Major manufacturers BlueScope and CSL are among those companies which have moved to shore up their financial defences by securing new debt facilities. The two companies announced yesterday they had raised new debt and extended payment periods to carry them well past any likely end-date for the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. Biotechnology giant CSL, at various…
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New materials developer First Graphene will supply its PureGRAPH graphene product to improve the performance of face masks (pictured) manufactured by planarTECH Holdings. The Perth company will supply the graphene coating to provide anti-static and bacteria resistant properties to the masks, as well as investigating the use of graphene in other personal protective equipment (PPE).…
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Automotive manufacturer APV has been awarded a three year US$500,000 contract to supply passenger restraints for BAE Systems military vehicles in the United States. The company’s APV military seatbelts will be used by BAE Systems for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle programme for the US Marines and the Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle programme for the US Army…
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Two New South Wales consortia have been selected by the state government to produce prototypes of new hospital ventilators to treat cases of Covid-19. Groups led by the University of Sydney and by Newcastle-based Ampcontrol were selected from five applicants and will produce an initial 10 prototypes each for testing and approval by the Therapeutic…
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The Australian Manufacturing Forum and @AuManufacturing’s campaign to crowd source a new deal plan for manufacturing is now in its second-last day. Here Andrew Stevens discusses three characteristics shared by successful manufacturers, and why they are vital in a post COVID-19 reset.
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Comment by Peter Roberts One of the biggest issues with Australia’s love affair with manufacturing offshore in supposedly low-cost locations is habit. Over the long years of the decline of the old protected manufacturers followed by a resources-boosted currency, procurement managers and financial managers alike got used to reflex thinking that buying overseas is always…
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A mega-project to generate electricity from renewables in the Pilbara region for export has received approval from Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority, subject to conditions. EPA chair Dr Tom Hatton announced that the proposed Asian Renewable Energy Hub comprising onshore wind turbines and solar panels situated about 220 kilometres east of Port Hedland, with a…
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A South Australian company has launched a portable isolation hospital for widespread medical emergency hotspots to treat patients with respiratory illnesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Design is unfortunately misunderstood and undervalued by a lot of Australian manufacturers. Dr Brandon Gien discusses its importance and why the industry needs to adopt best-practice design.
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Two mega-blocks weighing 1,000 tonnes in total have been joined, forming the complete hull of the first Arafura offshore patrol vessel, in the “largest industrial manoeuvre” at South Australia’s Osborne Naval Shipyard.
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