Member News

In the exciting world of heavy industries encompassing Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure, Mining & Resources, Energy, Oil & Gas, Defence, Government/Not-for-Profit, Environmental and more, executive roles are vital. The successful recruitment and retention of these leaders play a pivotal role in an organisation's growth and stability. Hunter Executive Search Consultants, a prominent Australian recruitment firm, has recently conducted a survey among registered executives, shedding light on the diversity and retention challenges faced in these sectors. "In the dynamic landscape of heavy industries, executive roles are vital for organisational growth and stability. With 78% supporting equal career growth and a call for improvement due to the 33% facing gender bias, our expertise in attracting and retaining top executive talent is more valuable than ever in navigating these complexities,” said Jayde Stokes, a Regional Manager at Hunter. “I am passionate about building diversity across heavy industries, particularly within the executive space as that’s where change starts.” Key survey findings: Executive tenure: Out of 377 responses from executives in heavy industries, 35% have been in their current roles for one to three…

In today's dynamic manufacturing landscape, Australian companies are seeking innovative ways to address capacity constraints without significantly increasing their workforce. Challenges such as workforce shortages, rising labour costs, and skill gaps are common pain points. A subtle yet transformative solution is emerging - a technological advancement that complements human capabilities rather than supplanting them. Orbimax Cobot Welders; a robot taught by movement and a simple smartphone app that can be realised and implemented immediately into your existing workforce, bringing instant investment gains. The Australian manufacturing sector faces an array of hurdles. Workforce scarcity, escalating labour expenses, and skill deficiencies continue to challenge operations. Moreover, maintaining precision, consistency, and productivity places a considerable burden on existing teams. These obstacles can impede the ability to scale production in response to market fluctuations. A quietly revolutionary solution is quietly gaining traction. It operates in tandem with human workers, alleviating their burden. This technology marks a pivotal shift, automating repetitive and physically taxing tasks, enabling human workers to focus on tasks necessitating creativity, problem-solving, and higher-order decision-making. This augmentation in human capacity leads…

When considering the potential consequences of inadequate tank farm monitoring, images of disasters like the Buncefield fire probably spring to mind first. However, with the development of safety regulations and equipment, these catastrophic events are becoming far less common over time. Instead, those who rely on functional tank farms as part of their supply chains are more likely to suffer from inefficiency and resultant financial setbacks. Without accurate information, businesspeople are in the dark. Keeping track of supply levels in tank facilities is crucial both to regulate your incoming materials and provide the required product quantities on demand. This is as true for hazardous chemicals and flammable petroleum storage as it is for paint and water. But how can decision-makers access that critical data? In parts of the developing world, a calibrated dipstick and cross-referencing table or a sight glass and internal floats are still used to determine levels inside each tank. Across farms with tens or…

Brigitte Stavar, Managing Director of Sheetmetal Machinery Australia, has held the position of President of AMTIL since October 2019 and has helped guide the Association through some interesting times. COVID caused the postponement and subsequent cancellation of our flagship exhibition, Austech, along with many other events we run. This provided many challenges to us in not only meeting the needs of our members but also the financial implications of not running a show. We also purchased new offices with a fit-out and move in September 2021 followed by the announcement that Austech and the Reed Exhibition-owned National Manufacturing Week would evolve into one new show, Australian Manufacturing Week, owned and organised solely by AMTIL. Our thanks go to Brigitte and our current Board for the direction and guidance they gave our body during those times. We are pleased to say we have come through it with flying colours and are in a strong position to move forward. Along with Brigitte, our existing…

Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2024) is now OPEN FOR REGISTRATION. The show is to be held at the Sydney International Convention Centre (ICC) at Darling Harbour, 17-19 April 2024. Run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2024 will occupy more than 6,560 square metres of exhibition space at the ICC, with more than 215 organisations so far taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN for visitors planning to come to this incredible show in Sydney. Click through to register HERE. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING ZONE With the likes of Bilby 3D, CSIRO Manufacturing, Aurarum, AXT, FormLab Inc., Titomic, Innovync, Shining 3D and Lightwave Technology, the range of exhibitors includes Additive Manufacturing users, suppliers, and supporters. The Additive Manufacturing Zone will spotlight the latest advances in the technologies within this sector. Techniques within Additive Manufacturing include Stereolithography, Selective Laser Sintering, Material Extrusion, Sheet lamination, Binder jetting, Cold Spray processing, Material jetting, directed energy deposition, powder bed fusion, VAT…

AMT: As the Queensland Minister for Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water, that is a lot of portfolio space to get your head around first off Minister.  Promise I’ll stay within the walls of manufacturing. Do you find a bit of ‘crossover’? GB: Definitely - there is lots of crossover and that’s what I want to see. I want to see local manufacturers benefitting from our significant investment in critical infrastructure like water projects, so that benefits to Queensland businesses are seen all the way down the supply chain. A significant amount of our infrastructure investment occurs outside Southeast Queensland given the decentralised nature of the state. And this is set to continue - as an example, 95% of our $62bn Energy and Jobs Plan will be invested outside SEQ. That’s why we have a plan and why we keep investing in our grants and support programs so that our local…

Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2024) is being held at the Sydney International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour from 17-19 April 2024. Run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2024 will occupy more than 6,560 square metres of exhibition space at the ICC, with more than 215 organisations taking stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. AUSTECH MACHINE TOOLS ZONE AUSTECH has been the cornerstone of AMTIL’s success for over 21 years. This iconic Machine Tools Zone now forms an integral part of AMW 2024. AUSTECH is specifically targeted at the metalworking, machine tool, and ancillary market in Australia. AUSTECH covers advanced manufacturing products and processes including: CNC Machinery, Lathes, Mills Contract Manufacturing/Precision Machining Cutting Tools, Tooling & Tool Holding Forming & Fabricating Machines Plasma, Laser, Waterjet & Ultrasonic Machines Ancillary equipment suppliers Finlease is sponsoring the AUSTECH Machine Tools Zone at AMW2024 in Sydney. Finlease sources finance for some of the country’s most innovative manufacturers. When you deal with a Finlease broker, you’re dealing with a…

Since its launch in Australia over 18 years ago, Applied Machinery has been supplying Yawei precision sheetmetal machinery to local manufacturers and job shops, maximising their productivity, boosting quality and broadening their capabilities. The Yawei range has steadily expanded and now includes CNC fibre lasers, tube lasers, pressbrakes, turret punch presses, guillotines and smart-factory automation solutions. The latest release from Yawei is a range of CNC Panel Folders offering fast speed, high efficiency panel folding with automation options available to maximise productivity. “When fast, accurate, repeatable four-sided bending is required the new Yawei Panel Folder is the answer.  Repetitive 4-sided work doesn’t belong on a pressbrake, or a panbrake - it belongs on a panel folder,” said Applied Sales and Marketing Manager Daniel Fisher. The Yawei FBA series panel folder uses world class componentry which includes a Beckhoff control system with a 15 inch colour display screen. The system automatically calculates the required pressing force, folding pressure and safe area. The Yawei FBE series machines utilise a Siemens CNC, feature automatic tool positioning and a suite of automation and…

Australia has an opportunity to develop a sovereign sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, with domestic demand for jet fuel expected to increase by 75% by 2050, according to a new roadmap released recently by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO and Boeing Australia. Unlike conventional jet fuel, SAF is produced from renewable sources – like agricultural waste, animal fats and vegetable oils – and significantly reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s life-cycle making it a more sustainable alternative for powering aircraft. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap builds consensus on developing an Australian sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, identifying opportunities to produce and scale production using Australian feedstocks. CSIRO Senior Manager and lead Roadmap author, Max Temminghoff, said Australia was in a prime position to develop a domestic industry. “By actively working to liberate feedstocks, the roadmap estimates that Australia is currently sitting on enough resources to produce almost five billion litres of SAF by 2025. This could supply nearly 60% of jet fuel demand projected…

Since 1975, Dongara Marine has become a mainstay in West Australia's marine industry. Established by boat designer John Fitzhardinge in its namesake town, the business moved to a newly constructed waterfront shipyard in the port of Geraldton in 2022. Over the years, it has demonstrated exceptional prowess in boat building, maintenance, and marine services, emerging as a leader in the Australian maritime sector. "Dongara Marine's success lies in our broad skillset, diverse workforce, and in-house capabilities," says managing director and part-owner Rohan Warr. “We’re continually developing our workforce and refining our trade skills, providing us greater control over scheduling, costs, performance, and quality.” With highly experienced management, larger facilities, and an expanded, expert workforce Dongara Marine has the in-house capabilities to undertake virtually every aspect of highly sophisticated vessel construction, repair/modification, and vessel support for commercial, government and recreational clients. As a result of workload and projected demand, Dongara Marine is also operating from another established aluminium shipbuilding facility. Recent contract wins include two pilot boats for the Port of…

Developments in the electric vehicle (EV) market are advancing at a rapid pace, with consumer uptake on the increase and the end of the road for newly manufactured ICE vehicles fast approaching. The role of dynamic braking resistors in securing the EV power systems during the electric vehicle rollout. A DBR is a vital component in the EV power chain, responsible for safeguarding the electrical system by removing excess energy from a vehicle’s braking system. This mechanism supports several applications in the EV space — regenerative braking, fuel cell power reliability and heavy goods vehicle emergency braking systems. The regeneration game In EVs, a DBR’s ability to absorb and redirect energy facilitates regenerative braking. Regenerative braking uses the excess kinetic energy to recharge an EV’s battery. It is able to do this because the electric motor in an EV can run in two directions: one, using the electrical energy, to drive the wheels and move the car, and the other, using the excess kinetic energy, to recharge the…

Rising consumer demand for ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products, changes in the Australian policy landscape, and growing pressure from stakeholders means sustainability is now front of mind for every organisation. Simultaneously, an increasingly competitive and uncertain global economy of fast-rising materials and shipping costs is forcing manufacturers to implement intelligent, agile, and cost-effective production processes to improve efficiency and throughput. Fortunately, despite these converging challenges, businesses today have the digital tools to support collaboration with industry peers on a global scale. The rise of Internet of Things (IoT) connected smart factories provide manufacturers with the capabilities to leverage data insights from their shop floor and supply chains to develop end-to-end circularity in their sourcing, production and distribution processes. This is helping to minimise unnecessary waste and reduce carbon emissions for more sustainable operations. As more manufacturers move into a circular economy business model, decision makers are turning to innovation to support this transition, with 80% of CEOs increasing digital technology…

Welding has long been the go-to method for repairs and restoration of metal parts. Although it’s a well-established and great method for joining metals, when it comes to repair, welding may not always be the most suitable solution. Unfortunately, with limited alternatives available, it has often been the common or default choice. However, a new technology is now emerging that promises to revolutionise the repair process and offer a more versatile and efficient solution: low-pressure cold spray technology. Cold spray – also known as supersonic particle deposition - is a groundbreaking technology for repairing geometries and applying functional coatings. Unlike welding, which involves high temperatures and can result in distortion, residual stress, and damage to surrounding materials, cold spray operates without the need for extreme heat. Instead, it propels metal particles at supersonic speeds onto metal surfaces. As they collide, the kinetic energy of the particles causes them to deform and interlock with the metal surface, creating a strong, metallurgically bonded coating.  When it comes to repair and maintenance, the advantages of low-pressure cold spray over conventional welding…