Building products giant Boral has agreed to sell its half of the key USG Boral joint venture for $1.43 billion as it fights to regain credibility following its underperforming venture into the US market. The company will book a pre-tax profit of $540 million on the sale. Boral is also looking at ways to offload…
Laboratory and hospital supplier Westlab has moved to automate manufacture of hospital gowns as it extends its range of locally-made personal protection equipment (PPE). The company, which is also planning for continued competitiveness with imports in a post-Covid-19 business environment, is working on a number of fronts to develop automated production facilities to manufacture isolation…
Composites manufacturer Quickstep continued its expansion in the latest quarter, reporting sales up 16 per cent to $22.6 million over the previous corresponding period. During the quarter volumes from existing products ramped up and final qualification parts were produced for its newest product, the flare housings for the MJU-68 being developed by Chemring Australia for…
A storm is brewing over government procurement policies within the furnishing sector, with members of Australia’s peak industry body, the Australasian Furnishing Association (AFA), pushing for reform. It seems that the AFA may have ‘hit a nerve’, with the issue spilling over into other areas of manufacturing. The AFA Membership has called for a review…
Ophthalmic treatment device manufacturer Nova Eye Medical has established a new subsidiary, AlphaRET, to commercialise its laser technology for the treatment of intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD). The new company will be the focus for developing the company’s 2RT minimally invasive nano-pulse ophthalmic laser therapy, and delineates the project from the company’s core business centred…
By Peter Roberts The news this weekend that GMC has launched the world’s first zero emissions all-electric supertruck, the HUMMER EV is a painful reminder of what might have been, and what a disaster for Australia was the loss of our car industry. The Hummer is the quintessential gas guzzler of America’s oil-driven excesses, an…
Perth international shipbuilder Austal has built on its growing global marine support business with the purchase of ship repair and support business BSE Maritime Solutions for $27.5 million. BSE has customers in defence, commercial, tourism, and luxury vessel sectors and services customers including Australian Border Force, BAE Systems, Thales and Svitzer in Cairns and Brisbane.…
National bus manufacturer Custom Denning is completing the build of Australia’s first locally designed and built electric and hydrogen/electric buses at their St Marys, Sydney facility. Available for delivery from March 2021, the first of five prototypes have begun production with completion due in November and December 2020, when they will be trialled with a…
Government opens consultation period for six manufacturing priority areas On Friday the Commonwealth government announced it was seeking input to develop ten-year road maps for each of the six manufacturing sectors identified in its recent policy launch — resource technology and critical minerals processing, food and beverage, medical products, recycling and clean energy, defence, and…
Steelmaker BlueScope has told investors that it expects underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of around $340 million for the current half year, a 30 per cent increase over the first six months of 2020. Managing director Mark Vassella said: “Despite the global disruption caused by Covid-19, we’ve had a solid performance from all…