Stop blaming wages and power bills. Here’s what’s really holding back Australian manufacturing

Tropes about high costs don’t tell the whole story when it comes to making things in Australia. Those aren’t the real reasons why the industry’s share of GDP is so low, explains Dominic Parsonson. Manufacturing isn’t a “nice to have” for Australia, it’s a pillar of growth, resilience and national security. Yet whenever we talk…

Grant Thornton’s 2025 manufacturing benchmarking report shows adaptability and innovation key to success

Grant Thornton has published its annual Manufacturing Benchmarking report, examining the financial data of 100 mid-sized Australian manufacturers and presenting an overview of the Australian manufacturing sector. Like most businesses across Australia, mid-sized manufacturers are navigating supply chain constraints, cost pressures and global competition. Yet the analysis shows a story of innovation and adaptation, with…

LUMI robots scale up solar deployment with advanced automation

Solar farms across Australia are about to get a robotic makeover, with artificial intelligence-powered machines set to revolutionise how panels are installed across the country’s renewable energy landscape. Robotics pioneer Luminous has scored $4.9 million in funding as the first recipient of ARENA’s $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, designed to crowdsource ideas from around the…

Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, May 12 – May 16, 2025

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Researchers develop breakthrough solar thermal technology to reduce industrial emissions UniSA and partners have launched a world-first solar thermal demonstrator that could revolutionise how Australian industries generate heat while slashing carbon emissions, according to a statement released on Monday. The innovative…

AstraZeneca orders four more APAS Independence instruments

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…

Omron opens regional HQ at Western Sydney University’s engineering building

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…

WA automation precinct offers operational testing

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…