With renewed focus on growing the manufacturing sector, Tim McLean takes a hard look at what constitutes Australian manufacturing and the realities of its recent track record. His conclusions include that we should focus effort on where we can compete. The past three months have provided a welcome focus on Australian manufacturing. However, as I…
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Brisbane-based startup Hypersonix has opened its first office outside of Australia, in Munich, Germany. The company, which intends to use scramjet to launch small satellite customers into low earth orbit, said it was fitting to have a presence in Germany’s “deep tech” heartland. Hypersonix has partnered with gas business BOC/Linde Group, which supplies green hydrogen —…
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A marked upward trend in Australian manufacturing jobs to more than 900,000 occurred this month. Add to this manufacturing’s value-add in software programming, R&D, design and other supply chain inputs, manufacturing has created a further 2.5-3 jobs in other industries.
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Solar battery system manufacturer RedEarth Energy Storage has raised $12 million from investors in preparation for a stock exchange listing planned for next year. The capital raising for the Brisbane company was led by Ord Minnett Private Capital, Perennial Value and Thorney Investments and will be used for R&D and to boost manufacturing capacity. RedEarth…
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Automated welding technology developer K-TIG has successfully completed the first round of weld testing under a Memorandum of Understanding to develop advanced keyhole welding procedures for Korea’s Hanwha Defense. Weld procedures for joining Ultra Hard Hardness and Ultra High Toughness armoured steels have been developed with hardness and tensile strength results superior to traditional MIG…
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Global renewable energy company Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has announced yet another green business venture – a joint feasibility study with fertiliser and explosives manufacturer Incitec Pivot for the conversion of ammonia production to utilise green hydrogen. The study, announced after a week in which FFI revealed plans for a $1 billion green equipment manufacturing…
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The last few years have seen growing interest in “eating” end-of-life plastics, rather than mechanical recycling methods, for reuse. Brent Balinski spoke to Paul Riley, co-founder and CEO of Samsara Eco, which plans to open a factory next year with capacity to enzymatically process 20,000 tonnes of plastic annually.
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The GFG Alliance has agreed to a debt restructuring for Liberty Primary Metals Australia with Credit Suisse Asset Management, ending uncertainty over the future of the Whyalla steelworks. The company said Whyalla had ‘registered record-breaking performances following its operational efficiency drive, continuous improvement initiatives and favourable market conditions underpinned by strong investment in infrastructure.’ LPMA’s…
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Dr Martin Cole has been named the incoming CEO of Wine Australia, beginning on November 15, in a statement from federal agriculture minister David Littleproud “Under Dr Cole’s leadership, Wine Australia will continue to deliver on its mission to support a competitive wine sector, growing domestic and international markets and protecting the reputation of Australian wine,”…
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Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries is to construct the world’s largest electrolyser, renewable industry and equipment factory at Gladstone, Queensland FFI, which only last week announced it was designing a 1Gw solar PV factory to be sited in Australia, made the announcement of the first stage on Sunday. FFI said total investment could add up…
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