By Peter Roberts The New South Wales government’s obsession with buying overseas has reached new lows with news that it is importing ferries that won’t fit under its Parramatta River bridges with passengers sitting on the top deck. The fiasco mirrors its buy from overseas of intercity trains that wouldn’t fit through the tunnels in…
@AuManufacturing’s Australia’s niche champions series has highlighted the well established and the emerging niche leaders in Australian industry. Today Peter Roberts talks with Frank Seeley, perhaps Australia’s coolest salesman. The time was 1972 – the year the axe first fell on protectionism with Labor’s Gough Whitlam’s unilateral 25 per cent cut in tariffs scything through…
Analysis by Peter Roberts The stock market has not always been a friend to Australia’s manufacturers, especially to young companies which have yet to display a strong track record of growth and profits. In the past investors have run from such companies at the first sign of a hiccup, with the result either business failure…
Explosives manufacturer Orica has reported more precise and safer underground ore blastig results with its increasingly automated WebGen blasting system. The Melbourne company said Nexa Resources (Nexa Vazante) had been able to improve safety and ore recovery with a single WebGen blast at its Brazilian mine. The fully wireless blast initiation system significantly reduced ore…
Work is well underway on the Osborne north shipyard (pictured) that will build 12 Attack class submarines on the banks of the Port River in Adelaide, part of a $1 billion investment in the site. Managing Contractor, Laing O’Rourke is progressing on Phase 1 of the project with foundation works, structural steel and the erection…
Perth international shipbuilder Austal has bought land in Mobile, Alabama to extend its naval shipyard capacity and capabilities. The company has bought 15 acres of waterside facilities including a dry dock and deep water berthing capabilities on the Mobile River from Modern American recycling and Repair Services. The acquisition will support a US$100 million investment…
CSIRO is backing the formation of a new company to take a methane-busting seaweed to market, with $13 million secured from five investors. FutureFeed Pty Ltd will commercialise a livestock feed additive made from the seaweed Asparagopsis, which has been shown to reduce methane emissions in beef and dairy cattle by more than 80 per…
Our Australia’s niche champions series continues today with Alf Taylor, co-founder of global food processing and packaging machine manufacturer, tna Solutions. Here Alf reveals the key to global strength. Innovation is at the core of tna’s manufacturing philosophy. At the heart of our business, is a team of passionate individuals who continue to drive tna’s…
Wastewater treatment technology company SciDev has extended the reach of its water treatment chemistries to mineral processing, with a trial underway at BHP’s Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine in South Australia. SciDev has received a trial order worth $1 million to trial for six months its MaxiFlox chemistry which is normally used to treat…
Western Australian vanadium producer Australian Vanadium is examining the value adding of ores from its planned mine at Gabanintha, south of Meekatharra in Western Australia. The as yet unbuilt mine and processing plant would produce 10,115 tonnes of V2O2 flake per annum, together with 922,500 tonnes of iron rich calcine material which would go to…