Alcoa has announced it will permanently shut the Kwinana alumina refinery, which fully curtailed production last year, following “numerous studies and analyses” on the future of the site. According to a statement from the bauxite, alumina and aluminium company on Tuesday, factors behind the decision included the refinery’s age, scale and operating costs, as well…
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By Michael Buchanan and Prof. Renu Agarwal A recent Australian Financial Review article on the demise of Energy Renaissance shows domestic manufacturing’s commercial success requires purchase orders. Initiatives such as the government’s Future Made in Australia won’t have economic impact on a grants program alone – they need subsequent protection of nascent domestic capability and…
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Sponsored The nation’s leading accreditation body for the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry is celebrating a quarter century of protecting and advocating for garment workers with an exhibition focusing on their lived experiences. Working Behind the Seams is one of several events being held during Ethical Clothing Australia Week. It will be showcased at…
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Western Downs Regional Council and the Queensland Manufacturing Institute (QMI) are hosting a Process Improvement Workshop on October 15. According to a statement from the council on Tuesday, the event at Chinchilla RSL Memorial Club will run from 9.30 am to 3 pm, and includes three sessions delivering “practical tools and strategies to enhance productivity,…
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New electrolyte research led by the University of Adelaide could improve the usefulness of rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries (AZB.) According to a statement from the university on Monday, AZBs could be an attractive alternative to lithium ion chemistries because of their non-flammability and the abundance of zinc as a resource, but are held back by…
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Brisbane-based mineral processing company Zeotech has announced firm commitments supporting a capital raise worth $13 million before costs, part of which will support R&D on its low-carbon concrete-related product, AusPozz. According to a statement from the ASX-listed company on Monday, the commitments were for a placement of 162,500,000 new fully-paid ordinary shares at a price…
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By Cristian Iordache Running a manufacturing business today means wearing multiple hats: managing people, balancing cash flow, hitting growth targets. But if you’re not treating cybersecurity as operational infrastructure that’s as essential as your payroll or plant management system, then you’re likely already exposed. High profile manufacturing breaches are not uncommon. Advanced malware is not the fastest-growing…
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Spacecraft business Space Machines Company (SMC) intends to begin assembly at the NSW government’s Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) in Western Sydney later this year. According to a statement from the government on Saturday, SMC will set up at the AMRF at Bradfield aiming “to develop hyperscale production capability” for its satellites. The AMRF is…
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What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) New report estimates $220 million in economic activity, $4.8 billion in potential “pandemic preparedness benefit” generated through from Moderna factory Oxford Economics modelling commissioned by Moderna has predicted that the US biotech company’s Melbourne mRNA facility will add $220 million…
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A $35 million upgrade has been completed at The Magnum Ice Cream Company’s Minto facility in southwest Sydney, where 400 are employed and nearly three million ice cream servings are made every day. According to an announcement on Thursday from the maker of brands including Blue Ribbon, Golden Gaytime, Magnum and Paddle Pop, the investment…
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