Industry News

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…

Australian biotechnology company Vaxxas has secured about $90 million in its latest funding round to progress work on its needle-free vaccine delivery technology. In Vaxxas’ words, it produces high-density microarray patches designed with thousands of microscopic projections, each ‘printed’ with a small dose of vaccine in a dried formulation. When applied, a patch delivers the vaccine to immune cells that naturally reside immediately below the surface of the skin – in a way Vaxxas says could be more stable at higher temperatures than liquid formulations, and which could potentially be self-administered at home. Vaxxas says it will use the funding, which includes $49.2 million in Series D Equity and another $40 million in debt facilities, to help make its patch technology market ready, including installation of semi-automated manufacturing lines and later-stage clinical trial programs. Company chair Sarah Meibusch, who replaced previous chair Paul Kelly following his retirement, says the capital raising was an excellent achievement in what was a “very difficult market for biotech”. “Coupled with our sharp focus on commercialisation, this funding provides Vaxxas with a runway…

Leading voices in Australia's manufacturing technology industry convened in Canberra on August 21 for the National Manufacturing Technology Skills Summit. The event, led by AMTIL and facilitated by the Victorian Skills Authority, focused on crafting an actionable plan to address the critical and widening shortage of qualified CNC (Computer Numerical Control) operators across the country. While demand outweighs supply for many skillsets required by the manufacturing industry, the lack of CNC professionals stands out as a particularly urgent issue. AMTIL estimates that the shortage currently sees 1,000 roles unfilled, a figure projected to exceed 3,000 within two years without deliberate intervention. The reasons behind the shortage are multifaceted. Training to competency takes time, with a Certificate IV typically requiring several years of vocational education, followed by extensive on-the-job training. Given the high cost of CNC machinery and materials, operators must be adequately skilled to avoid costly errors and ensure consistent quality. Yet, despite the technical sophistication and stability of the role, CNC operation remains under-recognised as a stepping-stone…

Voice Phishing (Vishing) attacks against manufacturers and other organisations by cyber criminals are rising rapidly around the world, according to a leading cybersecurity provider.   US-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike says that the number of criminals and other threat actors using their own human voices to deceive targets has already eclipsed in 2025 the total number of recorded attacks in 2024.  “Voice phishing (vishing) attacks increased by 442% from the first to the second half of 2024, marking a significant and effective evolution in eCrime tactics,” the report says.   “These attacks are successful because they exploit human vulnerabilities and leverage compromised credentials and social engineering to bypass traditional security measures, gain initial access and move laterally within organisations at speed.”  CrowdStrike head of counter adversary operations Adam Meyers said these attacks often take place through a voice call to a company help desk.  "Typically, the call is pretending to be a user, they will do it out of hours to limit the possibility the user is…

Kerr Engineering has added a new double column machining centre to its expanding dedicated machine shop at its base in Henderson, Western Australia.  The company has installed and commissioned an Okuma double column machining centre model MCR-A5CII, joining a range of advanced machines in a building currently being extended to exceed 4,000 square metres.   The expanded machine shop, which includes another eight Okuma models, will take Kerr’s machining, fabrication and paint facility to 8,000 square metres in total, with a further expansion to an additional 2,000 square metre fabrication site nearby set to come.   Since purchasing Kerr Engineering in 2000, owners David and Mark Kinsman have transformed the company into one of the State’s most advanced engineering shops, today specialising in customised metal work, precision machining and fabrication.   Mark said Kerr Engineering had concentrated its development on using machines from Okuma Australia for more than 20 years.   “In doing so we have established a strong partnership with Okuma Australia based on unwavering technical support and the…

Occupying half a nondescript side street in an industrial area of Bayswater, a sprawling medical device research and manufacturing facility buzzes with activity. Inside this complex is SDI Limited, primarily involved in researching and developing, manufacturing, and marketing specialist materials for the dental profession. Founded in 1972, SDI is fast becoming a world leader in specialist dental materials, and has been recognised with multiple export and international awards. History Over 50 years ago, the company's Chairman, Jeffery Cheetham OAM, founded SDI Limited. SDI expanded into composites in the 1990s, and whitening and glass-ionomer cements in the 2000s, now making a wide range of materials for clinicians. SDI Limited’s products compete in the highly regulated medical device market and have full accreditation in each country, including the EU MDR, so they will continue this practice for the foreseeable future. SDI Limited is classified as a medical device company. Those brave enough to visit the dentist every six months will have seen their range of dental products in use. Technology The high-tech devices are mainly…