Month: August 2018

Construction & demolition (C&D) in Australia produces 19 million tons of waste every year, accounting for approximately 40% of the country’s total waste generation. It isn’t surprising then that the C&D waste management industry is an upcoming one in the country, with immense scope for business growth and employment generation. Presently, there are more than 500 active businesses in the C&D waste management industry in the country, making it a strong supplier of jobs and resources to the economy. As the name suggests, C&D waste is what gets generated from demolition activities at construction sites – either residential or commercial. Such waste typically comprises timber, concrete, wood, metals, plastics, cardboard and mixed site debris such as soil and rocks. Since C&D waste incurs heavy landfill levy costs, recycling it is a more cost-effective approach. As a result, most C&D waste in Australia gets recycled. In most Australian states, recovery rates are at…

Dr Foley is a world-renowned physicist and science leader most noted for her work developing superconducting devices and systems which have assisted in unearthing over $6bn in minerals worldwide. Dr Foley will start in the role at the end of September. She said her priority will be promoting science, STEM and women in science. “Australia’s future prosperity will be fuelled by science,” Dr Foley said. “Science which creates new industries, new jobs and shapes the minds and aspirations of our future leaders. We can’t keep thinking about science as something which is locked away in a lab. It connects and drives everything we touch and do. I’m looking forward to not just spreading the word, but helping shape the science agenda and raising the profile of the role of women in STEM.” Dr Foley is currently the Deputy Director and Science Director of CSIRO’s manufacturing business unit. She has been an advocate for women in science, for the communication of science and…

Based in High Wycombe, FBR designs, develops and builds construction robots that can work in demanding outdoor environments. Hadrian X is a construction robot mounted on a truck to easily transport it to and from building sites. It has been designed with the smallest possible worksite footprint, while maintaining a 30m reach. Using FBR’s core Dynamic Stabilisation Technology (DST), Hadrian X measures movement caused by wind, vibration and inertia, and counteracts it in real time using advanced algorithms to lay bricks with unprecedented precision. Although Hadrian X can lay standard house bricks, it is optimised to work with the Fastbrick Wall System, which uses blocks approximately 12 times bigger than standard bricks and are lighter, stronger and designed to minimise waste. The blocks are fused together using a special adhesive, which bonds in just 45 minutes, holds stronger and results in greater thermal and acoustic properties than traditional mortar. According to FBR, it will take Hadrian X between one and three days to build the walls of a home, depending…

Under the theme ‘Strategies for Manufacturing Resilience and Growth’, the 2018 AMTIL National Conference will be held at Leonda by the Yarra in Hawthorn, Victoria, on 22 August. The one-day event will take delegates on a learning journey that will help them to build resilience in their businesses, explore opportunities for growth beyond their traditional avenues, and inspire them to think outside the square. These themes will be explored in a program that encompasses every aspect of running a business today, touching on issues ranging from the relevance of automation for small manufacturers, through to how you can develop effective leadership, communication and relationship-building skills, and much, much more. To address these themes, AMTIL has assembled an impressive roster of experts who will be speaking at the Conference. Inspiring speakers Iconic athlete Deanna Blegg will deliver the closing address at the 2018 AMTIL National Conference, in which she will be discussing ‘Personal Resilience’. In 1994, at the age of just 24, Deanna was diagnosed with HIV after…

Under the direction of Managing Director Eric Woodgate, Shamic rapidly gained the excellent reputation it has today for providing high-quality sheet metal units and parts for a wide range of customers – from small producers to large multinational companies including motor vehicles, electrical and electronic products and industrial components and parts. In 1985, the sheet metal specialists began manufacturing wood heaters, acquiring the rights to an array of well-known heater brands between 1998 and 2001, with gas heaters added to their impressive portfolio in 2001. Having grown extensively over the years, in 1998 Shamic moved to a larger manufacturing and warehousing facility in Croydon, Victoria. Today, Shamic manufactures and sells the full range of HeatCharm, Arrow and Coonara wood and gas heaters across Australia through a huge network of more than 150 distributors. With strong relationships with distributors across the country, Shamic prides itself on staying true to Australian suppliers and the industry, employing expert staff to support the local market. Remaining competitive Shamic provides a vast service offering for its customers, manufacturing…

AWRE is Australia’s leading event showcasing the latest developments in waste, recycling and resource recovery. Visitors to the show can find cost-effective solutions and stay-up-to-date with the industry trends and policies. Now in its ninth year, AWRE connects all corners of the industry, including waste management professionals, commercial enterprises, industry associations and representatives from all levels of government. Close to 2,000 waste management professionals, business leaders and government representatives are expected to attend the two-day event, which takes place at a vital time for Australia’s waste and recycling industry. “With new regulations and China’s import ban turning Australia’s waste and recycling industry on its head, AWRE couldn’t come at a better time for industry professionals looking to improve their waste disposal and resource recovery,” says Andrew Lawson, AWRE event manager. “With current market challenges as they are, AWRE 2018 is set to be Australia’s most important waste management expo ever.” AWRE connects industry professionals, service providers, product manufacturers and industry associations across the different waste streams, offering unique collaboration opportunities throughout the…

Based in Lytton, Queensland, ART has developed Metaltek XB1200, an advanced robotic structural steel processing system that has the potential to help Australian firms better compete with cheap imported fabricators through lower costs, quicker turnaround and superior accuracy. David White, Director of ART, said the grant funding would enable the company to transition from research & development (R&D) to a production product. “This grant will help us cover the costs of building and installing a prototype system here at our Brisbane facility,” White said. “It will also help us complete and transport a display model they we can use for real-world demonstrations in Australia and overseas. This will help us generate leads with companies that are crying out for this kind of product, because we’ll be able to actively demonstrate the efficiency of this system in an industry neutral environment.” To mark the awarding of the grant, ART was visited by Senator Michaelia Cash, Federal Minister for Jobs and Innovation, and Ross Vasta, the Federal Member for Bonner.  Vasta…

The University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies has joined the Airbus Global University Partner Programme, the only Australian university to be part of the program. The partnership allows the University and Airbus to collaborate in a number of areas: Funding students and activities, enabling participation in innovation programs at Airbus facilities around the world, where students will use their university learning to tackle industry challenges, learning more about the aeronautical industry. Giving aerospace, mechanical and mechatronics engineering students access to Airbus’s 100-strong campus team. Allowing students to partake in global exchanges such as the annual Airbus Airnovation Summer Academy. A total of 22 universities in 12 different countries currently participate in the program. The University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies Dean Professor Willy says the new partnership complements what students learn on campus. “This program gives students the best available insights into the opportunities available in the aviation and aerospace industries,” said Zwaenepoel. “It’s a two-way street. The University’s mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering program is the highest-ranked in Australia.…

AMTIL is proud to announce the AMTIL Press Centre, an exclusive new service offering that aims to help AMTIL members secure media coverage for their products, services and other activites. Introduced as part of the recent relaunch of AMTIL’s website, the Press Centre is a brand new member benefit designed to help AMTIL members promote their businesses. The AMTIL Press Centre is an online resource where media outlets will be able to find the latest press releases and media announcements concerning the manufacturing industry and manufacturing technology in Australia. Any AMTIL member can submit their press releases direct via the AMTIL website. To complement this, AMTIL has also secured access to a database of more than 375,000 journalists in Australia and internationally, and we’ll be sending a regular targeted digest of the latest press releases that appear on the Press Centre to media outlets worldwide. So when you submit your story to the AMTIL Press Centre, you can be confident it will be reaching journalists at newspapers, magazines and other outlets all over the globe. AMTIL’s hope is that as the Press Centre starts to build momentum, it will become the “go-to” resource for media organisations seeking…