Press Centre

In today's increasingly globalised world, the strength and resilience of a nation depends on its ability to nurture and grow strategic industries. As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries that can rely on domestic manufacturing capabilities are better positioned to withstand external shocks and rely on a resilient supply chain. For Australia, investing in advanced manufacturing, and the new technologies that bolster the sector is essential not only for economic growth but also for fostering sovereign resilience. At ANCA we define technological progress, or what some call innovation, as achieving more output with less input. More productivity in manufacturing means our customers have more output with fewer dollars invested, more output with less human workforce required, and less energy consumed. And that means Australia can have a competitive manufacturing sector for the domestic and export market. Checklist of action ANCA is calling on governments - at all levels, and of all persuasions - to move their focus to crafting consistent policies to ensure manufacturing capability stays onshore and local businesses can thrive. The…

Unmanned vehicles are in something of a renaissance. UAVs have been patrolling the skies of militarily sensitive regions for more than a decade, and regulatory frameworks – to say nothing of the technology – are being hashed out between governments and manufacturers of autonomous road vehicles as we speak, including in Australia. Self-driving fleets of transport and public services vehicles have been mooted in the name of safety and efficiency, and unmanned mining and agriculture vehicles are already in use. One area we don't hear much about however is in unmanned sailing. After an estimated 11 billion tons of goods were shipped by sea in 2021 alone, it's an area you'd think was ripe for development, especially as the ocean is still so little understood when it comes to its influence on global climates and ecosystems. Saildrone is aiming to change that. The Alameda, California-based company builds, designs and operates uncrewed/unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for a range of applications in scientific and commercial activities, sailing into the…

The ‘Australia’s Generative AI Opportunity’ report is a collaboration between Microsoft and the Tech Council of Australia. It’s contents says Australia’s manufacturing sector could unlock billions of dollars in value by 2030 if it accelerates the responsible adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GAI). The report shows that GAI could contribute between $45bn and $115bn a year to Australia’s economy by 2030 through two major channels: improving existing industries and enabling the creation of new products and services. Manufacturing has been identified as one of the four key sectors of the Australian economy poised to benefit from GAI. The report demonstrates that the technology could contribute between $2bn and $5bn annually to the manufacturing sector by 2030. TCA’s CEO says the report underscores the enormous economic potential of GAI for the manufacturing sector. However, Kate Pounder warned that the sector risks falling behind other industries in the adoption of this technology if it fails to accelerate its digital transformation. “Generative AI has the potential to redefine the industry, playing to Australia’s strengths of producing high-quality and highly technical products. But the sector needs…

Since then, advanced, third-generation laser technology has led the expansion of cutting processes for a wide range of materials such as sheet metal, wood, plastic, glass, ceramics, textiles, semiconductors and paper. With the recent development of high-power, fibre laser cutting machines, processers are able to reduce costs through faster cutting times and reduced gas usage. This greatly improved cutting process has replaced traditional cutting methods, particularly in the sheet metal industry. One of the thermal cutting methods, used in the laser cutting industry is a focused, high power, and high-density laser beam to irradiate the workpiece so that the material at the irradiated place will melt, vaporise or blow away. The main factors affecting the metal laser cutting thickness and cutting efficiency are the power of the laser cutting machine, the type of auxiliary gas, the pressure, and the flow rate of the auxiliary gas. Laser-cutting machines now require high-energy lasers and auxiliary gases to complete the cutting process. The most common auxiliary gases used for laser cutting are oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), and compressed air. Compressed air is easier to obtain and…

Monash University startup ElectraLith is building an extraction system to filter Lithium from brine using a polymer-ceramic composite membrane, allowing the critical mineral to be extracted from salt lakes, mine tailings, and other brine solutions using small amounts of solar-generated electricity without added chemicals or water. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge electro-filtration membrane technology, ElectraLith seeks to usher in a new era of lithium extraction, propelling the battery market into a cleaner, cheaper, and faster future. At the forefront of this groundbreaking technology is Professor Huanting Wang. An Australian Laureate Fellow and the Director of the ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation at Monash University's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. His pioneering work in nanostructure membranes has paved the way for ElectraLith's game-changing technology. “Current lithium extraction methods involve either roasting hard rock at high temperature and dissolving it with hot sulfuric acid or evaporating brines in a solar pond, both of which use chemicals to precipitate lithium out. It is time-consuming, disruptive, expensive, and wasteful. My research in nanostructure membranes is all about efficiency and ingenuity to make the most…

Please join the Moreton Bay Regional Council and our invited guests for an opportunity to connect, share stories and intel, build your business networks, and learn about the array of business resources and support services being offered across the Moreton Bay region. For this upcoming event, we are delighted to welcome special guest the Hon. Glenn Butcher, Queensland Minister of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water to meet with our manufacturers. Learn about: What's happening across the manufacturing sector for the Moreton Bay region and beyond; Various business development workshops and training courses; Upcoming networking events to leverage your business opportunities and connections; The team at Elexon Electronics will be hosting interactive tours of their Advanced Manufacturing facility and showcasing their ability to design, develop, and manufacture a diverse range of world-class electronic products for local and export markets. Moreton Bay Regional Council is committed to supporting the growth and development of local businesses and growing our region’s economy by delivering on the Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS). This event aims to connect you with other individuals in the region in order to strengthen our…

The Victorian Circular Economy Recycling Modernisation Fund aims to build the capacity, capability, and resilience of Victoria’s resource recovery sector, support businesses to respond to the national regulation of waste exports, increase the quality of materials for manufacturing and create jobs in the circular economy. Projects should be focused on the purchase, installation, and commission of new equipment or technology or upgrade of existing facilities to increase domestic reprocessing capacity and/or improve the quality of material and/or increase the use of recycled content in manufacturing. What are the eligibility criteria? Applicants must be Australian businesses that have been operating for a minimum of two years. Projects must be located in Victoria and source 50% or more of the project materials from Victorian sources. What funding is available? Successful projects could receive a grant between $50,000 and $1m on a $1: $2 (Sustainability Vic: Applicant) basis. What activities are eligible for funding? Eligible projects should: — Improve the recovery and local reprocessing of priority materials. This round includes mixed paper and cardboard, plastics wastes, tyres and glass. — Improve recycling outcomes by addressing critical infrastructure gaps in…

Engineers Australia is the peak body for the engineering profession in Australia. The organisation has over 115,000 individual members and acts as the voice of the profession. Prior to this position, Romilly was Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Australia, a Federal Government Agency that provides research and advice to government, industry and the community on infrastructure investments and reforms. Romilly Madew was awarded an Order of Australia in early 2019 in acknowledgment of her contribution to Australia’s sustainable building movement. She is recognised globally as a leader and advocate for change in the property and construction sector and is a vocal champion of diversity, Indigenous engagement, flexibility in the workplace, and women in sport. She is also active in Surf Life Saving and supporting Australia’s elite sportswomen through the Minerva Network, which she co-founded and is a Director.   AMT: You’ve started as CEO at Engineers Australia with a strong direction.  What do you see you’ve brought to the…

The new Code of Practice for the management of Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) in the construction industry, effective from 1 May 2023 in Queensland, marks the country’s first silica dust Code of Practice. It sets out how to manage the risks associated with exposure to RCS, which has been linked to serious occupational lung diseases such as silicosis. According to Craig Dearling, General Manager – Workforce Services, Master Builders Queensland, the new code provides guidance on how persons in control of a business or undertaking (PCBU's) can safely manage RCS and comply with their general duty of ensuring the health and safety of people at work. While the local construction and building industry has been quick to understand and adopt preventative measures and mitigate the risks associated with RCS exposure, there is still work to be done. “On the whole, our members take active steps to ensure health and safety at work and genuinely care about the impact on their workers. However, there are challenges in the context of an industry made up of so many small businesses that…

Harrison SPARC will receive $1.9m from the Federal Government to value-add to Australia’s critical mineral capabilities. Harrison SPARC is the R&D arm of The Harrison Group, an Australian manufacturing stalwart that helps turn the wheels of the automotive, agricultural, manufacturing, logistics and mining industries at home and globally. The funding was announced very recently by Resources Minister Madeline King as part of the Critical Minerals Development Program. A $50m grant scheme designed to accelerate the development of Australia’s critical minerals sector, it will also support downstream value-add process as outlined in the Federal Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2022. The grant will enable Harrison SPARC (Strategic Projects and Advanced Research Centre) to expand the group’s chemical manufacturing capabilities. Harrison SPARC was started in 2021 to innovate and expand The Harrison Group’s capabilities and offering in the critical infrastructure industries. Sydney-based sister company, Harrison Manufacturing produces high-performance grease, lubricants, oils and imports specialty chemical additives, supplying approximately 50% of domestic market usage. It also exports its know-how and tailor-made lubricant applications to industries such as mining across…

The Future Solutions Speaker Sessions have been such a success here at AMW2023, really. Every seat in each session has been filled. On Tuesday the theme was Additive Manufacturing. Wednesday focused on Women in Manufacturing, then yesterday was Australian Manufacturing. Today we looked into the Future of manufacturing here in Australia. Of particular interest, and one following up for further information was the Breakthrough Victoria, Jason Coonan, the Director – Advanced Manufacturing, who summarised current trends relevant to investment in nanomanufacturing, quantum, and other ground-breaking areas. And still, each zone and pavilion around the halls roared with activity. All the way down to Peddinghaus with their massive rotating, welding carriage for long product steel girders, one of the largest on the planet, brought in from the USA for the show; to the nano-projects undertaken by the small crew at Microscopy, the attractions were enthralling, sometimes randomly scattered. Maybe that’s why it takes people so long to get around this huge space. Another positive for the last day of an industrial show of this size is that so many of these massive machines have…

From down on the show floor, as the clock whizzed past 10am on Wednesday, the hall was swamped, and the pressure didn’t stop all day. Exhibitors I managed to speak to were impressed by the numbers in the aisles as well as the quality of their visitors. Walking from one end of the show floor took about an hour if I tried hard to not talk to anyone. And for me, that’s not easy to do. There was quite a thorough assessment of the Federal Budget on offer by the crew at William Buck with an online meeting that covered many areas of business. Click through HERE to access the recording of the presentation if you have time later. Today’s theme in the Future Solutions Featured Speaker Sessions involved the industry women in Australia and their place in manufacturing. The CEO of SEMMA (South East Melbourne Manufacturing Association) dismissed the label of ‘Pale, Male and Stale’, and introduced two women working and succeeding in the field of manufacturing, one an Apprentice of the Year. Their…