Advanced composites manufacturer XTEK has reported a gross loss of $3.2 million in the six months to December 31 as it continued to invest in product and market development and in production facilities for its defence industry products. The loss, made on turnover down $3.6 million on the previous corresponding period to $12.4 million, came…
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Australia’s first producer of surgical and examination gloves critical to medicine and surgery is to be Softmed, the country’s largest manufacturer of personal protection equipment. The company has beaten the giant Ansell medical and industrial gloves group, which is Australian based but manufactures only overseas, to the punch. Fresh from investing $30 million at a…
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Medical cannabis is a rapidly growing sector, and plays Australia’s strengths in research, but the industry says regulations make its work difficult. Brent Balinski spoke to Peter Crock of Cann Group and Peter Duggan of CSIRO’s Botanical Extracts Lab about the potential.
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Innovative X-ray technology company Micro-X will develop a lightweight brain CT scanner based on its carbon fibre nanotube X-ray emitter for the rapid detection and diagnosis of stroke. The development will be funded by a $40 million grant – one of the largest health grants ever awarded in Australia – made to the Australian Stroke…
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Three Australian space companies will unite to launch a bushfire detection satellite into orbit in a major milestone for building sovereign capability in the local space sector.
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The strong start to 2021 has continued for the industry, with the Australian Industry Group Performance of Manufacturing Index recording an overall result of 58.8 in February. The PMI result is up from 55.3 in December/January. Any score above 50 indicates growth, below it contraction, and a score of 50 indicates no change. Five of…
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International shipbuilder Austal has been awarded a $295 million contract to build a 15th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) (pictured) for the US Navy at its yard in Mobile Alabama. The Perth company has delivered 12 of the Spearhead class vessels which are based on a 103-metre twin-hulled ferry design, and feature an 1,800 square metre…
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Comment by Peter Roberts With Brisbane now in the box seat to secure the 2032 Olympic Games the usual whinges have been aired about cost and the priorities of the Queensland government. But there is more than just once-off television rights to be earned, with Sydney 2000 creating numerous ongoing business opportunities from making venue…
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Bisalloy’s armour plated half year Wear and armour steel producer Bisalloy boosted its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation by 42 per cent in the half year to December 31 to $6.7 million. Margins were boosted with the positive result of anti-dumping measures against its main import competitor, however that company has been working…
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China’s punitive trade action against Australia is starting to impact manufacturing with its ban on importing Australian thermal coal cutting sales for explosives and chemical group Orica. The company said in a market update that diminished coal mining activity was flowing through to its explosives business, which will suffer losses between $70 million and $80…
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