Industry News

Marrickville-based packaging machinery manufacturer Packserv has won the Best Small Business Award at the Australian Manufacturing Awards. The company designs and builds machines for volumetric filling, capping and container handling functions including conveyors in-feed and out-feed tables. Packserv also specialises in providing rentals for on-demand packaging equipment for filling, capping, labelling, printing and sealing packages of fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The company was one of a series of winners of the awards, organised by manufacturing magazine Industry Update, named last night at a gala event in Sydney. The AMTIL Advanced Manufacturing Award was won by Queensland-based textile recovery technology developer BlockTexx among a solid field of nominees, including Industrial Machinery Sales and PPC Moulding Services. Victorian crane manufacturer Eilbeck Cranes picked up the St George Bank Manufacturer of the Year prize, while Dave Vinther of Australian playground equipment manufacturer Moduplay won the individual Gold Award for Excellence in Manufacturing, sponsored by Investment NSW. John Notaras of Atom Industries received with the Lifetime Acheivement Award for his decades of service to the industry. Industry Update publisher Scott Filby said…

Bringing together 13 Australian universities, CSIRO and over 60 industry and membership organisations, Australia’s new Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre was officially launched yesterday. Established with $57.5 million in Commonwealth Government funding from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the AMCRC aims to help industry unlock the potential of additive manufacturing, helping to fast-track products to commercialisation and building sovereign capability. The AMCRC partner base expects to invest an additional $200 million in the organisation over the next seven years to help develop a world-class additive manufacturing ecosystem that enhances industry capacity across the country. AMCRC chair Susan Jeanes says the AMCRC represents a unique opportunity for Australia to position itself as a global leader in the sector. “By uniting industry, researchers and government behind a shared agenda, we will drive research, fast-track commercialisation, and build sovereign capability - delivering new materials, technologies and production solutions that improve productivity, efficiency and local capacity,” she says. The official launch was held in partnership with Boeing Aerostructures Australia – a major contributor to the CRC…

Automation has helped to open doors for women to move into manufacturing roles, according to new research prepared by the Australian Industry Group (AIGroup). AIGroup measured the number of hours worked by women in various industries using newly available microdata from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The research found that while industrial sectors such as manufacturing, mining and construction had the lowest share of hours worked by women, they were also leading the national effort in closing the gap. AIGroup research manager Colleen Dowling writes in a research note that most industrial sectors had seen an increase in the proportion of hours worked by women in the last 20 years. The number of hours worked by women in manufacturing rose from 21.2% in 2006 to 25.2% in 2025, as did those in mining, from 12.6% to 17.7%, and construction – from 7.8% to 11%. Dowling writes that little had changed in industries where most hours are worked by women, such as healthcare and social work, where about 75% of hours are…

Federal Industry minister Tim Ayres has announced up to $600 million will be invested over three years to sustain Glencore’s Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Refinery in Queensland, while work on an $80 million investment program to upgrade the Nyrstar’s Port Pirie multi-metals facility in South Australia has also begun. Funded jointly by the Australian and Queensland Governments, the Mount Isa and Townsville package will see three tranches of $200 million delivered over the next three years – dependent on facility owner Glencore completing a transformation study focusing on driving sustainable and long-term industrial capability in Mount Isa. “It will evaluate the end-to-end copper value chain in the region and seek to understand the long-term opportunity for the facilities, industry and Mount Isa workers beyond the support period, positioning the region for a more diverse and resilient future,” a joint government announcement says. Governments have identified maintaining Australia’s domestic metals processing capability as “fundamental” to Australian economic resilience, and the Mount Isa Copper Smelter provides…

Now in their 23rd year, the awards recognise the businesses and people whose work in manufacturing contribute to the state’s capabilities. Tullamarine-based Amiga Engineering took out two awards during the state-government sponsored manufacturing awards: Small Business Manufacturer of the Year and one of two awards for Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year. A family-owned business, Amiga offers advanced CNC machining, fabrication, industrial gearboxes, polymer and metal additive manufacturing, including Australia’s largest metal and polymer service bureau. The company, which also won the Small Manufacturer of the Year award in 2023, has pioneered tungsten additive manufacturing for hypersonic and medical platforms, as well as being the only certified manufacturer of Scalmalloy components for aerospace applications. Amiga third year apprentice turner and fitter Jourdan Webb was named one of two Manufacturing Apprentices of the Year, alongside third year mechanical trade apprentice Matilda Robins, who works for Original Engines Co. Amiga said Webb is an adaptable team member eager for complex jobs. He currently handles components made from metal 3D printing using advanced…

There’s no shortage of innovators in Australian manufacturing – but industry collaboration is the key to driving those innovations forward. That was the consensus of a panel discussion held at Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions’ (BAMS) campus in Clayton, Melbourne. Held in commemoration of the company’s 70 years of manufacturing innovation in Australia, the company brought together business leaders for a panel discussion: “The Ecosystem of Success: Fostering Innovation and Collaboration for Australian Global Competitiveness.” Among them was David McLaughlin, the co-founder of bodd – a full body 3D scanner machine that captures rich biometric data across the entire human body, with applications in health and wellness. The company originally planned to use the scanner for 3D printing life-size replicas of individuals for custom clothing. “That was an idea we had. It was an example of a willingness to try, put it into market, test it, and then basically say ‘You know what? This is not the product. The product is actually our scanner.’” Once the company reached that conclusion, bodd turned to BAMS to manufacture, distribute and…

Liquid Instruments, Micro-X and Evosonic are among the most recent recipients of grants under the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Program. Grants worth a combined $17.1 million have been awarded to 12 start-ups and small to medium enterprises in the latest round of the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Program (IGP). Managed by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the IGP offers matched grant funding to help businesses commercialise new products, processes and services in priority areas for National Reconstruction Fund and also helps to build manufacturing capability. The latest grants announced in late September include: · $4.4 million for South Australia-based Micro-X to help it conduct a trial of its light-weight Head CT imaging device being fitted to an ambulance – in order to provide stroke imaging on the spot. The funds will support manufacture of a prototype and its fitout into a South Australian Ambulance Service vehicle, as well as the trial and data generation for regulatory approval. · $4.9 million for Liquid Instruments to help it finalise development and pilot manufacturing in Australia of its software-defined test and measuring device Moku:RF. · $2.9 million to Relectrify Holdings for development and commercialisation of its CellSwitch cell-level control battery storage…

Manufacturing Hubs to provide capability and workforce programs under new plan The Queensland Government has released a five-year plan to drive productivity and innovation in the state’s manufacturing sector and expand access to global markets. The Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Strategy 2025-30 proposes frameworks to cut red tape, grow Queensland’s export pathways, build more resilient local supply chains and support workforce upskilling, the state government says. Queensland Minister for Manufacturing Dale Last said the strategy marks a turning point for the industry, which is Queensland’s fifth largest. “Manufacturing already adds $29 billion to our economy and supports 175,000 jobs, including 83,000 in regional Queensland. With the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Strategy and a Government that backs the sector, those numbers will only grow.,” he says “It will drive growth across our traditional strengths like medical, food and beverage and metals manufacturing, while developing Queensland’s capabilities across emerging industries like critical minerals processing.” The strategy was developed in collaboration with the recently-established Queensland Manufacturing Council, providing a panel of manufacturing leaders to offer advice on new government initiatives. Included in the strategy is a commitment to help connect export-ready businesses to international buyers and investors and to attract international talent and skills to…

Engineers hope finding could solve key bottleneck in zinc-air battery design Two engineers from Melbourne’s Monash University have unveiled a catalyst they say could help create batteries that offer more power, with a longer life and lower costs. Saeed Askari and Parama Banerjee from the university’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering are lead authors of an article detailing the catalyst, which they say supported high performance in zinc–air batteries. Using a heat treatment, the researchers turned a 3D material into ultra-thin carbon sheets and added individual cobalt and iron atoms, creating a catalyst they say makes the battery’s oxygen reactions much faster and more efficient. An article published in Chemical Engineering Journal shows the catalyst “exhibited exceptional cycling ability, maintaining consistent performance over 74 days with 3552 charging cycles”. Powered by the oxidisation of zinc with oxygen from the air, zinc-air batteries are currently widely used in small devices such as hearing aids and watch batteries. With zinc typically more affordable than lithium or sodium, there has been keen interest in scaling up the battery for use in rechargeable, high-power applications, and in moving the technology closer to real-world, grid-scale and transport uses. Askari and Banerjee say the catalyst…

Currently in the early application stages of the Victorian Government's Skills Solutions Partnerships (SSP) Program, the proposed course aims to plug a recognised gap in training for digital measurement and quality assurance. A second workshop, where the high-level training solution will be drafted, is set to be held on Wednesday 17 September, but organisers are still seeking industry input as they work towards concluding their application. Metrology – the science of measurement – is becoming increasingly critical as local manufacturers move further into high-value, digitally enabled production. Yet formal training in areas such as digital measurement technologies, calibration systems, ISO compliance, Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) and digitisation remains limited. The course is being designed primarily for metrologists, machinists, CNC operators and quality engineers. However, the project team is actively seeking industry input to make sure the training meets the sector’s real-world needs. Manufacturers are being asked three key questions: Is there currently a gap in formal training for these skills? What additional skills should be included? Are there other target…

Leading South Korean machine tool manufacturer DN Solutions is set to acquire German machine tool manufacturer Heller – a move it says will take its consolidated sales to A$3.5 billion. Formerly known as Doosan Machine Tools, DN Solutions is a subsidiary of car parts manufacturer DN Automotive Group – and states it is one of the top three machine tool manufacturers in the world. In its statement, DN Solutions said the combined global production footprint would enable both companies to better respond to shifts in regional demand, supply chain dynamics and trade policy changes. “In particular, the US plant is expected to act as an effective safeguard against the impact of recent changes in US tariff policies,” the company says. “Heller also has an extensive track record of working with leading global companies in the automotive, aerospace, and defence industries – sectors that demand the highest levels of technological capability. This experience will enable DN Solutions to gain stronger insights into key customer industries.” DN Solutions CEO Wonjong…

Australia’s manufacturing sector is stepping up efforts to attract the next generation of workers with the launch of Make It ManuFACTuring – a pilot campaign designed to showcase the industry as modern, innovative and vital to the nation’s future. Rolling out across Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, the three-month campaign will use television, radio, outdoor advertising, digital and social media to challenge outdated stereotypes and highlight real career opportunities in manufacturing. A dedicated website, makeitmanufacturing.com.au, will also serve as a hub for information and resources. The campaign was created by the Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance, following consultation with industry leaders, employers, training providers and unions. Its purpose is clear: to address skills shortages by changing perceptions and inspiring young Australians – along with their parents and educators – to see manufacturing as a high-tech and secure career pathway. Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance CEO Sharon Robertson says manufacturing is no longer what many people think it is. “It’s sustainable, it’s digital, it’s creative. And it offers real careers with purpose, good pay and global impact.” “The…

Sydney-based Space Machines Company has completed work on Australia’s first locally built engine for satellites, without relying on overseas suppliers. The Scintilla propulsion engine will be a major component of the company’s Optimus Viper rapid response vehicle, designed for rapid orbital manoeuvring and space domain awareness missions. SMC vice president of engineering and mission operations Ian Partis said the company had set out to vertically integrate the propulsion system for its Optimus Viper, rather than outsourcing the propulsion system to a third party. “The better the propulsion system and the more delta-v available, the greater range of orbits we can access and the faster we can get there,” he says. “This is so fundamental to our mission that the satellite is essentially a propulsion system with a payload on top.” SMC co-founder and chief executive Rajat Kulshrestha said the company had progressed faster on the engine than even their most optimistic predictions. “The engine has reached steady-state conditions and demonstrated the ability to run for extended periods – a…