Welcome to a New Year

Australian Manufacturing Week is being held at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour from 17th – 19th April and promises to be another great exhibition with 260 exhibitors across seven product zones including machine tools, additive technologies, welding & air technology, manufacturing solutions, plastic technology, robotics & automation and a dedicated area for Australian manufacturers called the Manufacturers Pavilion. In addition to the exhibition, a Future Solutions speaker program will also be an integral part of a visit with many great topics and speakers lined up already.

Registration to AMW and the Speaker Program is free to attend by visiting australianmanufacturingweek.com.au

Our AMT Magazine continues to be one of the most highly regarded industry publications in the country and we take great pride in this. A nationally controlled circulation list, with a readership of over 20,000 per issue, combined with quality content and well supported by the industry through advertising and editorial has given us the luxury of building this brand over 22 years into what it is today. We will continue to work hard on maintaining the credibility and integrity of our publication well into the future. The hard copy is complemented by our e-magazine, digital newsfeeds, electronic direct mail and other email marketing opportunities.

The first of our proposed government-funded initiatives is what we are calling the ‘Skill Up and Placement Program’ or SUPP for short. This project involves us working with the Commonwealth, in conjunction with Albury/Wodonga TAFE, to deliver a 3-4 week CNC Operator course at several TAFEs around the country. The training will be focused on taking people off unemployment benefits, qualifying them through a pre-training assessment process, putting them through training, mentoring them in confidence and life-changing skills, matching them to prospective employers and gaining full-time employment outcomes as a result. Having piloted this program over the past two years, we are confident we have a model that is manageable and will achieve the results we are looking for, which is employment outcomes for around 250 people over the next three years. Please stay tuned for more information on this initiative or contact Greg Chalker at gchalker@amtil.com.au if the interest is there.

Our second opportunity for Government funding is through a potential Cooperative Research Centre for Additive Manufacturing. A bid for the AMCRC has been put forward in Round 25 of the Australian Government CRC Grant Program, with AMTIL a major partner in the initiative.

Through collaborative investment and research in AM applications, technologies, and innovation, the AMCRC aims to drive productivity, improve sustainability and create transformative change within Australia’s manufacturing sector, which is crucial for the country’s economic strength, resilience, and future viability. Funding for the development of new AM technologies, disruptive business models, materials development, surface technologies and process development will enable companies to future-proof their businesses and create pathways to excel on a global stage.

In addition, our Events team is putting together a great calendar of activities for the industry to get involved with during the year. So you can see we have plenty going on and look forward to engaging with our members, readers and the industry in general through 2024. Wishing you all a successful twelve months ahead.

Regards,

SHANE INFANTI

CEO