government will establish a consolidated Commonwealth-owned Defence Precinct at Western Australia’s Henderson shipyard to underpin continuous naval shipbuilding and nuclear submarine maintenance and support in the order of 10,000 well-paid, high-skilled local jobs. The government will make an initial investment of $127 million over three years to progress planning, consultations, preliminary design and…

Cold spray additive manufacturing company Titomic says it has successfully upped its equity raise from $25 million to $30 million “due to strong investor demand” as its focus continues to shift to the US market.  As reported earlier this week, Titomic shares went into a trading halt on Monday as the company sought to raise…

Canadian rocket manufacturer Reaction Dynamics has signed a contract with Southern Launch to conduct the inaugural launch and flight of their RE-102 hybrid rocket engine and Aurora vehicle from the Koonibba Test Range in outback South Australia in 2025. The Aurora suborbital mission will serve as the maiden flight qualification test for Reaction Dynamics’ rocket…

Engineering group Civmec has agreed on a framework for the transfer of ownership of German-owned Luerssen Australia, its partner in constructing six Arafura Class Offshore Patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy under the existing SEA1180 contract. Upon completion of the potential transaction, NVL B.V. & Co. KG (Naval Vessels Lürssen) will transfer all its…

Battery materials company International Graphite has announced ‘outstanding results’ from bench scale micronising, spheroidising and purification testwork on graphite concentrates from the company’s Springdale Graphite Project in Western Australia. The testing, conducted by industry specialists ProGraphite GmbH, used 23kg of 95.3 percent loss on ignition (LOI) grade Springdale graphite concentrates to produce purified spheroidised graphite…

Gravitational energy storage developer Green Gravity has secured $9 Million in funding with strong backing from existing and new major strategic and financial investors. The company, which is repurposing legacy mineshafts for utility scale long-duration energy storage, secured financing from investors including HMC Capital, BlueScopeX, Pacific Channel and Sumisho Coal Australia Holdings (SCAP H, a…

Paladin Space will use a $100,000 South Australian government grant to progress its work into reducing the risk posed to spacecraft by space debris including defunct satellites, rocket parts and much smaller items floating in the Earth’s orbit. Harrison Box, the founder of Paladin Space, is developing an advanced reusable space debris remover that will…

The federal government has announced a $5 million grant to Australian Strategic Materials (ASM), covering up to 50 per cent of a project to identify “alternative, capital efficient and nearer term options” for producing rare earth elements at its Dubbo Project. The funding announced by resources minister Madeline King (pictured in middle) on Tuesday is…

Clean energy technology company AnteoTech has received the first commercial order for its proprietary Ultranode battery anode technology containing 70 percent low cost silicon. The order comes from a leading European EV manufacturer ‘EV1’ that has trialled the Ultranode product. EV1 is seeking step change in silicon content for their next generation EV batteries, and…

Mining equipment manufacturer Austin Engineering has made the first shipment of an Armadillo electric rope shovel dipper bucket, following its acquisition of bucket specialist Mainetec in 2022. In a statement on Tuesday, Austin said the bucket was on its way to an unnamed customer for use on a US copper mine.  The order was claimed…

Four-wheel-drive tray and canopy manufacturer Norweld says it has more than doubled its workforce in the last two years, and is emphasising work-life balance-related perks to attract the right tradespeople. The half-century-old company said on Tuesday that it is “pulling out all the stops” to ensure staffing demands are met at its eight locations, and…

A total of 12 Australians have graduated from the United States Navy Nuclear Power School including the first seven Royal Australian Navy (RAN) enlisted sailors who joined RAN officers also graduating. The 12 are the pioneers towards Australia acquiring and ultimately constructing a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) fleet in the early 2030s, according…

The federal government is backing a Port of Newcastle Clean Energy Precinct which has signed agreements for key design work and environmental impact studies with $100 million in funding . The precinct will renew a disused 220-hectare industrial site to facilitate clean energy production, storage, transmission, domestic distribution and international export. The Precinct will integrate…

Mineral processing mill relining systems manufacturer Russell Mineral Equipment has announced it is to acquire leading industrial blasting and protective coatings business, Masterblasters. RME will acquire Masterblasters’ assets and operations, while Masterblasters’ owner Tim Hamblin and Business Manager Liz Hamblin will also join RME, retaining their roles. Founded in Toowoomba in 2006, Masterblasters is a…

Titomic seeking to raise $20 million: report Metal additive manufacturing business Titomic announced a trading halt on Monday morning, with this reportedly due to a $20 million capital raise. According to The Australian Financial Review, Titomic has enlisted lead broker Shaw and Partners — with Peloton Capital and Gleneagle Securities as co-lead managers — for…

Cold spray additive manufacturing business Titomic has announced that current CEO Herbert Koeck will leave at the end of 2024, with defence and aerospace executive Jim Simpson to begin as CEO on January 1. Coming just after the company was put in a trading halt – reportedly seeking to raise $20 million from investors –…

This week inventor and electrochemist Emeritus Professor Maria Skyllas-Kazacos and her team at University of NSW Sydney are hosting an event to mark the 40th anniversary of the vanadium redox flow battery (VFB.) Running on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tyree Energy Technologies Building, the 40th Anniversary Flow Battery Innovation Symposium will look at opportunities…

Printable electronics developer Strategic Elements is embarking on a project to scale up the size of the printed devices it can produce that generate electricity from moisture in the air. The company has shown it can generate electricity from a technology based on a transparent ink that can be printed onto surfaces such as plastic,…

High-power laser manufacturer, AIM Defence, will supply an additional two counter-drone Fractl units to the Australian Defence Force under a new $4.8 million agreement. Earlier this year, the ADF’s first directed energy systems contract was awarded to AIM Defence following a series of successful military trials and demonstrations of the portable, counter-drone ‘hard kill’ system…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Pure Dairy cheese facility nears completion Dairy trading house and manufacturer Pure Dairy has confirmed that its new cheese factory in Dandenong South is on schedule for a production launch in 2025. Structural work has been finished, and most internal…

Ground has been broken in Wodonga, Victoria today on one of Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen plants – a facility that is predicted to cut CO2 emissions by around 4,000 tonnes each year from 2025. Owned by Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, the 10MW Hydrogen Park Murray Valley facility will deliver renewable hydrogen to more than 40,000…

The annual AltProteins Conference, which was held in Melbourne on Thursday for the third time, will move to Sydney in October 2025. In a statement from Investment NSW welcoming the news, it said alternative proteins – produced from plant or animal cells and consumed as substitutes for meat and seafood – could be a sector…

The 22nd Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards were held on Wednesday night, with some of the major honours going to Stahl Metall, CSL and Assembled Threads. Held at the Crown Palladium Auditorium, the annual awards saw contract manufacturer Stahl Metall inducted to the Hall of Fame as the 2024 Leader in Manufacturing. According to…

Quantum technologies research company Archer Materials has signed an agreement with Chinese magnetic sensor manufacturer MultiDimension Technology to develop a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor for commercial use in industrial applications. TMR sensors detect and measure currents leveraging quantum phenomena and are ideal for many industrial applications including artificial intelligence, data centres, automotive, and internet-of-things, according…

Shipbuilder Birdon Group has provided an update on planned improvements at its shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Alabama (pictured), which is the production site for the U.S. Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) programme. Birdon has secured a $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 new vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard, while the…

Metal additive manufacturing machinery manufacturer Titomic has been invited to join DNV ProGRAM to help standardise cold spray applications in the oil and gas sector The initiative from the DNV certification group focuses on developing and standardising additive manufacturing technologies for the oil and gas sector. The collaboration will target the use of cold spray…

Food manufacturer ARYZTA and engineering services company SDR Engineering are among Peel region companies awarded grants through Round 7 of the Western Australian Regional Economic Development Grants program. Grants worth $1.17 million under the program were announced by state regional development minister Don Punch on Thursday at the Mandurah Indoor Rock Climbing Centre, which was…

National science agency CSIRO and the Western Australian government’s department of primary industries are inviting applications for 20 paid internships for tertiary students via the WA Food Industry Education Collaboration Program. According to a statement from CSIRO on Thursday, the program is open to STEM students at university, TAFE and VET institutions.  Facilitation and financial…

Industry body Weld Australia hosted the 2024 Queensland and Northern Territory Welding Excellence Awards in Brisbane on Wednesday night, celebrating the work of local welders, fabricators, and educators. The event at Waters Edge in Hamilton “showcase[d] the exceptional talent of welders and fabricators across Queensland and the Northern Territory” said Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden…

Industry association the Australian Aluminium Council has recommenced its efforts to have bauxite, alumina and aluminium added to the nation’s list of critical minerals, releasing a new report on supply chain risks and urging the government not to let aluminium “become the new nickel”. In a statement on Thursday, the council said that expanding the…

Aluminium chemicals company Alpha HPA’s pilot Stage 1 factory at Gladstone, Queensland is producing 1,200 kgs of battery precursor materials per week even as the company advances construction of its adjacent $550 million high purity alumina plant (pictured). The large scale plant utilises the latest in process control systems and automation in a facility capable…

A novel electrified reactor developed by Monash University researchers could offer a lower-temperature, lower-cost and environmentally gentler alternative to chemical manufacturers using methane reforming to make syngas, according to the university. In a statement on Wednesday, Monash said the reactor for dry reforming of methane (DRM) could cut emissions by up to 60 per cent…

Australian quantum computing business Q-CTRL has announced the successful expansion of its Series B Funding Round to $166 million (USD$113 million) with $87.5 million of new capital. The Series B-2 all-equity funding round was led by global global late-stage venture firm GP Bullhound and saw a dramatic increase in valuation from earlier financing. Q-CTRL CEO…

Welding sector peak body Weld Australia has called for immediate action against the offshoring of Victorian government infrastructure projects in favour of ‘cheap, unsafe imported steel’. Weld Australia, which represents thousands of local welders and fabricators, said Victoria’s actions had already decimated the local steel manufacturing industry, costing jobs, investment, and threatening the sovereign capability…

Bus manufacturers Marcopolo Group which owns Australian manufacturer Volgren and China’s Yutong have joined forces to introduce the Volgren Optimus/Yutong E12 Battery Electric Bus (pictured) to the Australian market. Built with Volgren’s Optimus aluminium bus body and powered by Yutong’s advanced electric chassis, the electric bus sets new standards in sustainability and performance, according to…

Automotive, aerospace and defence manufacturer PWR Holdings has announced that Sharyn Williams will become the company’s new Chief Financial Officer, replacing Martin McIver and beginning in the role early next year. In a statement on Tuesday, the company told investors that Williams has “15 years of ASX-listed experience as an Executive Leader and Chief Financial…

MTM Critical Metals has extended the range of metals it can recover from hard to recycle e-waste utilising the company’s proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) process. Building on the previously reported high recovery of gold, silver and copper, the Perth company has now successfully recovered 86 percent of the tin (Sn) and 82 percent of…

Nasdaq listed Vast Renewables and energy company Mabanaft have announced the first engineering contracts for the development of its SM1 green methanol plant at Port Augusta in South Australia. International engineering group Fichtner and German e-fuels leader bse Methanol have been awarded contracts for pre-front-end engineering and design (FEED), with Dr. Amy Philbrook, Arup’s Australasia…

Baking supplies manufacturer Allied Pinnacle has held a ceremonial cherry blossom planting and ribbon cutting with parent company Nisshin Seifun Group at its Ravenhall Distribution Centre in Victoria, ahead of the site’s official opening next month. According to a statement from the company, the event on Friday celebrates the new facility’s opening – which will…

The federal government has approved the 450-megawatt Goulburn River Solar Farm, a project budgeted at $880 million and which will include a million solar panels, a battery storage system, and upgrades to the surrounding road. According to a statement from federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek on Monday, the Upper Hunter region project – located between…

Fortescue Zero has announced its plans to begin operations at its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Center in Detroit, by producing a HV Marine Battery Pack, made using its Scalable Battery Module technology. The standardised subpack has been designed, engineered and will be used by EVOA, a leader in the field of advanced marine propulsion, to power…

Dairy trading house and manufacturer Pure Dairy has confirmed that its new cheese factory in Dandenong South (pictured) is on schedule for a production launch in 2025. Structural work has been finished, and most internal fitouts are also nearing completion – including the installation of specialised automated processing equipment. The 13,000 square metre facility will…

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has joined executives from GeelongPort in Victoria to view preparations for GeelongPort’s Renewables Terminal. GeelongPort plans to develop up to 25 hectares of land at its Oyster Cove site to build a new offshore wind farm terminal to support renewables industry in the Gippsland and Southern Ocean zones. New designs…

Australia and New Zealand forestry and timber company OneFortyOne has announced a $30 million investment in a renewable biomass power generation project at its Jubilee Sawmill in Mt Gambier, South Australia. One of the largest timber mills in Australia, the company is investing a total of $90 million at Jubilee which includes the installation of…

Australian clothing brand Country Road has announced grant recipients in the second year of its annual Climate Fund, backing four projects aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the fashion industry supply chain. According to a statement from the company on Friday, the three-year, $1.5 million fund announced in 2022 supports projects across four pillars:…

Long servicing CEO and Managing Director and board member Mark Burgess is to leave composites manufacturer Quickstep to pursue other opportunities, according to the Sydney company. The company’s Chief Operating Officer Demi Stefanova will assume the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. The Chair of Quickstep Patrick Largier said: “The evolving aerospace market…

Electricity and gas supplier Origin Energy is to abandon its involvement in the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub in a blow for green hydrogen hopes in Australia. The company said it was exiting the proposed 55MW HVHH project and halting hydrogen plans because of uncertainty over the pace and timing of hydrogen market development, and the…

Radiopharmaceutical system manufacturer Cyclopharm has entered into an agreement to supply the Veterans Health Administration (VA), the largest US government health care system, with the pharmaceutical and consumable components of its Technegas imaging system. The Interim Agreement immediately provides the 120 Veterans Affairs hospitals, which have nuclear medicine departments, access to an agreed contract for…

Many Australian manufacturers are wary of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, thinking they have little to offer, or are not yet ready for deployment. Here Lisa Balk looks at how AI can support manufacturers reach net zero. The global manufacturing sector stands at a critical crossroads. On one hand, it is an economic powerhouse that fuels…

Zero emission aircraft manufacturer AMSL Aero has signed a partnership with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to explore a zero-emissions aircraft industry in the Philippines. AMSL Aero, maker of the Vertiia vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft (pictured), also aims to provide the catalyst for a hydrogen production industry in the Philippines. The…

Noizend reports progress after one year’s operation Noise reduction company Noizend has developed a relationship with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to develop its Noizend Shields at its Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration. Noizend develops noise-cancelling technologies to reduce the noise pollution at the source from construction facilities, live music venues and factories.…

The Victorian government has given BrightNight approval to begin development of the $700 million Mortlake Energy Hub, a hybrid solar and battery energy storage project. Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said on Thursday that the fast-tracked project is expected to create approximately 300 construction jobs. According to its website, the energy hub is planned as…

The Western Australian government has announced $1.13 million in funding for nine projects under round seven of the Regional Economic Development Grants program, including to Rockcliffe Winery to assist in production of low- and zero-alcohol wine. According to a statement from regional development minister Don Punch on Tuesday, Rockliffe was awarded $225,000 to help purchase…

Satellite technology company Fleet Space Technologies today announced plans to deploy its end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, to enhance Gold Fields Ltd’ exploration and development of their Salares Norte gold-silver project in Northern Chile. ExoSphere will be used to generate 3D subsurface imaging of the Brecha Principal and Agua Amarga resource areas and surrounds aiming…

Three Australian owned food and beverage businesses are to merge to form a $400 million a year food business with big export plans to be known as SPC Global. Fruit and canned products manufacturer SPC, powdered milk business Nature One Dairy and The Original Juice Co. are to merge, eyeing off synergies between the businesses…

The Flynn Group, which operates restaurant chains encompassing more than 2,700 Applebee’s, Taco Bell, Arby’s, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s and Paneras stores, has recognised Detpak with its Product Excellence Award. Part of the Detmold Group, Detpak designs, develops and produces packaging for the Flynn Group in Australia and New Zealand, which operates more than 280 Pizza…

The reordering of Australian and New Zealand alumina and aluminium production assets continues with Rio Tinto announcing it has completed the acquisition of Mitsubishi’s 11.65 percent stake in Boyne Smelters Limited. BSL owns and operates the Boyne Island aluminium smelter in Gladstone, Queensland which manufactures carbon anodes and aluminium, casting 295,000 tonnes of molten metal…

Manufacturing success has never been more dependent on selecting and implementing the right technologies, writes Warren Zietsman. Three challenges are apparent for manufacturers. For an industry largely written off for decades, the recent comments by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the 2024 Bush Summit are a signal of intent in reviving the fortunes of both…

Mineral processing company Cobalt Blue Holdings has released updated project cost estimates and revenue analysis for its proposed Kwinana, Western Australia Cobalt Refinery (KCR) to support financing processes and transition to construction. The company plans KCR Stage One capacity at 3,000 tonnes per annum cobalt as cobalt sulphate and ~ 500 tpa nickel metal. Construction…

Australia has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on three Russian citizens for their involvement in the Evil Corp cybercrime group striking critical infrastructure, governments, industry and the community. Evil Corp is one of the most prolific and longest running cybercrime groups operating for more than a decade. Evil Corp has been responsible for significant…

Semiconductor developer and maker BluGlass has announced a project with Macquarie University and defence contractor Aurizn aimed at commercialising a method of laser-based sensing for underwater environments.  In a statement to the ASX on Wednesday, BluGlass said the LIDAR sensing method would be used to measure subsurface water temperature and depth, with the project part-funded…

Defence has modernised membership processes for the Defence Industry Security Program which ensures the security of the defence-industry relationship and supply chain. The latest DISP Membership Portal capability release (pictured) enables self-management services for existing DISP companies for the first time. The capability release will also uplift the cyber security assessment process to align with…

Sodium battery developer Altech Batteries has announced that its first CERENERGY ABS60 battery prototype is online and operating successfully having completed all physical tests ‘with flying colours’. The prototype was installed at Altech’s joint venture partner Fraunhofer IKTS’ test laboratory in Dresden, Germany, and integrated into a specially designed battery test station. This setup enables…

Adelaide-based green innovation company Change Climate Pty Ltd has teamed with three iLAuNCH Trailblazer universities to explore the suitability of a bio-epoxy resin for the manufacture of durable composites for aerospace applications. The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), The Australian National University and the University of South Australia will work with Climate Change, the maker…

Changes made to Austal’s board Perth shipbuilder Austal has announced two changes to its Board of Directors. After serving six years as a non-independent director, Chris Indermaur will not seek re-election at Austal’s upcoming AGM and will retire. Austal has appointed experienced international finance executive and board member Brent Cubis as a non-executive director (NED).…

Building-integrated photovoltaics company ClearVue Technologies has received the first order for its solar building envelope solution, which will be installed at the Enex100 building on St George’s Terrace in Perth’s CBD. In a statement on Tuesday, the company told investors that the upcoming cladding installation – expected to be installed in mid-2025 – was validation…

NSW councils have been invited to apply for the third round of the Local Government Waste Solutions Fund, offering grants up to $200,000 for individual councils to invest in recycling technology. According to a statement from the NSW Environment Protection Authority on Monday, approximately $1.9 million was awarded to the recently-announced round two winners, supporting…

Not-for-profit industry organisation the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) has announced Matthew Cronin as its new State Director for Western Australia, overseeing delivery of an $8 million program with the state government aimed at lifting industry participation in the wind energy industry. The appointment follows a collaborative agreement signed by the government and AMGC. announced…

An innovation developed at RMIT University has been used for the first time in a major infrastructure project, with coffee concrete being laid into a footpath along a busy road in Pakenham as part of Victoria’s Big Build. Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) and project contractor BildGroup used concrete mixed with biochar made from spent…

The federally funded Defence Trailblazer, the University of Adelaide and Loughan Technology Group have signed a research project agreement to advance the commercialisation of Novel Fluorescence technology. The project aims to address significant challenges in the real-time field detection of hazardous materials, minerals, and chemicals, including explosives. The ability to determine the presence of specific…

A 2,200 square metre Hycel Technology Hub hydrogen research, testing and training facility will open today located at Deakin University’s Warrnambool, Victoria campus. As Australia’s first hydrogen fuel cell research, prototyping and fabrication facility, it aims to support the development of new technologies to develop next-generation higher power fuel cells. The hub has been designed…

As shown in @AuManuracturing News’s Towards 3% R&D editorial series, Australia’s innovation effort is tanking, with a lack of national policy co-ordination a key issue. Here Dr John H Howard, puts the case for a National Innovation Council. In an era where innovation drives economic growth and global competitiveness, Australia’s fragmented approach to industrial strategy…

The Queensland government is investing $1 million with Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia to support the roll-out of a soft plastics recycling pilot in Queensland. Communities will be able to recycle soft plastics at four new trial hubs that will trial a variety of collection options to see what works best for urban, regional and remote…

Rocket manufacturer and launch provider Gilmour Space Technologies has announced the passing of a major milestone at its north Queensland spaceport, ahead of the planned maiden launch of its Eris rocket this year. According to a statement from the company on Monday, the wet dress rehearsal test at Bowen Orbital Spaceport saw an Eris rocket…

The Queensland government has announced more than $150 million of investment in infrastructure to boost the region’s innovation economy. The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund is part of the $1.8 billion SEQ partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ), which aims to improve the accessibility, prosperity and liveability of the region…

Lincoln Minerals has announced it has made a comprehensive submission to the South Australian Government aimed at developing an end-to-end domestic green iron and steel supply chain, including the construction of a government endorsed 2.5 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) green steel plant. The plant, to be located on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia…

Chemical engineering company Hazer Group has extended the number of hours in continuous operation achieved by its commercial demonstration plant (CDP), which converts methane to hydrogen and graphite, as testing of its reactor nears completion. In a statement on Monday, Hazer told investors that 362 hours of continuous operation had been achieved at the CDP,…

Vanadium developer Tivan said it had received significant third-party interest in in its Tivan hydrometallurgical mineral processing technology since the publication of the CSIRO testwork results in May 2024. The company is developing the technology, based on IP licenced from CSIRO, to extract battery material vanadium and other minerals at its Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-magnetite iron…

Funding of $827,000 has been awarded to 13 Victorian businesses to help them better compete for and win projects as part of the supply chain for Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) and other major defence businesses. The grants, in rounds three and four of the Victorian government’s Supply Chain Uplift Program (SCUP), are designed to create…

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) FIRB approval unlocks payments for Iron Road Mining and green hydrogen developer Iron Road has received Foreign Investment Review Board approval for its giant Cape Hardy hydrogen and metals manufacturing project on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. FIRB approval unlocks $4.5…

Building-integrated photovoltaics company ClearVue Technologies has entered the net-zero modular housing market through a pilot project with Australian modular housing manufacturer Prefabulous Pty Ltd. Perth based ClearVue is providing a combination of its advanced solar PV glazing and integrated solar cladding panels for use in a Prefabulous ‘FabZero’ Prototype (pictured). If successful, the collaboration will…

A $36.8 million project on the feasibility of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant at Townsville has been awarded $14 million in state and federal support. According to a statement from federal energy minister Chris Bowen, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed $9 million, and the Queensland government contributing $5 million to the…