Industry News

All-Energy Australia, Australia’s largest clean energy event, is taking place this October in Melbourne to continue supporting the industry’s growth and to help accelerate Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future. This is a free-to-attend exhibition and conference from 26-27 October 2022 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. With energy being at the forefront of many discussions with the government’s ambitious climate change bill being pushed through at the moment and countries across the globe realising that they can no longer rely on fossil fuels for their energy needs, it will be a welcome return for All-Energy Australia. All-Energy Australia is the country's largest and most anticipated clean energy event in Australia, which opens up a world of opportunities for industry suppliers and experts as well as those involved in renewable energy and energy storage sectors to expand business networks. All Energy Australia is organised in partnership with the Clean Energy Council and is where renewable energy professionals can get exclusive access to the latest technologies and trends and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. As the industry’s largest all-encompassing clean…

Leading international welding equipment manufacturer, Kemppi, has released its new MIG/MAG MasterMig welding machine models 353 and 355. Designed in conjunction with professional welders, the new MasterMig range delivers a range of features to help enhance industrial welding productivity and quality. The 358 model is scheduled for release later this year. The new, compact and powerful Kemppi MasterMig range comes with Weld Assist as standard. This feature lets users set-up welding parameters quickly and easily to save time and improve productivity levels. By simply selecting the joint type, welding position, and material thickness, users are ready to weld. Equipped with memory channels, the MasterMig range also lets users save chosen parameters for fast retrieval. The ability to save customised settings means welders do not have to go through an initial setup for every job. At the turn of a knob, they can highlight the desired setting and proceed to weld. Highly convenient, this feature saves precious time, while helping to increase productivity. For greater welding productivity and control, the MasterMig 355 and 358 models can switch on the new MAX arc performance…

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)-based professionals from Anglo American and ConocoPhillips Australia, both with significant operations in the region, volunteered their time with the Bright Future STEM Program to engage and inspire more than 500 schoolkids from Moura, Gladstone, and Biloela. The Bright Future STEM Program, designed and delivered by the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA), uses a combination of industry role models and hands-on interactive activities to teach students aged nine to twelve about the range of STEM careers in the resources and energy sector. “The Bright Future STEM team had a fantastic time in central Queensland last week, joining STEM professionals from Anglo American and ConocoPhillips Australia to engage and inspire schoolkids,” AREEA Director Operations, Tara Diamond said.“ In recent years it has become increasingly important to get the younger generation interested in studying STEM fields. With the resources and energy industry set to experience significant growth in its STEM-based workforce demand, getting the younger generation interested in STEM is a…

Melbourne has another quiet achiever in nano-manufacturing. Researchers at Innofocus Photonics Technology have developed the world’s first 3D In-situ Refractive Index Characterisation System for Nano-fabrication, the world’s first Intelligent laser nano-manufacturing system, the world’s first fully encrypted nano-colourful digital ID tags system, and also the world’s first nano-printed cooling film which runs without power. Frank Yao is the CEO of Innofocus Photonics Technology. As a cutting-edge technology company, Innofocus is committed to creating greater value for scientific research, green energy alternative solutions, advanced manufacturing transformation, and new material applications. The typical application domains Innofocus is in, include ultrathin flat lenses, digital colourful ID tags, nano-photonic devices, miniature micro-optical components, graphene photothermal materials and solutions. Building an entirely new area of photonic laser creatives, Innofocus prints in 3D at the nanoscale. Fabricating with complete IP rights and independent manufacturing capabilities in the fields of optics, photonics, electromechanics, optoelectronics and automated software systems. AMT spoke to Yao at the AMW show in Sydney. A lot of manufacturing in Australia is either very…

Strange diamonds from an ancient dwarf planet in our solar system could lead to the production of ultra-hard machine parts, according to scientists. A team of researchers, including those from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has confirmed the existence of lonsdaleite in ureilite meteorites from the dwarf planet’s mantle. Lonsdaleite is a rare, hexagonal-shaped diamond believed to be much stronger and harder than its more typical cubic cousin. Research led by Monash University, in collaboration with CSIRO, RMIT University, the Australian Synchrotron, and Plymouth University, was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study provides clear evidence of lonsdaleite’s formation in nature, offering clues to synthetic production that could make more durable machine parts. CSIRO scientist Mr Colin MacRae said the discovery could have enormous implications for industries like mining. “If something that’s harder than diamond can be manufactured readily, that’s something industry would want to know about,” Mr MacRae said. Lonsdaleite is named in honour of pioneering British crystallographer Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, though its existence has been a controversial topic. This study, using a range of…

Pact Group, a leader in packaging, reuse and recycling, has converted $420m of loan facilities into a sustainability-linked loan (SLL), the first transaction of its kind in Australia’s manufacturing sector. Charles Davis, CBA’s Managing Director Sustainable Finance and ESG, said “We are proud to support Pact coming to market with the first sustainability-linked loan in Australia’s manufacturing sector, and one that looks to drive meaningful change, not only within Pact’s own operations, but also across the manufacturing sector more broadly.” “Pact’s transaction is a great example of how multiple targets under one KPI theme can be used by a company to drive internal and external outcomes. Pact's recycling target not only focuses on increasing recycled content in Pact's portfolio, but also seeks to increase the amount of recycled material processed on an industry-wide basis, helping to further develop the local circular economy.” The SLL incentivises four key performance indicators: increasing the percentage of recycled content in Pact packaging; increasing the amount of recycled material processed and distributed to the external market, reducing scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions and gender pay equality.…

An international leader in home intelligence and real-time smart electricity monitoring, Sense is setting up operations in Australia to help the country achieve Net Zero emissions sooner. Michael Jary, the International Managing Director for Sense, announced the establishment of a local operation in Australia within a year, where the company sees strong potential for its AI technology to be embedded with the next generation of smart energy meters. Sense will establish local electricity retailing and manufacturing partners for its AI technology that uses machine-learning algorithms to analyse high-resolution electricity data, providing a breakdown of individual domestic electricity consumption to an appliance level in real-time. “Whilst first generation smart meters have made huge strides in digitising the energy sector, they have not fulfilled their true potential. With an excessive focus on the unit cost of the meter alone, these first wave devices could have done much more,” says Jary. “But second wave meters can and must do so much more. They will be affixed to walls until 2040 so they need to be future-proofed.” Sense technology, which can be embedded into…

This major project will demonstrate how ocean energy can solve end-users’ energy challenges. The two-stage project will start with an online platform to help match markets to energy solutions. The second phase will see a pilot-scale, offshore integrated grid system developed near Albany. A visionary, WA-based project has been unveiled as part of a bold step-change to accelerate the adoption of integrated ocean energy. Launched in early May at the Australian Ocean Energy Group’s Market Summit in Hobart, the feasibility study will look into developing a two-stage Integrated Ocean Energy Marketplace (IOEM). The first stage will feature a digital platform and knowledge base, used to model various integrated renewable energy systems and to propose bespoke energy solutions for ’blue economy’ market users. The second stage will see the development of a physical, visitable marketplace situated near Albany, showcasing an integrated ocean energy microgrid, which will enable these market customers to see, interact with and gather real-time information about ocean energy solutions. Driven by the Australian Ocean Energy Group (AOEG) cluster, which was established with support from NERA (National Energy Resources Australia)…

Prior to forging a career in tech, Aliza Knox spent decades as a global finance and consulting executive and is now a Board Director as well as a Senior Advisor for Boston Consulting Group. Awarded 2020 APAC IT Woman of The Year, she has recently launched her new book titled ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job’. AMT:  What drove you to write ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job’? Aliza Knox:  I’ve been doing a lot of casual mentoring via one-off coffees. If there’s one idea I learned from tech, it’s that things need to be scalable. Also, I don’t really like coffee. So I thought I’d write down a lot of what I share in these sessions.  In the climate of #TheGreatResignation, many people believe they need to quit their jobs to get what they want. I don’t think that’s always the case, so I want to explain my views on how to get what you need from…

The Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) is releasing more information about Australian Manufacturing Week 2023, to be held in Melbourne next May. Proudly owned and operated by AMTIL, Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) is Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event. AMTIL’s longstanding advanced manufacturing expo, AMW2023 will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9 to 12 May 2023. The Additive Manufacturing Zone will spotlight the latest advances in 3D printing. It includes Additive Manufacturing users, suppliers, and supporters. The process of 3D printing was first patented by Charles Hull in 1986, as stereolithography, and the additive manufacturing industry began as a ‘rapid prototyping process’. The innovations brought about by this technology have been ground-breaking. Today the precision, repeatability, and material range of 3D printing has extended its use into boat and building construction, through to nanotech. The Australian Manufacturers Pavilion is sponsored by Sutton Tools, and showcases the capabilities of Australia’s precision engineering and advanced manufacturing industry. The Australian Manufacturers Pavilion is where AMW celebrates the very best in Australian manufacturing, providing a showcase for some…

Matthew Holloway has been Managing Director at the Holloway Group for over a decade now, working his way through the business from being a die setter on the factory floor to the organisation’s leading executive. Under his vision and guidance, the company has expanded from a single business entity, specialising in the manufacturing of plastic storage containers, to a portfolio of seven brands and now a major player in the recycled plastics, sustainability, and innovation arenas.   AMT: So, tell us the Matt Holloway story. Matt Holloway: The Holloway Group is effectively a family-owned organisation. My old man was a tool maker by trade, back in the eighties. And as tool maker, he bought an injection moulding machine and started to contract-mould stuff for a bunch of different clients, from swizzle sticks for cocktails, right through to thong straps. Straight out of school, I did civil engineering and hated it. Didn't know what I wanted to do for quite some time. And then, I jumped in the…

Energy’s centrality to Australia’s economic growth is well recognised, and the importance of securing an uninterrupted energy supply vital for numerous local businesses where hydrocarbon processing is part of their supply chain. Examples of hydrocarbon processing are found in the compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) sectors. Specialty gases as utilised in the hydrocarbon process for safety, process control and compliance, have historically been imported into Australia, however, global supply chain issues are now affecting Australian companies that have traditionally relied on overseas suppliers. Steps to safeguard supply security include generating awareness of domestic specialty gas production to ensure a more energy-secure future for Australian businesses. Coregas is the only Australian industrial gases company manufacturing locally and distributing specialty gases throughout Australia and New Zealand, including calibration gases, chemical gases, process gases, purging/inerting gases, electronic gases and instrumentation gases. “No other sector Coregas serves has such a diverse and precise range of requirements, and we have invested many years in developing our quality product range, certification, expertise and responsiveness to serve the needs…

RMIT University engineers collaborated with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) to reveal a bitumen blend that is both UV-resistant and withstands traffic loads, with the potential to save governments millions on road maintenance annually. Unlike much outdoor infrastructure – such as playground equipment and outdoor furniture – roads are not designed with any sun protection, making them prone to cracking and potentially unsafe to drive on. Australian states and territories spent nearly $2.9bn on road maintenance in 2019–2020, according to the National Transport Commission. The invention also provides a promising sustainable solution to Australia’s used-tyre crisis. Used tyres in Australia have been subject to an export ban since December 2020, which means new methods for recycling and reprocessing them locally is increasingly important. While research efforts have focused on improving the durability of roads in terms of traffic load, thermal ageing and weather-related events, sun damage has received little attention – until now. The new study led by Associate Professor Filippo Giustozzi at RMIT University provides a sustainable solution to UV…