3d printing

For most forward-looking manufacturing businesses, talent planning is becoming a major focus. Skills gaps continue to grow as a result of an ageing workforce, increasing movement within job markets and the impact of Industry 4.0. Certainly, Ai Group’s own research and policy work supports this conclusion, and it’s echoed by recent market research undertaken by … Continue reading How to build a talent pipeline in the era of Industry 4.0 →

With a precious few exceptions, this year’s annual top 100 manufacturers report from IBISWorld does not make easy reading, as Alan Johnson reports. THE manufacturing industry has always been an extremely competitive industry, and that trend shows no sign of abating in the near future. While not dramatic, the slow decline of Australia’s traditional manufacturing industry looks … Continue reading 2016 Top 100 Manufacturers – Industry’s winners and losers →

MTPConnect and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in undertaking activities to accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing in the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector in Australia. Both MTPConnect and AMGC have been established as part of the Federal Government’s Industry Growth Centres … Continue reading Collaboration set to boost Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector →

Strategic metals company TNG has signed a key Memorandum of Understanding with Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI) and Energy Made Clean (EMC) to collaborate on the promotion, development and growth of Australia’s Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRF) market. Under the MoU, TNG will work together with SEI and EMC to review all of the potential applications … Continue reading Australia’s vanadium redox flow battery market set for growth →

According to the ABC, business confidence has held up, even as conditions worsened to their worst level in a year-and-a-half, with NAB’s chief economist Alan Oster warning that business leaders have little basis for such optimism. “We are becoming increasingly concerned about the underlying momentum in the economy as evidence mounts that the non-mining economy … Continue reading Business confidence strong but conditions set to worsen says NAB →

According to news.com.au, the makers of so-called “flushable” wipes that cause thousands of dollars of damage to plumbing systems could be facing a class-action lawsuit from disgruntled homeowners. Consumer watchdog ACCC has launched legal action against Kimberly-Clark and Pental, alleging the two companies deceived consumers by marketing wipes as “flushable” and that they would “break up … Continue reading ‘Flushable’ wet wipes manufacturers could be flooded with lawsuits →

According to news reports, due to a massive boost in coal cash this year, Queensland will likely use plow money into manufacturing jobs. The QLD government is also announcing a two-year program to shield manufacturing jobs with grants ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million – at a total cost $20 million over two years. The … Continue reading Thanks to coal cash, QLD set to splurge on manufacturing →

ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors today announced a multi-year extension to their global strategic partnership that showcases the performance benefits of advanced synthetic motor oil technology. ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors will also continue their collaboration in motorsports, lubricant sales, marketing and technology. The ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors relationship began in the early 2000s when Mobil 1 … Continue reading ExxonMobil and Bentley Motors extend global partnership →

Westpac and the Group of Eight (Go8) have partnered to offer the first program in Australia for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) to undertake employment with the Westpac Group during their studies. The STEM PhD program was established in recognition of the importance of the … Continue reading Westpac launches Australia’s first employment program for STEM PhD students →

Faro Technologies, a global technology company that develops and markets computer-aided coordinate measurement devices and software, opens its new office in Brisbane, Australia. This move is part of Faro’s long-term growth plan and to increase its footprint in Asia Pacific. Faro’s customer base in Australia and New Zealand is growing. As such, this expansion is … Continue reading Faro expands into Queensland →

ThyssenKrupp, one of the world’s largest steelmakers, has revealed that it was the victim of a ‘massive cyberattack’ earlier this year. The company was targeted by attackers from southeast Asia in what it has described as “organised, highly professional hacker activities”. The hackers were trying to obtain “technological know-how and research results”, according to the … Continue reading Steelmaker loses data during brazen cyberattack →

A new-concept welding facility opened by BOC at its Rocklea site in Brisbane is set to be an exciting new hub for product applications and testing, research and development, and training. The facility will primarily be used to demonstrate the latest in welding, cutting and heating technology and automation and contains the latest generation digital … Continue reading BOC opens new Brisbane tech centre →

  According to a report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR),  well-known Australian businessman Andrew Liveris has been recruited by Donald Trump to help bring back American manufacturing jobs. The chief executive of US multinational giant Dow Chemical, Liveris was appointed chair of the President-elect’s American Manufacturing Council. Liveris has led the manufacturing giant Dow … Continue reading Australian CEO becomes Donald Trump’s new manufacturing ‘tsar’ →

Brisbane based medical device company, Oventus Medical will launch their new Victorian 3D printing facility at CSIRO today. The additive manufacturing plant that uses titanium 3D printing technology to produce the customised O2Vent sleep apnoea device, is located at CSIRO’s Clayton site adjacent to their Lab 22 additive manufacturing centre. The state-of-the-art facility is the … Continue reading Oventus launches cutting-edge 3D printing facility →

A research consortium led by Bosch is developing a novel industrial manufacturing concept. The nine partners on the ReCaM project aim to create a highly versatile manufacturing system. Such systems are needed because production times in modern manufacturing are becoming ever shorter. In addition, demand for customized products is increasing, and the number of variants … Continue reading Bosch & Co retool manufacturing concepts →

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute SME Index (SME Index), which examines the economic health of Australian small and medium sized enterprises, has revealed a significant improvement in business confidence, shifting from 95.6 in Q3 2016 to 100.7 in Q4 2016. Westpac’s General Manager of SME Business Bank, Julie Rynski said, “The strong increase in business sentiment is … Continue reading Westpac finds SMEs are feeling optimistic about 2017 →

Whether or not this is down to the so-called ‘Trump Effect’, according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), Foxconn Technology Group, the biggest assembler of Apple devices, is currently in discussions to expand the company’s US manufacturing operations. The news came only hours after an announcement by US President-elect Donald Trump and SoftBank Group’s Masayoshi … Continue reading Foxconn plants the seeds for US Apple manufacturing →

In June last year, it was announced that Australia’s manufacturing sector had achieved year on year expansion recording the longest unbroken period of growth in a decade. Although that sounds like good news, manufacturers now face another issue. How do they fill the open jobs with engaged workers who will drive the innovation required to … Continue reading Are millennials a manufacturing innovation opportunity? →

Pilz Australia launched its new website which incorporates a new E-Shop for its customers. E-Shop will allow customers to not only browse the company’s vast portfolio of products, it enables them to access the latest technical information, view product images, and download the most up-to- date technical data sheets. The new E-Shop covers the full … Continue reading Pilz launches new online presence →

Australia’s innovations will grow into successful businesses with help from the CSIRO Innovation Fund, a $200 million fund to commercialise early stage innovations from CSIRO, universities and other publicly-funded research bodies. The CSIRO Innovation Fund, launched today, will support co-investment in new spin-out and start-up companies, and SMEs engaged in the translation of research generated … Continue reading CSIRO to spend $200m on Aussie innovation →