The Cell Therapies facility at the Peter McCallum Centre in Melbourne has become the first approved CAR-T commercial manufacturing site in Australia. The centre aims to provide faster access to CAR-T therapies to eligible patients in the region with life-threatening blood cancers. Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis has secured approval from the Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) … Continue reading TGA approves Novartis CAR-T cell manufacturing →

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) has announced the launch of the $71.9 million Future Fuels Fund, as part of the 20/21 Federal Budget, aimed at addressing barriers to the roll out of new vehicle technologies. The first round of the fund will see $16.5 million of grant funding made available to fund battery electric … Continue reading ARENA announces first round of Future Fuels Fund →

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has appointed US-based Australian engineer Daniel Westerman as its new CEO and managing director. Westerman, who is the chief transformation officer at international utility National Grid, will replace Nino Ficca who has been acting CEO following the departure of Audrey Zibelman in December. At National Grid, Westerman managed the … Continue reading Daniel Westerman appointed new AEMO CEO →

The first F-35A aircraft has been inducted into BAE Systems Australia’s (BAESA) maintenance depot as part of the next milestone in the Joint Strike Fighter Program. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the F-35A fleet was now 33 strong and ready to deploy on operations. “This is about protecting and securing Australia’s interests but it’s also … Continue reading Australia celebrates F-35 program milestone →

ExxonMobil has announced the Altona refinery is no longer considered economically viable and will be converted to an import terminal to ensure ongoing, reliable fuel supply for Victoria. The decision was made following an extensive review of operations at Australia’s smallest refinery, which commenced operation in 1949. The review considered the competitive supply of products … Continue reading ExxonMobil to convert Altona refinery to import terminal →

SafeWork NSW has engaged industry leaders from the manufacturing sector to use experience and new workplace tools to establish a culture where safety starts at the top of the organisation. SafeWork NSW director of WHS Metro, Sarina Wise, said with more than seven per cent of the state’s workforce employed in manufacturing, the workplace regulator … Continue reading Industry leaders to promote safety in manufacturing sector →

The Western Australian state government has allocated $2 million for a medicinal cannabis operation in Collie to create long-term local jobs in the rapidly growing medicinal industry. The investment from the Collie Futures Industry Development Fund will support Stage 1 of the Cannaponics Limited operation. “WA’s South-West has optimal conditions for this industry’s agricultural requirements: … Continue reading Medicinal cannabis facility to grow job opportunities in Collie →

A global science and technology firm is increasing its investment in Victoria with a new cutting-edge facility in Melbourne as part of a project which will create up to 100 new, highly skilled tech jobs. Minister for Economic Development Tim Pallas and Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Dr Tien Kieu announced today that Leidos will … Continue reading International tech company, Leidos, expands presence in Victoria →

Swinburne University of Technology has received a $10 million injection from the Victorian Government to build the Victorian Hydrogen Hub with the CSIRO. The Victorian Hydrogen Hub (VH2) is designed to bring researchers, industry partners and businesses together to test, trial and demonstrate new and emerging hydrogen technologies. These will support sustainable manufacturing practices, as … Continue reading New Swinburne hydrogen hub to advance a net zero emission future →

An Australian innovation by 1MILLIKELVIN is rapidly moving towards commercial reality thanks in part to a co-funded grant from the federal government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). 1MILLIKELVIN’s technology can identify and measure minute changes in temperature in solid objects which are a direct result of  the structural loads (compression and tension) applied to it. … Continue reading Australian-made innovation for stress testing and failure monitoring of structures →

Australia will develop a nationally consistent bushfire modelling and prediction capability under an agreement announced today between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services. AFAC’s Fire Prediction Services Group will work with CSIRO to improve existing technology and build a national system that allows for consistent bushfire predictions to support … Continue reading Bushfire prediction technology to bolster emergency response →

Vaulta, the new Australian battery casing technology company based in Brisbane and Quickstep Holdings Limited, Australia’s largest independent aerospace advanced composites manufacturer, today announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The two Australian companies will seek to combine Vaulta’s advanced cell casing technology with Quickstep’s manufacturing capability and market reach to develop new … Continue reading Vaulta and Quickstep sign MoU →

Researchers at RMIT have shown how disposable face masks could be recycled to make roads, in a circular economy solution to pandemic-generated waste. Their study shows that using the recycled face mask material to make just one kilometre of a two-lane road would use up about 3 million masks, preventing 93 tonnes of waste from … Continue reading RMIT researchers develop road making material from disposable face masks →

The $26.5m Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund that has been launched by the federal government will provide grants of between $250,000 and $3 million to improve the quality and availability of cyber security professionals through training. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the funding would help build cyber security career pathways … Continue reading Funding to build cyber security skills in Australian businesses →

Australian manufacturer Rotacaster has accelerated innovation and speed-to-market with a Markforged 3D printer supported by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia (Konica Minolta Australia). Located in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Rotacaster designs, develops, manufactures, and exports a special type of wheel, known as the omni wheel and associated products. Although the company had been using 3D … Continue reading Rotacaster accelerates innovation and speed-to-market with 3D printing solution from Konica Minolta →

The federal government is continuing to strengthen Australia’s defence capability by investing in the ideas and expertise of innovative Australian companies and research organisations. Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said 10 new Defence Innovation Hub contracts demonstrated Australia’s capacity to drive the development of advanced technologies for Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. “This latest … Continue reading $21 million Innovation Hub investment to drive advanced technologies →

Prosthetists in India will have access to the latest advances in Australian 3D bioprinting to correct ear deformities thanks to the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW). ACES researchers have dispatched two customised bioprinters designed and manufactured in Wollongong to Indian medical device manufacturers as part … Continue reading 3D bioprinters from Wollongong hit the global stage →

Australian personal protective equipment producer Softmed has become the country’s first manufacturer of non-woven fabric-based products such as surgical gowns, caps and shoe coverings. The company last year established a purpose-built factory in Victoria and began producing millions of medical-grade face masks and respirators for the domestic and overseas market. Softmed recently obtained European CE … Continue reading Softmed becomes Australia’s first producer of non-woven fabric-based PPE →

Queensland company Black Sky Aerospace has developed a process to manufacture solid-state rocket fuel – successfully using it for a launch in outback Queensland earlier this month. The project received co-funding and support from the government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said it’s extremely exciting that Australia’s … Continue reading Australian-made rocket fuel used for first launch →

BAE Systems has welcomed 54 graduates and 25 apprentices to its national defence business in roles across Australia. While reflecting the growing digital and software capability BAE Systems is building to support Australia’s future defence needs, 19 of the graduates are software engineers, with an additional three mechatronic engineers and three ICT engineers also being … Continue reading BAE Systems’ new recruits support future-focused defence capability →