Amid the gloom about the prospects for manufacturing in Australia — and the difficulties facing an economy dominated by small businesses — there is some cause for optimism, Alberto Elfes writes.

Manufacturers urged to adopt digital technology, both internally and externally, to stay ahead of the game. Alan Johnson reports.

A new program recently launched in Victoria by Insights to Excellence (i2e) is providing opportunities for participating companies to exchange valuable information about war on waste initiatives.

The Middle East’s growth outlook makes it an enticing region for exporters.

Queensland is poised to become a major export hub for liquefied natural gas (LNG). Given the West Australian experience, where LNG is already exported to Asia, this will cause domestic gas prices to rise. According to the DomGas Alliance, a group of Western Australian energy users, “gas prices have risen sharply from $2.50 per gigajoule in Western Australia to $8/GJ”.

Additive manufacturing/3D printing looks set to change the face of manufacturing, but which system is right for you? Alan Johnson reports.

As manufacturers face a gas and energy supply crisis, what is being done to address the issue and ensure they can power on.

The battleground between business, taxpayers and government for 2013 is taking shape. It is manufacturing and jobs.

Effective management is critical to the success of manufacturing companies, both internally and externally. Alan Johnson reports.

Counterfeit products are becoming an increasing problem for manufacturers who make high-end or specialised equipment and can cost companies millions of dollars in lost revenue.

“Innovative though unheralded” could be used to describe more than a couple of Australia’s best manufacturers. Sadder still, it could be applied more widely to Australia in general. Austrade is in the middle of a program trying to change all that.

As social media becomes more invasive and an every day part of business, how can you use it to your advantage?

A United States Bureau of Labor Statistics report comparing 19 developed nations has ranked Australian manufacturing as the least productive.

Bulk Handling Australia Group have released its new slim-line plastic export pallet for bulk bags onto the Australian and New Zealand Markets.

Australia’s car industry is faltering and our wine sector is facing increasing offshore competition, however, there is good news when it comes to pharmaceutical manufacturers, Alex Heber reports.

GE Intelligent Platform’s CEO, Jody Markopoulos, has listed five ways that connecting factories to the internet can improve the way manufacturers operate.

CHEP pallets have been transporting Australian products since the end of WWII. Manufacturers’ Monthly visits one of the company’s service centres to find out a little about its role in the supply chain.

Investing in R&D is an important part of operations for many manufacturing companies and can drive the achievement of long term success, Deloitte’s Andrew Leung & Jason Crawford explain.

As beer consumption drops to a 50 year low, the mainstream beer manufacturers have suffered a drop in sale, which is being filled by more nimble micro-breweries.

The mining boom has brought with it the opportunity for direct export, increased demand for local resources and stimulated growth in services for the resources export supply chain.