In Tokyo the night US President Trump arrived to visit Japan’s PM Abe Shinzo and its new emperor I am reminded of Japan’s great contribution to the 20th century. Great technologies, work systems, great companies rose and fell and Australia was part of that history, especially through our trade with Japan and security relationship with…
It wasn’t that long ago that global firms began seeing SMEs as sources of innovation and new products in healthcare and drugs. Now Atomos (ASX: AMS) has proved a model for a similar relationship in both software and hardware and after only five months listed on the Australian stock exchange. It expects to turn over…
Hungry Jacks boss Jack Cowin is investing $1 million alongside partners to work with CSIRO to develop a plant-based version of his company’s famous whopper. The story first broke in the AFR and was soon picked up in media here and overseas. Cowin is partnering with the CSIRO innovation fund, Main Sequence Ventures (MSV), to…
Sleep apnea device manufacturer SomnoMed (ASX: SOM) is powering ahead following US approval for its latest sleep apnea device, and the arrival on the share register of a major new investor. The Sydney-based manufacturer has received FDA approval for its new digitally-milled treatment product, SomnoDent Avant. The approval is the high point of a digital…
Electric vehicle (EV) fast charger manufacturer Tritium has signed a deal that will see the European IONITY group install the world’s biggest DC fast- vehicle charger network. The deal, the second the Brisbane company has made with IONITY, will see its Veefil-PK 350kW fast chargers installed in 120 charging stations across Europe. Charging takes about…
Chemicals and explosives business Incitec Pivot (ASX: IPL) is on the way to recovery after a horror first half of the year when it was hit with unplanned outages and floods. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the first half were $119 million after $141 million of non-recurring events. These included the $60 million…
Materials technology business Lithium Australia (ASX: LIT) has successfully generated a high purity lithium phosphate from waste materials using its SiLeach process. Previously Lithium Australia has successfully produced LFP batteries from unrefined, SiLeach generated lithium phosphate. Now in association with ANSTO, the company has announced a simple means of removing impurities resulting in a product…
Analysis by Peter Roberts The automotive sector never died in Australia – despite the demise of the big three car assemblers we still manufacture trucks, buses and make specialist mining and defence vehicles. And where there are skills, and a market, there is a way it seems with the opportunity presented by the world’s switch…
Lighting and switching manufacturer Legrand has released Arteor with Netatmo, a range of smart switches and sockets allowing control of the home utilising an IOS or android smart device or voice commands. The switches, which work with digital assistants such as Google Home, Apple’s Siri and Amazon Alexa, use normal household power and wall mounting…
Australian-listed flow battery manufacturer, Redflow (ASX: RFX) has entered the China market with an agreement to build a large-scale battery energy storage system. The company, which manufactures zinc-bromine batteries in Thailand, will supply ten batteries for a large scale 100kwh battery storage solution for a smart grid project in Qinghai Province. The battery is part…