Month: March 2020

The COVID-19 Manufacturer Response Register portal is live now via the AMGC website, with all contact treated in strict confidence. The portal can be accessed here: www.amgc.org.au/covid-19-manufacturer-response The response of Australian businesses and individuals to the current COVID-19 pandemic to-date has been outstanding, with manufacturers shifting focus to how they can support our health and critical manufacturing sectors during this unprecedented event. Australian manufacturers across multiple disciplines have already pivoted or expressed a desire to support in any way possible actions to address the current COVID-19 threat. Examples include: distillers moving to produce hand-sanitisers; automotive manufacturers exploring the design and manufacturer of ventilators; fabricators moving to the supply of medical goods; or current manufacturers responding to increased demand for goods. Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of AMGC, said: “Australian manufacturers want to assist; however they may be unsure of where to start. By developing this portal, we will be able to gain a clear understanding of the skills, supplies and capabilities that exist right…

Operations at the 13 28 46 Contact Centre will increase from five days per week to seven days per week, and with an additional two hours a day of support outside standard operating hours for the first month, answering calls from 7.00am to 11.00pm AEST. Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Michaelia Cash said the operations of the Government’s business 13 28 46 contact centre, are being expanded to provide specialist advisers and extended support hours. “The Government is rolling out comprehensive, targeted assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we want businesses who are looking for information to be supported,” she said. “During these challenging times businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19 need readily available access to advice so they can fully understand the assistance available to them and their employees.” Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the move is a practical measure to support businesses during this uncertain time: “Our Government is providing a…

Locally owned and operated, Maltec Engineering is a family business providing cutting-edge engineering solutions for clients across multiple industries including mining, construction, forestry, agriculture and aquaculture, in both Australian and international markets since 2001. The company’s modern workshop offers a full range of services, including CNC and manual machining, fabrication, profile cutting, robot welding, sandblasting and painting, utilising Lean advanced manufacturing principles. Maltec’s General Manager, Lindsay Malley, identified improved growth opportunities in manufacturing for the aquaculture sector three years ago through his involvement in a local industry networking group, where he was invited to submit a tender to a Tasmanian-based aquaculture company looking to manufacture its own components due to problems they suffered with the quality of imported parts. The parts required by the customer are for use in extremely corrosive…

Established in 1917, Sutton Tools is a family-owned company manufacturing cutting tools for the metal cutting industry. The company supplies tools to end-user markets including automotive, medical, mining, power generation, aerospace, defence and the oil & gas industries. Founded by William Henry Sutton, the company is currently managed by the fourth generation of the Sutton family. Stephen Las Marias: Tell us about yourself and your role in the company. Jeff Boyd: I have a background in product engineering and technical R&D. That kind of matured into a more of a technical role in the field. In 2011, I headed up to Singapore, where I ran the company’s operation and distribution centre. I was there for nearly five years, running the Asian markets. Currently my role is to support our teams globally, and bring the necessary market information back to our head office to support our production facility. We offer…

With material development expanding at a phenomenal rate, what you can produce using additive manufacturing now comes down to the properties and characteristics acquired through the source material, coupled with post-print processes. “With most of our clients it is not a question of which 3D printer to buy, it is what material is most suitable, together with the size of the object,” says Lee Bilby, Chief Operations Officer of Bilby 3D. “From there the 3D printer correct for them is usually obvious.” Australian polyurethane engineering expert Richmond Wheels and Castors (RWC) has been utilising milling and casting on their production line for 61 years. According to David Powell, Quality Assurance Manager at RWC: “Prior to adopting 3D printing we went through the process of going to seminars & training and got totally confused.” RWC engaged in a consultation with Bilby 3D to explore possibilities. Was there a material that could make…

Considering the concentration of SMBs in the Australian defence sector, to achieve the ambitious growth required, more emphasis needs to be placed on helping them enhance their capabilities in order to become long-term strategic suppliers to the Department of Defence (Defence). The Federal Government has already invested a record $200bn in Australia’s defence industry capabilities in order to encourage more innovation and growth. How can SMBs win major defence contracts? One of the challenges is that defence machinery and equipment can be in operation for up to 30 years, which is why Defence wants to see an iron-clad supply chain that will be around when the equipment is nearing the end of its life. The strategic suppliers to Defence need to prove that they have the necessary growth strategy, systems and resources to position their businesses to become…

The Australian manufacturing industry has endured a number of challenges over the past decade. When you consider the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), the growth of overseas manufacturing (particularly in China), and the end of Australia’s automotive assembly operations, there have been a number of events that have posed significant threats to the industry locally.  Despite these challenges, the sector has remained a valuable contributor to the Australian economy. In fact, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the manufacturing industry contributes approximately $100bn to Australia’s annual GDP and employs around 900,000 Australians. Moreover, employment in the sector is expected to continue to increase over the next five years.  Gaining an advantage from Industry 4.0   While the manufacturing sector is expected to continue to grow, it must embrace modern technologies, such as those that encompass Industry 4.0. This new era is best defined by the deployment of digital technologies to transform every aspect of manufacturing and industrial operations. According to the World Economic Forum’s Readiness for the Future of Production Report, Australia is positioned as having “high potential” for Industry 4.0. To…

Med-Con Pty Ltd – a manufacturer near Shepparton in regional Victoria – has increased production with the support of the Government and the Australian Defence Force. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said work is underway to significantly increase their manufacturing capability over time to meet demand as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve. “From helping to access new equipment to providing staff, we are doing what we can to enable companies like Med-Con to ramp up production and boost our domestic capacity,” Minister Andrews said. “There’s a lot of fear in the community at the moment but Australians should know that work is happening to help us best respond to this unfolding crisis. “This is important work but it’s also essential we get it right – this equipment needs to be produced to the highest standards.” Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said around a dozen ADF personnel are helping under Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC)…

The business investment measures are designed to assist economic growth in the short term and encourage a stronger economic recovery following the coronavirus outbreak. Tax incentives for businesses The below tax incentives will support over 3.5m businesses employing more than 9.7m employees. Increasing the instant asset write-off. The instant asset write-off allows small businesses an immediate deduction for depreciating assets costing less than the threshold of $30,000 (which will revert to $1,000 from 1 July 2020), to the extent that the asset is to be used for tax-deductible purposes. With effect from 12 March 2020, the instant asset write-off threshold is increased from $30,000 to $150,000, and access will be expanded to include businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $500m (up from $50m) until 30 June 2020. The rules apply from 12…

Proudly family-owned and operated, KNS was founded by Kamal Singh. Kamal had been working in the sheet metal industry for more than 30 years when in 2014 he spotted an opportunity in the marketplace. With his extensive experience, he believed that it was the right time to go it alone. He took that knowledge with him when he founded the company with his wife and two sons. The business has grown rapidly over the past several years. Today KNS now operates with around 10-15 staff at its facility in Dandenong South, south east of Melbourne. Amal, Kamal’s elder son, is now the company’s General Manager. KNS Metals specialises in custom programming and design fabrication for both commercial and residential customers. Commercial is the backbone of the company, providing around 95% of its business, while residential makes up the remainder. The company also offers a range of other services, including CNC turret punching, laser cutting, pressbrake bending and welding. KNS operates Australia-wide but most of…

New demands have affected and influenced almost every element of a technology process: from planning and communication networks, to machinery – and even cutting tools, which are arguably the most conservative element in a manufacturing system. Cutting tool producers need to react appropriately and provide products according to these new requirements. Digitisation in the cutting tool field is characterised by two emerging trends. The first trend is to enable the cutting tool to communicate with advanced machinery and cyber-physical production systems in order to advise about variables such as tool wear, predictable tool life, total time of the tool involved in cutting, and so on. The second trend relates to the information about the tool that should be provided by a cutting tool manufacturer. Manufacturers are expected to supply data about their products, and catalogs and guides have long been an integral part of the product itself. The…

Plastool was established by Bert Down in the 1950s, originally operating out of Box Hill, Victoria. The company has undergone significant growth over the years, and now employs a staff of 14 at a purpose-built 1,600sqm facility in Mordialloc, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. The business remains very much a family operation, with Bert’s sons Gary and Andrew now serving as Chief Executive Officer and Manufacturing Director respectively. Plastool provides high-precision 3D CNC machining, engineering and toolmaking solutions. This includes new tooling, repairs, and modifications to all types of moulds. The company’s primary focus is on the food packaging, aerospace, defence, automotive, housewares, medical, electronics, building and construction industries. It has now expanded into thin-wall plastic and composite tooling. According to Kieron Donoghue, Project Manager at Plastool, the secret to Plastool’s success has always been good leadership. “Gary and Andrew Down always research the future trends of the market and pursue them,” he explains. “They are willing to reinvest any profits back into the company. This includes investing in new machinery and…

Australia’s maritime industry operates in a wide variety of open water and coastal environments ranging from hot, humid tropical, to windy, freezing sub-Antarctic. According to international standards, most of these are classified as having very high to extreme corrosion severity, containing high levels of salt-laden aerosols. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has all its water-borne assets and most support infrastructure exposed to these environments. For the RAN, corrosion has consequences in addition to the economic ones faced by other organisations. The RAN consists of approximately 50 warships including frigates, destroyers, amphibious landing ships, submarines and patrol boats. It also operates minehunters, resupply vessels and hydrographic survey ships. In addition to its vessels, the RAN’s rotary wing aircraft are integral to its operations. Generally, warships can tolerate higher levels of corrosion causing structural damage than aircraft. All of the RAN’s vessels, equipment and structures must be protected…