Industry News

The renewable energy and clean technology industries are at the forefront of the global transition to sustainable energy systems. Solar farms, wind turbines, battery storage solutions, and emerging innovations in energy optimisation are reshaping Australia’s energy landscape. Yet, the sector’s rapid growth comes with unique challenges. To remain competitive, companies in this space must manage complex project portfolios, meet stringent environmental and regulatory requirements, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. Achieving these goals requires more than innovation—it demands operational excellence powered by advanced systems. NetSuite, with its cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities, is enabling renewable energy businesses to streamline operations, enhance compliance, and position themselves as leaders in sustainability. Managing complexity in renewable energy The renewable energy industry is defined by its complexity. Companies often manage diverse projects across multiple locations, each with unique financial, operational, and regulatory demands. Coordinating resources, tracking project progress, and ensuring profitability require a unified approach. At the same time, compliance pressures are mounting. Renewable energy companies must adhere to international standards such as ISO 14001 for environmental management and local requirements like the Australian Privacy Act…

Howard Smith Wharves by Artemus Group took another step toward its goal of becoming the most sustainable precinct in the world this month by installing 179kW of rooftop solar panels. After engaging Origin Zero, Howard Smith Wharves commissioned an energy audit and kitchen electrification study in its ambitious quest to reduce emissions by 44% by June 2026, compared to 2022 levels. It has already diverted 97% of its waste from landfill, with this energy audit another avenue to reduce emissions and support its sustainability mission. Following the audit, Origin Zero proposed the rooftop solar and power factor correction (an adjustment of the power supply systems to enhance efficiency) to achieve immediate supply-side emissions savings of 7.2% across the precinct’s restaurants, cafes, bars, event spaces, hotel and brewery. Luke Fraser, CEO of Artemus Group, says that sustainability is his top priority. “These two quick and simple solutions drastically reduce our emissions, so we jumped at the opportunity. We aim to become the most sustainable precinct in the world, and we’re proud to continue to partner with industry leaders…

US President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on all steel imports on Sunday as he flew to New Orleans on Air Force One. As an afterthought, when asked about aluminium, he responded, “aluminium, too.” While there are ways to interpret the differences between what he is ‘poised to announce’ and what he says, any move that goes ahead would be bad for Australia. If the move goes ahead, it will likely harm Australia. According to the UN's COMTRADE database, the US imported about $638m of Australian steel and $439m of aluminium last year. Trump also reaffirmed that he would announce “reciprocal tariffs” —”probably Tuesday or Wednesday”—meaning the US will impose import duties on products when another country levies duties on American goods. The Australian stock market opened with a slump after the announcement. President Trump said he would formally announce the fresh trade war slug on Monday and that the taxes would hit “everybody,” suggesting Australia will not be exempt from the new trade war slug. "A tariff on Australian goods, despite us having a long-standing free trade agreement with…

Established in Mordialloc, Victoria, Lepol Metal has been a cornerstone supplier for the construction industry for over 45 years. Lepol specialises in offsite steel manufacturing, metal work, piping systems, stainless services, prefabrication, and on-site support for the mechanical services industry. Their commitment to delivering efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality customised solutions has streamlined construction processes across various commercial, industrial, and critical infrastructure sectors. Navigating operational challenges But given the pace of their growth, the difficulties of expanding a skilled workforce, and the industry's ever-increasing demands for more consistent, high-quality welds within shorter time frames, Lepol began a search for an innovative solution that would satisfy these market demands while operating within a limited physical footprint. Enhancing Lepol’s mechanical service capabilities, particularly in pipe welding, required evaluating several options. Lepol Metal chose the Spool Welding Robot (SWR) from Novarc Technologies. Its compact design allowed for tremendous spatial flexibility. The SWR's ability to consistently deliver high-quality welds resulted in a sizable increase in welding efficiency. The SWR’s seamless integration into Lepol’s operations marked a transformative step towards heightened productivity and efficiency. Quantifiable results “Integrating Novarc’s…

Brad Jones Racing (BJR) is among the most respected teams in the Supercars Championship, Australia’s premier touring car racing series. Based in Albury, NSW, BJR was founded by brothers Brad and Kim Jones. They successfully competed in various racing series throughout the 1990s before entering the Supercars championship in 2000. Supercars is known for its high-intensity races and technical demands. In 2023, it introduced its current Generation 3 Chevrolet Camaros and Ford Mustangs. These purpose-built race cars require thousands of bespoke parts and retain very little of their production models. Running a four-car team in this elite series, as BJR does, is a monumental challenge and requires over 50 full-time staff. Managing four cars means preparing, maintaining, and sometimes wholly rebuilding them between race meetings, which requires extraordinary resources and precision. Running one car for the entire season will cost BJR around $2m if all goes well. The immense fabrication and engineering effort behind the scenes at BJR is critical to its…

As fire safety technology evolves, new solutions are redefining security across domestic and industrial settings. The global fire protection system market is expected to expand by US$14.58bn between 2024 and 2028, with artificial intelligence (AI) significantly shaping these advancements. At Brooks, with our parent company EI, we continue to develop fire safety solutions with broad applications in every changing world. With a growing focus on integrating fire alarms with other essential safety and building management systems, future developments will likely prioritise enhanced user experience through greater personalisation and automation - creating systems that align seamlessly with daily routines and proactively address human needs. Over the last decade, AI and big data have transformed many aspects of life, bringing sophisticated innovations to the building and construction industry. AI applications in fire detection, risk assessment, and predictive fire analysis are on the rise, making fire safety technology more intuitive and seamlessly embedded in our lives. With advances like real-time fire detection systems, AI may soon allow us to predict and prevent fire…

AMSL Aero, a zero-emission aircraft designer and manufacturer, has been completing test flights of Vertiia, Australia’s first passenger-capable, emission-free, long-range electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The craft has been designed to travel up to 1,000 kilometres on hydrogen at a cruising speed of 300km/h with zero carbon emissions. It can carry up to four passengers and a pilot. AMSL Aero’s Vertiia customers plan commercial flights following certification and regulatory approval in 2027. Vertiia is an Australian-designed and manufactured eVTOL, the new generation of aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies fast and smoothly like a fixed-wing aeroplane. “My Dad was in the Navy and always spoke about flying off aircraft carriers,” explained Andrew Moore. “I grew up on a farm that had an airstrip. In the vastness of outback NSW, you had the ‘bank run’, the ‘mail run’, and medical and pathology supplies all having to be flown in. Growing up, I felt…

Researchers at a Scottish university have taken one small step towards a future where orbital factories can 3D print future tech on demand in space. Dr Gilles Bailet of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering has been awarded a patent for a new system that overcomes the challenges of 3D printing in zero gravity. His technology was recently rigorously tested during a series of trips on a research aeroplane called the ‘vomit comet’. Dr Bailet says that solving the challenge of 3D printing objects in low-gravity environments could pave the way for orbital fabricators capable of producing parts and components that could be assembled into novel equipment in orbit never seen before. That equipment could include solar reflectors to generate zero-carbon power for transmission back to Earth, improved communication antennae, or drug research stations that can create purer, more effective pharmaceuticals. For several years, Dr. Bailet has been working on a prototype 3D printer better suited for use in outer space. Instead of the filaments used in earthbound 3D printers, it uses a granular material developed by the team…

In an era where safeguarding space has become paramount to preserving the rules-based global order and ensuring ongoing international prosperity, Space Machines Company (SMC)unveils a breakthrough in space security technology. The company unveiled Optimus Viper, a rapid-response spacecraft variant designed to provide immediate, high-fidelity intelligence and protection for critical space assets. Operating at distances less than 10 kilometres from target satellites, Optimus Viper delivers the kind of detailed, actionable intelligence about critical space infrastructure that, until now, has been impossible to achieve. This announcement signals a fundamental shift in space operations, introducing the world’s first distributed, hyperscale production approach to delivering rapid on-orbit response for both national security and commercial space assets. Based on lessons learned from the launch of SMC’s inaugural satellite Optimus aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket earlier this year, Optimus Viper represents a fundamental shift in space security architecture. This agile 200-kilogram class “space first responder” can deploy within 24 hours of launch and operate within 10kms of target satellites, combining enhanced autonomous capabilities with Solstice OS (Space Machines AI-driven orbital operating system)…

Quantum researchers from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have demonstrated that quantum computing can significantly improve the way we solve complex problems involving large datasets. They have highlighted the potential of using quantum in areas such as real-time traffic management, agricultural monitoring, healthcare, and energy optimisation. By leveraging quantum computing's unique properties, like superposition and entanglement, researchers compressed and analysed a large dataset with speed, accuracy, and efficiency that traditional computers cannot match. Unlike regular binary computer bits that are either ‘on’ or ‘off,’ quantum bits (qubits) can exist in multiple states at once, allowing quantum computers to process many possibilities simultaneously. Dr Muhammad Usman, a CSIRO quantum scientist and the senior author of the study, said the research team demonstrated that quantum machine learning can simplify large sets of data without sacrificing important details. “With the global volume of data doubling every few years, quantum computing’s ability to handle this complexity will become increasingly valuable,” Dr Usman said. “Our work focused on groundwater monitoring as a case study, but quantum machine learning has broad applications in any field requiring fast, detailed…

Aeroplane pylons attach aircraft engines to the wings. Developing this critical component involves collaboration with specialists and industry partners, with Seco leading. Joe Gooding and Gary Meyers explain more. Pylons are not the most noticeable part of an aircraft. Hidden from view by covers, they are critical for structural integrity and, thus, safe and reliable aircraft operation. “There are one or two engines per wing, with up to four pylons to attach each engine,” explains Joe Gooding, a UK-based Seco Development Engineer, who supports customer projects with tooling and component machining strategy suggestions. “The pylon is made from titanium that’s often forged and then machined to the required dimensions and tolerances.” “The aircraft manufacturers use titanium for structural components. It is the best material and the safest option for those aircraft parts,” adds Joe’s colleague, Gary Meyers, Global Product Manager for Solid Milling, based in Sweden. “There are many applications involved in manufacturing a pylon,” he continues. “From face milling to copy milling strategies, indexable tools, solid carbide tools, drilling, reaming, and new barrel type machining developments for component finishing. The parts…

South Australia-based Fleet Space has licensed, manufactured, and activated its new ExoSphere product to enhance its technology for detecting underground minerals from space. This will enable mining companies to accelerate the search for minerals and cut costs by reducing their reliance on invasive land surveying. The SpaceX Transporter 12 rideshare mission carried 130 other payloads in a massive lift in mid-January. The Fleet Space product has earned recognition as one of Australia’s fastest-growing enterprises, with clients such as Rio Tinto and Core Lithium, conducting over 250 successful surveys across five continents. "With ExoSphere, we can quickly make real-time decisions, getting into positions where we can define drilling targets quicker,” said Andrew Bennett, Exploration Manager at Core Lithium. “When you can accelerate exploration programs, you are accelerating your discovery, which is a game changer for exploration.” “These new technologies integrating artificial intelligence and big data are essential to tackle the dual challenges of space exploration and climate change,” Fleet Space Technologies founder Flavia Tata Nardini is quoted as saying. “By making these new capabilities rapidly deployable in a way…

AMT: Thanks for your time, Afnan. Congratulations on the award. What was your initial reaction when your name was read out? Afnan Siddique: I was surprised, happy, and grateful. It was genuinely a lovely feeling. It was an honour to be recognised as the Young Manufacturer in 2024 in Victoria, which has a rich history in manufacturing. The other finalists' stories were astounding, so I didn’t expect to win the award. As I stepped onto the stage, I couldn’t help but think of my parents back in Bangladesh. When I started pursuing my Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Swinburne University here in Australia, they had their qualms, fearing AI would be a threat to my job prospects. The news of my award brought them to tears. I’m glad that I was able to show them that their hard work raising me and their sacrifices somehow paid off. Ultimately, Mum and Dad are my biggest catalyst and the reason I am where I am…