Industry News

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** These small inefficiencies are easy to ignore. They don’t stop production, they don’t trigger alarms, and no one really tracks them. But over time, they quietly build up into real cost. Waste Is Not Always Visible In abrasive-related work such as cutting, grinding and sanding, consumables are constantly used. Because each item is relatively low in cost, they are often not managed closely. But in reality, a lot of waste comes from very normal daily behaviour. For example, a worker may switch between cutting and grinding tasks several times during the day. When changing discs, partially used ones are often left aside or mixed together. Later on, instead of finding the original disc, a new one gets opened. The same happens with sanding discs. Many are replaced before they…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** The export relationship between Australian manufacturers and the United States has shifted. A relatively stable trading relationship has become a landscape of policy uncertainty, and businesses delivering their US strategy on historical assumptions are likely to be caught flat-footed. The US remains Australia’s second-largest two-way trading partner for manufactured goods including medical devices, advanced machinery, food processing equipment, and metals. Manufacturers that quickly adapt to the changing landscape will emerge with a structural advantage. The Tariff Reality Recently introduced sweeping reciprocal tariff frameworks treat many imported goods as leverage in broader geopolitical negotiations within US trade policy. Australia’s strong diplomatic relationship has not translated into tariff exemptions. Exposed industries include metals and fabricated products, food processing equipment, medical devices, and precision manufacturing. A 10–25% duty applied to the US customs value can quickly eat through operating margins. Understanding the correct Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification is imperative to prevent paying higher duty rates than required. Engaging a licensed US customs broker to audit…

NSW opens new $6M Innovative Manufacturing Adoption Fund AMTIL welcomes the announcement of the opening of the new $6 million Innovative Manufacturing Adoption Fund…

Every manufacturer has a story to tell, but real influence comes when hundreds of businesses tell that story together. All advanced manufacturing and supplier company leaders are called on to participate in the National Advanced Manufacturing Census, and to build the evidence needed to advocate for the policies, skills and investment that our advanced manufacturing industry needs to thrive. Governments and decision-makers rely on data when setting priorities. The greater the participation, the more complete the picture, and the stronger our industry's influence can be. If you're part of advanced manufacturing, your business counts. Participation shapes decisions. If we don't count ourselves, we’re counting ourselves out of the nationally-important conversation. Take part and help shape what comes next. This Census is part of AMTIL’s new and dedicated Policy & Government Affairs Branch that is strengthening the voice…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** The most successful uses of AI are unlikely to come from technology alone. They will depend on whether manufacturers have the right data, skills, governance, infrastructure and business discipline to apply AI where it solves real operational problems.   The opportunity is significant. The CSIRO’s Artificial Intelligence Roadmap estimates that digital technologies, including AI, could increase productivity by up to 40% and contribute $315 billion to Australia’s GDP by 2030. The Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources also identifies AI as a critical technology with potential to transform existing industries and build new ones.   For manufacturing, however, the value will not come from AI as a standalone tool. It will come from combining AI with existing industrial strengths:…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Australia’s manufacturing sector entered 2026 with signs of renewed momentum, but global disruption and rising operating costs continue to test the industry's resilience. The latest Manufacturing Signals Report from CommBank shows that manufacturing output returned to growth in late 2025 after a difficult period of contraction. However, many businesses are still managing margin pressure driven by higher freight, fuel and input costs, ongoing supply chain disruption and persistent labour shortages. For manufacturers, the current environment is creating a more complex balancing act between maintaining day-to-day operational performance and positioning themselves for future competitiveness. “There are signs of recovery in manufacturing, but it’s far from a straightforward external environment. Businesses are having to manage persistent cost and supply pressures, while also positioning themselves for long-term competitiveness,” Belinda Harris (General Manager Commercial Banking QLD, Commonwealth Bank of Australia). Navigating cost and supply chain pressures Geopolitical tensions and shipping disruptions across key global trade routes have increased pressure on supply chains and inventory management, with CommBank data pointing to 10-to-14-day shipping delays for the sector, which extends lead times and…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** For Australian manufacturing technology suppliers, mining is not only a customer market. It is a demanding test bed for engineering capability. The sector requires heavy fabrication, precision machining, hydraulics, wear components, automation, robotics, materials handling systems, sensing, control systems, safety technology and increasingly sophisticated digital tools. In many cases, mining has helped Australian manufacturers become world-class by forcing them to solve difficult problems in harsh environments. The scale of the opportunity remains substantial. The Department of Industry’s December 2025 Resources and Energy Quarterly forecast Australia’s resources and energy export earnings at $383 billion in 2025–26 and $374 billion in 2026–27. Export volumes are expected to remain robust and rise close to record levels in 2027, even as some commodity prices soften. Iron ore is expected to remain Australia’s largest resources earner, accounting for about one-quarter…

AMTIL welcomes the Hon. Melissa Horne as Victoria’s new Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Jobs, and Minister for Ports and Freight; and congratulates the Hon. Ben Carroll MP on his election as the new Premier of Victoria. New to advanced manufacturing, Minister Horne has previously worked in senior levels of government and the corporate sector, particularly in the transport sector. AMTIL looks forward to working together to advance our state’s advanced manufacturing priorities. The Hon. Colin Brooks, previous Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, has been appointed as Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations. Mr Brooks and Mr Carroll are well-known to AMTIL and its members, including having previously opened Australian Manufacturing Week and attended Victorian Manufacturing Galas. With understanding of our sector’s opportunities and barriers being held within three core and influential positions, AMTIL looks forward to engaging with Government and our sector being reflected in future policies introduced. New federal defence report released The 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy has been released, setting the strategic agenda for Australia’s defence innovation priorities while strengthening Australia’s sovereign industrial base and national…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** Five years after the closure of the Lane Cove Test Station, Australia is beginning to grasp the scale of what was lost. It marked the erosion of a national capability that underpins electrical safety, system reliability, innovation and industrial competitiveness across the entire electricity system. This reality was laid bare at a recent Australian Industry Group forum examining the impacts of Lane Cove’s closure. Industry experts from standards development, manufacturing, system engineering and forensic investigation delivered a consistent message: Australia’s rapid electrification is now running ahead of our ability to independently test and validate the equipment it relies on. Electrification is transforming every layer of the economy. Buildings are shifting away from gas. Electric vehicle charging is scaling rapidly. Data centres are increasing power densities by orders of magnitude. Distributed energy resources are turning consumers into generators. Power electronics, solid‑state switching and direct current are no longer niche technologies, but core features of modern electricity systems. Each of these changes places new stresses on equipment that was never designed for today’s operating conditions. Testing is what turns…

The establishment of the new Branch represents a significant investment in advocacy and government engagement, ensuring AMTIL members have a stronger voice in shaping the policies that will influence the future of manufacturing. A stronger voice for industry As part of AMTIL's strategic plan, the new Policy & Government Affairs Branch has been established to strengthen the organisation's advocacy capability and increase engagement with governments, industry and key stakeholders on the issues that matter most to Australia's advanced manufacturing sector. The Branch will work to ensure the industry's priorities are represented through evidence-based policy development, consultation and advocacy, helping to influence decisions that support innovation, investment, skills development, productivity and long-term industry growth. AMTIL's advocacy will be informed by member experiences, industry data, research, market insights and economic analysis, ensuring policy positions reflect the real opportunities and challenges facing manufacturers across Australia. Karen Parr appointed Director, Policy & Government Affairs Leading the new Branch is Karen Parr, who joins AMTIL as…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** This year’s exhibitors—from Emona Instruments, iO3D Printing, and Laserman Australia, through to the Additive Manufacturing CRC, 3D Solutions Australia, Shining3D Tech and RAM3D—gave visitors a close look at the materials, machines, services and research pathways helping manufacturers adopt AM with greater confidence. The tone was noticeably practical, with exhibitors focused on where AM delivers commercial value, how to match materials and processes to applications, and how to integrate the technology into existing workflows. The emphasis was less on AM as a standalone technology, and more on how it can support faster product development, short-run production, complex geometries, supply chain resilience and customised manufacturing. Emona Instruments’ focus was on helping Australian manufacturers identify the additive manufacturing technologies best suited to their applications, from polymers and composites through to metals and printed electronics. The company’s message was that AM is not simply about the machine itself, but about understanding the right process, material and workflow to move from experimentation…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** These individuals carry an irreplaceable mental library built across decades of hands-on observation. They possess an intuitive grasp of which surface irregularities signal serious risk and which are meaningless noise. As this generation of experts moves toward retirement, manufacturers across Australia are confronting a knowledge-preservation challenge that no standard training curriculum can solve. Vision Language Models (VLMs) are emerging as the technology capable of bridging that gap. A Fundamentally Different Kind of Machine Vision For decades, automated visual inspection relied on a simple and brittle model: define what a defect looks like, then search for its signature in every image. This rules-based approach performed adequately in highly controlled settings but required near-perfect consistency in lighting, material surface, and component presentation to operate reliably. The moment conditions deviated, conventional systems lost confidence rapidly. VLMs were designed from…

**This story originally appeared in the July 2026 edition of AMT Magazine** A succession of global shocks – wars, pandemics and supply chain crises – has shown just how important those security and resilience objectives are. As the poet Dorothea Mackellar famously put it, we live in a sunburnt country. We are also, at times, a drought-prone country. Economic resilience means using water in a way that doesn’t put additional pressures on Australia’s water supply. Equally, it means building more energy for new industries and making modern manufacturing technologies more energy efficient. The data centre expectations that I announced earlier this year put strong emphasis on energy additionality and water efficiency. But traditional industries can advance the work of driving efficiency and economic resilience, too. Research and development is an essential part of that effort. Australia has world-class researchers in our universities, industries and national science agencies. We also have genuinely innovative…