BHP announced on Friday that it will invest $US2.9 billion ($3.9 billion) to develop the South Flank iron ore project in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The project is set to become the company’s first mega open-cut mine that fully embeds the new technologies, deploying a fleet of autonomous drills from the get-go, according to a report by Afr. The mine will … Continue reading BHP’s South Flank mine to deploy automated technology →

Software solutions company Bentley Systems has received a 2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year award, for helping Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation in going digital through its cloud-based solutions. The award recognises Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions during the past year.  Awards were announced in 39 categories, with winners chosen from more than 2,600 … Continue reading Bentley Systems named 2018 Microsoft CityNext Partner of the Year →

Australian-based automotive technology company Carbon Revolution has formed a $15 million research and development partnership with Deakin University to deliver advanced manufacturing technologies for composite wheels. The research and development project, facilitated by the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), will give Carbon Revolution access to Deakin University’s material science and engineering capabilities, according to Carbon Revolution’s CEO, … Continue reading Carbon Revolution ties up with Deakin University for R&D →

We would like to thank all attendees and finalists for joining us at this year’s Women in Industry Awards. It was an amazing night that saw nearly 200 participants from a diverse range of industries come together to celebrate and promote the achievements of women in making valuable contributions to their sectors. We congratulate the winners on behalf of the … Continue reading Congratulations to the winners of Women in Industry Awards 2018 →

Construction on what is set to become Australia’s largest, and possibly cheapest, wind farm in Australia has officially started near Beaufort in Victoria. Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio yesterday visited the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm, about 35 kilometres west of Ballarat to mark the start of the construction. The wind farm is being … Continue reading Work starts on Australia’s largest wind farm →

Australian branches of global defence contractors Raytheon and Thales will play a leading role in the $542 million project to upgrade the fleet of six Royal Australian Navy Collins-class submarines. According to an announcement from the Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, the upgrades are starting this year and will see the Australian industry supply 70 per cent … Continue reading Raytheon, Thales contracted for the Collins-class submarine sonar upgrades →

Counter drone technology provider DroneShield has secured its biggest ever order for DroneGuns, a rifle shaped mobile jamming device designed to disable intruding drones with electromagnetic signals. The $3.2 million order for 70 DroneGuns comes from an unspecified Middle Eastern country allied with western governments, according to a statement by DroneShield. DroneShield is based in Sydney and … Continue reading DroneShield secures multi-million-dollar counter drone deal →

South Australia will be home to the first company in Australia with the capability to design and manufacture satellites and payloads of up to 300kg with Italian company SITAEL setting up its headquarters in Adelaide. Making the announcement, the South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said the establishment of SITAEL Australia will further cement South Australia’s international reputation … Continue reading Italian satellite company SITAEL launches in Adelaide →

Queensland based company Praesidium Global will be supplying four Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to the Australian Army for a 12-month user evaluation trial. Announcing the news yesterday, Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne said the purchase is part of the Australian Army’s strategy of acquiring and deploying robotics and autonomous systems to support Australian soldiers. According to the … Continue reading Praesidium Global to supply UGVs to the Australian Army →

The Queensland state government is increasing its efforts to attract business to the state with a $40 million boost in the state budget for the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund. In a press statement on the state government’s website earlier this week, Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said the additional funding, being provided over … Continue reading $40 million for Qld businesses, manufacturing a focus →

According to a press statement from the Victorian state government, CNC specialist ANCA will create 50 highly skilled jobs at its hi-tech facility with support from the state government itself. The Australian company is globally known for manufacturing computer numerical control grinding machines for the precision cutting tool industry, with operations on six continents and customers including Apple … Continue reading ANCA to provide jobs boost for manufacturing with Vic gov support →

Aquabotix, an Australia- and US-based underwater robotics company, has signed an agreement with a US Navy Federal laboratory, allowing the company to test and demonstrate its robotic technologies for the US Navy. The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the United States Naval Undersea Warfare Centre (NUWC), gives Aquabotix access to the Narragansett Bay test Facility as well as the facility’s ranges … Continue reading Underwater robotics company to test technology for US Navy →

Australia’s national science agency today announced a new research centre focused on collecting and analysing data about Earth from space. The CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation will help Australian researchers maximise the benefits of observing Earth from space and further develop Australia’s space sector, which is estimated to be worth over $3 billion per year. … Continue reading CSIRO to launch Earth observation centre →

Supashock, an Adelaide-based automotive technology company now part of the Rheinmetall global corporate network, officially launched its Automated Load Handling System at Eurosatory 2018, a premier international defence and security exhibition in Paris, France (June 11-15). Supashock’s 17-tonne Automated Load Handling System – or ALHS 17 – is a pioneering technical solution that enables efficient, automated loading and unloading … Continue reading SA company Supashock unveils new military load handling system →

Imagine Intelligent Materials (Imagine IM), a pioneering Australian graphene manufacturer and creator of smart materials, has been announced as a finalist at the World Materials Forum Start Up Challenge, to be held in Nancy, France, between 27 and 29 June. Imagine IM has developed an inexpensive method for manufacturing graphene and dispersing it into coatings … Continue reading Aussie graphene manufacturer selected as finalist in global challenge →

The NSW Government has signed up to a new National Partnership Agreement for the Skilling Australians Fund (NPA SAF), allowing the state Government to access up to $500 million funding from the Federal Government over five years to support training opportunities for apprentices and trainees in NSW. NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Skills, John Barilaro, said the $500 … Continue reading NSW to skill the future workforce with $500m Commonwealth funding →

Naval Group is supporting Microsoft towards its objective to build, deploy and operate an underwater data centre that cools itself by being immersed under ocean waters. The data centre is contained in a submersible cylindrical system inspired by the underwater constructions of Naval Group. A triangular base (also called Subsea Docking Structure), ensures the positioning … Continue reading Naval Group collaborates with Microsoft to deploy underwater data centre →

As the first national space agency prepares to officially start work from July 1, working from an office at the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science in Canberra, the state governments are launching campaigns to convince the Government as to why their states are the best location for the agency to set base permanently. When Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke last week to Megan … Continue reading Victoria, WA, join the campaign to host the Australian Space Agency →

A group of 39 Australian defence companies have come together as part of Team Defence Australia’s (TDA) inaugural presence at Eurosatory 2018, a premier international defence and security exhibition in Paris, France (June 11-15). Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, who travelled to France to support TDA’s delegation, noted that the exhibition by Australian companies was in … Continue reading Australian defence companies exhibit at Eurosatory 2018 →