Thinking about outcomes when supplying can lead to innovation, explains Innes Willox, CEO of Ai Group. Outcomes-based procurement has attracted significant attention over recent years both internationally and across Australia. It has, for instance, been incorporated into Queensland’s Procurement Policy which now requires Queensland government agencies to pursue opportunities to develop innovative supply solutions, either … Continue reading Using innovative approaches to deliver value for money through outcomes-based procurement →

In today’s world of global competition and digital disruption, Australian manufacturers are becoming acutely aware of the need to do things differently, David Chuter, CEO and managing director of the IMCRC, explains. The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) has brought with it a range of new technologies that have enabled manufacturers to disrupt and transform … Continue reading Effective industry and research collaboration: Cultivating the right culture →

Australia produces about 35 million tonnes of raw sugar every year, with 80 per cent of it exported. Sugar cane farms run from the north of New South Wales through to northern Queensland, mainly on the east coast. Sugar cane came to Australia via South Africa on the first fleet in 1788. It is a … Continue reading Refining the sugar cane production process →

Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, outlines how manufacturers should see codes and compliance in a positive light. In late October, the New South Wales state government introduced the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019 to parliament. If passed, this Bill will see much-needed and long- anticipated reforms made to the state’s building industry. The … Continue reading Focus on compliance a benefit to manufacturers →

A change to the national electricity market proposes that large electricity users could be paid for cutting their energy use. Connor Pearce reports on how this will affect manufacturers. Over the past five years, Australia has experienced a revolution, almost unlike anything the country has seen before. As Australia’s fleet of coal-fired power stations reach … Continue reading Powerful demands →

To create a culture of continuous improvement, Felicity Kelleher has drawn on practical and theoretical knowledge. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out. When speaking with Felicity Kelleher, plastermill, compounds continuous improvement coordinator at building products manufacturer, CSR Lightweight Systems, she is in the middle of driving a 20 per cent rate increase in the company’s dry compounds … Continue reading The process to improvement →

A new paradigm for training cuts time and costs. Weld Australia explains. In the digital era, disruptive technologies have started to play a key role in education and training. Increasingly, old-school techniques are being complemented by innovative methods that rely on augmented and virtual reality systems. Augmented and virtual reality training systems are student-focussed, allowing … Continue reading Augmented and virtual reality training: The next wave of digital disruption →

Cotton is an important crop that provides employment for more than 10,000 people in New South Wales and the lower climes of Queensland. It is a crop that can be temperamental when being processed, but is also a hardy product that is a staple of the textile and fashion industries. Latest figures show that 3.2 … Continue reading Cottoned on: Why Gates Power Transmission Solutions are ideal for the cotton industry →

As a tool to benchmark against the best, the Lean Sensei from AME is a simple way to start asking some tricky questions. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out. In a global and diverse sector such as manufacturing, it can be hard for each individual business to know where they stand. The Lean Sensei tool, developed by … Continue reading Learning from Lean Sensei →

Working at the intersection of digital and physical systems, Total Construction is primed to integrate Industry 4.0 into a manufacturing facility. Manufacturers’ Monthly explains. Thinking about installing Industry 4.0 systems in your plant? It’s time to talk to your builder. This is the message from Rob Blythman, general manager, Engineering Construction Group for Total Construction. … Continue reading Early involvement ensures smooth integration →

The manufacturing industry requires reliable machinery and adequate maintenance systems that ensure a constant workflow in all type of operations. John Sample Group, through its JSG Industrial Systems business, holds the distribution rights to Lincoln Industrial Lubrication Systems across the Asia Pacific. It became affiliated with one of the world’s largest bearing manufacturers, SKF, and … Continue reading JSG Industrial Systems introduces SKF single-line lubrication system for oil and fluid grease →

Marketing can be thought of as an optional extra for manufacturers, but by having an ongoing relationship with customers, innovative manufacturers are finding new ways to add value. Connor Pearce reports. “We had a desire to improve a number of different things in the marketing area, such as our website, the literature that we were … Continue reading Making a lasting connection →

What began as a collaboration to develop an unmanned ground system has evolved into a joint venture that showcases the way that defence contracting is changing. Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with Backplane Systems Technology and Praesidium Global. Since the release of the 2016 Defence White Paper, and its commitment to spending $195 billion on new equipment … Continue reading The “new defence”: Agile SMEs delivering new capabilities →

The federal government forecasts a 4.6 per cent national jobs growth in fabrication and engineering trades and Ahrens are accommodating for the future with its school pathways program. Ahrens take a hands-on approach when it comes to business and Managing Director Stefan Ahrens believes the same value should be applied to learning. “We firmly believe … Continue reading A hands on approach to learning: Ahrens’ school pathways program →

Getting the mix right between industry and academia can be tricky, but one collaboration between dental manufacturer SDI and UNSW proves it is by no means impossible. Connor Pearce reports. Partnerships between industry and researchers can often be seen as the holy grail of product development. Combining the minds of academics with the directed knowledge … Continue reading Taking two bites of the research pie →

Establishing and maintaining health and safety in the workplace requires genuine commitment from an organisation – and that starts with your leaders. Ai Group explains. It is obviously good business practice to run a safe operation in your workplace – but organisations can only achieve good outcomes if there is clear leadership from the senior … Continue reading Safety leadership at every level →

Finding the right partner to take with you on the digital manufacturing journey can save money and increase orders. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out. With the digitalisation of manufacturing processes speeding up, it can be hard to imagine what process and workflows would be like without our digital tools. But the journey to a connected manufacturing ecosystem, … Continue reading Leading the way in digitalisation →

David Chuter, CEO and managing director, IMCRC, explains how to look beyond the technology of Industry 4.0, and focus on its value to manufacturing. Every day, business leaders, in partnership with the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), are searching for ways to embrace and invest in the advanced and digital technologies that have become closely associated … Continue reading Towards an Industry 4.0 future – leadership for innovation →

A video playback function from Test Machines Australia allows for more value to be extracted from each test. Manufacturers’ Monthly explains. While conducting a test of a material is an essential part of the prototyping and design process, understanding the results of the test is not always straightforward. Test Machines Australia, local distributor of Tinius … Continue reading Instant replay →

Safety is a critical consideration for any welding project. Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, explains how recent events have led to new safety measures in welding. Welding is a safe occupation when proper precautions are taken. But, if safety measures are ignored, welders and members of the general public face hazards that can be … Continue reading Ensuring safety and updating standards →