Industry News

Inventory management is critical for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) because it directly influences both production efficiency and profitability. However, despite this, it's often an area that needs the greatest improvement. Effective inventory management involves complex and interrelated tasks, from forecasting demand and maintaining optimal stock levels, to ensuring swift and accurate delivery, managing storage, and reducing waste or obsolete models. These require detailed analysis, accurate data, and the use of advanced technology or inventory management systems. Without these, manufacturers may struggle with issues like low inventory turns, lack of visibility across departments, overstocking, stockouts, and high holding costs, which can significantly impact their operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and bottom line. Manual processes cost time and money Results from a recent ECI Software Solutions' customer "Warehouse Management Woes" survey shows that 53% of SMBs conduct manual inventory counts approximately once a quarter and 50% of respondents have challenges counting or reconciling inventory. This is because many SMBs do not have inventory recordkeeping policies and processes in place, including regular inventory counts, maintenance, and documentation.…

Registrations are now open for Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2024), held at the Sydney ICC in Darling Harbour. Run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), AMW2024 will occupy more than 6,560 square metres of exhibition space at the Sydney ICC at Darling Harbour. More than 220 organisations have already taken stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. Don’t miss out! Register NOW! There are seven Zones on the vast floorspace of Australian Manufacturing Week, which takes up almost of the Sydney ICC. Each Zone focuses on particular aspects of manufacturing in Australia. These include: Austech Machine Tools, sponsored by finlease; Additive Manufacturing Zone; Australian Manufacturers Zone; Manufacturing Solutions Zone, sponsored by The Execution Factor; Robotics & Automation Zone, sponsored by IFS; Weld and Air Solutions Zone; and the Plastic Technology Zone. ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION The Robotics & Automation Zone, proudly sponsored by IFS, will feature the latest state-of-the-art equipment and processes for the optimisation of manufacturing operations. Robots are practical technologies, with artificially intelligent…

Jamie Whincup has been a part of Triple Eight Race Engineering as a driver since he joined the team in 2006. “My father bought me a go-kart when I was seven years old, so racing was originally a hobby,” Whincup tells me. “Fast forward, and the whole thing just got out of control and has become my profession for 20 years. I was very happy to join what I regarded as the best team in the country in 2006. And they've gone from strength to strength. And we've won many races, but it must be stated that we are an engineering company that showcases our talents on the racetrack.” Now Managing Director, Whincup is straight-forward with his descriptions of what Triple Eight does. “Motorsport has always been about getting a team of people together, to build a race car, take it to the track and race our mates, try to go around in circles quicker than them and get to the…

Kingsway Confectionery, a renowned family-owned company specialising in packaging retail-ready products for over 30 years, has strengthened its position as a leading confectionery packaging company in Australia through its longstanding partnership with TNA solutions. In its latest facility upgrade, TNA's integrated packaging solution has enabled Kingsway Confectionery to increase production capacity by 50% and meet the demands of its expanding customer base. With state-of-the-art, Australian-made machinery, TNA offers fast changeovers, superior product flexibility, easy maintenance and cleaning, and optimised speed performance. Its unmatched customer support ensures high production uptime, keeping Kingsway Confectionery’s customers happy. To remain competitive in the confectionery market, Kingsway Confectionery recognised the need for machinery that could enhance performance and speed. Seeking a solution that could support a wide range of bag sizes, cater to its diverse customer base, and provide a strong return on investment, Kingsway Confectionery integrated a third tna robag® vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) packaging system into its production line. The robag® is renowned for its high performance, offering exceptional speed and flexibility. It empowered Kingsway Confectionery to efficiently…

With nine manufacturing facilities throughout Australia, Eilbeck Cranes has come a long way from its beginnings as a humble blacksmith shop more than 115 years ago. This fourth-generation diverse family business, employing some 400 people, is today Australia’s largest and most advanced crane manufacturer with ever-expanding exports extending to South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and New Zealand. Third-generation Tom Eilbeck and fourth-generation Charlie Eilbeck are both active in the company. In recent years Eilbeck Cranes has also expanded its heavy machining facilities investing two of the largest Okuma CNC machines in Australia to cater for its production and to expand its heavy engineering division with contract and custom work and heavy engineering projects. With the successful business extension and expansion of the heavy machining division into major contract general engineering Eilbeck Machining is now one of the most prominent players in Australian heavy engineering and CNC Machining with contracts in defence, mining, rail, oil & gas and heavy industry. The large Okuma CNC Double Column Model MCR-A5CII with OSP-P300MA control is used for this work with the smaller Okuma…

In a monumental leap towards a greener future, AgriFutures Australia proudly presents the outcomes of the Carbon Initiative Program, a two million dollar commitment fueling 15 pioneering research projects. The 15 projects have not only enriched current industry-specific endeavours towards a net-zero future but have also forged new frontiers in cross-industry carbon research. Venturing into unchartered territory has yielded remarkable revelations, including five hero insights across the 15 projects: Innovative Carbon Testing: The fusion of cutting-edge machine learning with satellite sensing technology is re-writing the rules of soil organic carbon testing. By driving down costs, these methods are racing to surpass the Australian Government’s ambitious target of three dollars per hectare. Reimagining Farm Irrigation: Exploration into emissions from Australian farm irrigation dams has stunned the scientific community, where traditionally there has been a lack of carbon footprint data. The discovery showcases nitrous oxide emission rates that defy conventional wisdom, sitting four times lower than the estimations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Nature's Methane Solution: Unlocking the potential of native freshwater plants and seaweed species has unveiled…

Ariel Banco of Custom Plenum Creations began hand-producing automotive intake manifolds out of his garage in 2003. Fast forward seven years and Banco had evolved his business model and opened shop. He has since acquired three CNC machines and continues to produce intake manifolds for the Australian and international custom car market. As a small business, Ariel needed to simplify operations and increase efficiency. He required a modelling and CNC software that would allow him to easily model parts and manufacture them. Additionally, his CNC machines were 4-axis, but his parts had features that required machining on the fifth axis. Project goals Banco was looking for CAD/CAM software that was simple to design with and that he could make changes to quickly. He explains, “It’s what I need for a business like mine, it’s not a high production business, it’s a lot of different parts and low volume. I need to make changes quickly and the process needs to be as smooth as possible.” To gain 5-axis-like machining capability on his 4-axis machines, Ariel required a…

Sevaan Group’s four-day week trial period will run for three months, from 11th September until the 31st December. The Group is spreading the normal 38-hour, five-day work week over four days. Each day encompasses two shifts, morning and afternoon, consisting of 9.5 hours each. According to Sevaan Group’s CEO, David Green, the management-led initiative gained traction as a result of the positive outcomes attained by overseas companies that have already trialled the four-day week. “The evidence suggests that these firms are benefitting from improved productivity, reduced sick leave and unapproved absenteeism, and a general increase in their employees’ well-being.” “The improved well-being of staff is particularly of interest because it aligns so strongly with Sevaan’s culture. We are a very employee-focused organisation and our staff’s well-being is paramount. We have already introduced an EAP - LifeWorks - which provides staff with confidential, expert counselling across a broad range of issues, should they request it. We are hoping that a 4-day working week will further support our…

Cleaning up your workshop is the ultimate “rainy-day” job; however, with the La Niña about to end, some may be hurrying to fit an eleventh-hour workshop upgrade in before the El Niño hot, sunny weather is upon us, hopefully with increases in productive work. Investing in an improved workshop benching and storage solution may be a critical step to be taken towards an increase in productivity and ongoing prosperity, but, ‘how to approach this’ should be a question one asks. For most, prosperity does not simply fall into one’s lap, but is the process of sound investment, patient planning and attention to detail. When you take this approach, you will eventually reach a point where you need to address some key questions in your production zones: How do I cut-down on innocent time wasting in production; How do I customise an environment to suit the tasks we are performing How do I prevent mistakes in part picking and ID How do I protect my components from dust and UV light. At BAC Systems, an Australian manufacturer of an industrial workshop furniture range…

A new $50m facility capable of recycling the equivalent of up to one billion 600ml PET plastic drink bottles each year has been opened by the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Victorian Minister for the Environment Steve Dimopoulos. The facility has commenced operations in Melbourne, just in time to take advantage of the state’s Container Deposit Scheme. The Circular Plastics Australia (PET) plant will convert used drink bottles into high-quality food-grade resin which will then be used to manufacture new recycled PET bottles and food packaging. The plant will be fully operational and recycling PET bottles collected through the Container Deposit Scheme, and additionally, some refuse from the household and office recycling bins in the system. This is the biggest facility in Victoria and the state-of-the-art equipment is capable of producing 2.5 tonnes of recycled PET resin per hour. Multiple infrared and optical sorters first separate any non-PET material like bottle lids, labels, and metals. The PET bottles are then shredded, ground, and washed before the flaked material is then pushed through a two-stage heating and drying…

Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2024) is run by the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL), with the NSW Government as the Major Sponsor. This huge event will occupy more than 6,560 square metres of exhibition space at the Sydney ICC at Darling Harbour. More than 215 organisations have already taken stands to showcase the latest manufacturing technologies, processes, and support services. Don’t miss out! REGISTER NOW:   There will be seven Zones on the show floor of Australian Manufacturing Week, each showcasing its areas of expertise.  These include: Austech Machine Tools, sponsored by finlease; Additive Manufacturing Zone; Australian Manufacturers Zone; Manufacturing Solutions Zone, sponsored by The Execution Factor; Robotics & Automation Zone; Weld and Air Solutions Zone; and the Plastic Technology Zone.   MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS ZONE The Manufacturing Solutions Zone offers optimised solutions to the most common challenges experienced by manufacturers. From materials handling and warehousing to integrated manufacturing and safety solutions. The manufacturing industry would not be able to function effectively without a diverse array of ancillary technologies and support services. The Manufacturing Solutions Zone is…

Powered by a 6.6kV substation and more than two kilometres of high voltage trailing cable, this is the first of an initial three R 9400 E electric excavators being delivered by Liebherr that will be commissioned over the next year. The delivery of electric excavators demonstrates Fortescue’s and Liebherr’s strong commitment to decarbonising heavy industry. In line with Fortescue’s aim to eliminate emissions across its mining operations, the intention is that all electrified mining equipment will eventually be powered by renewable energy. “The commissioning of this fully electric excavator is a massive achievement by the team,” said Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer, Dino Otranto, “and is the first of its kind in Australia for the mining industry. “It’s a true demonstration of industry collaboration where we’ve been fortunate enough to work with industry experts who have been using trailing cable for decades, and then repurpose this in our operations as part of our decarbonisation journey. “Already, our Chichester operations which include Cloudbreak run partially off solar enabling this…

Air, though seemingly harmless, can carry contaminants that pose significant risks to the integrity of food and beverage products. Traditional ‘lubricated’ air compressors, which inject oil into the compression chamber, have been a standard in many manufacturing facilities. However, these units present a considerable risk in environments where the strictest hygiene standards must be maintained. Oil and its byproducts have the potential to compromise the purity of food and beverage products. Even trace oil contamination can lead to spoilage, off-flavours, or worse, endanger the health of consumers. To address these risks, the industry should incorporate oil-free air compressors as a crucial element of their production process. The advantages of oil-free air compressors. Elimination of Contaminants: Oil-free compressors function without compressed air becoming in contact with any lubricating oil, eliminating the risk of potentially harmful substances into the compressed air supply, resulting in a final product of superior quality. Stringent regulatory compliance: Using oil-free air compressors in the food and beverage industry signifies a dedication to meeting strict regulatory standards. This reassures both regulatory bodies and consumers of the facility's…