Livestock equipment maker expects to hire another six through automation

Leicht’s CIA, a Toowoomba-based manufacturer of livestock equipment, is investing in robotic welding and other technology with assistance from a Rural Economic Development Grant from the state government. Managing Director Mark Leicht said the company was implementing laser cutting and an automated welding robot to increase efficiency.  “Some of the equipment we will make with…

Applications open for $18.5 million to establish new Australian Centre for Quantum Growth

The federal government has announced that funding of $18.5 million is available to set up an Australian Centre for Quantum Growth, part of efforts to see the nation does not “fritter away” a strong position in the early days of quantum technology commercialisation. Federal industry minister Ed Husic officially opened applications for the grant during…

The banks role in industry assistance – by Damon Cantwell

The advent of the National Reconstruction Fund offers the Federal Government an opportunity to learn from past industry programme mistakes, and make the whole process of industry support more efficient, writes Damon Cantwell. The $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund programme is not offering grants, but a mixture of concessional loans, guarantees and some equity positions.…

$26 million awarded through ARC Linkage projects

Funding totalling $26 million has been announced through ARC Linkage Projects 2023 Round 1 across 50 projects, including for next-generation microchip manufacture, anodes for next-generation lithium batteries, and addressing superalloy microstructure defects. The Linkage Projects scheme backs projects that “initiate or develop long term strategic research alliance” and provides funding of between $50,000 and $300,000…

Sparc receives grant as green hydrogen tests show promise

Sparc Technologies partner the University of Adelaide, on behalf of Sparc Hydrogen, has been awarded funding under Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) grant programme. The $470,511 funding awarded under the AEA Seed round will be used to accelerate laboratory testing of Sparc Hydrogen’s photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) reactor under simulated solar conditions. It will also support…