Australian manufacturing

A new partnership between the Australian Made Campaign and Master Builders Australia aims to boost exports and the use of locally made products by the building and construction sectors. The initiative will encourage building and construction firms to source Australian-made goods and assist local businesses in marketing their products and services to export markets. Australian … Continue reading Partnership to increase Australian products in construction →

The Andrews Labor Government is helping former automotive workers manufacture some of Victoria’s lifesaving fire and emergency response vehicles. Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan and Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman visited R A Bell and Company in Sunshine North to meet the workers bringing these vehicles to life. R A Bell and … Continue reading Former QLD auto workers building emergency vehicles →

Japanese beverage company Lion has denied claims that the XXXX Brisbane brewery will be closing, following reports that the facility would be shut due to pay disputes. Lion spokesperson Dan Holland has assured that the brewery will not be closing and is in fact looking to hire five more people. “There are no job losses or … Continue reading Owner denies closure of iconic QLD brewery →

Nowchem has opened its $450,000 redeveloped pharmaceutical manufacturing facility at the Flinders Industrial Estate in Shoalhaven. The redevelopment has created eight new ongoing jobs at the facility. According to Nowchem managing director John Lamont, the expansion will enable his company to increase its capacity by 40 per cent. New positions in the company will include … Continue reading NSW pharmaceutical manufacturer creates eight new jobs →

Haigh’s Chocolates will spend more than $10 million on a new state-of-the-art chocolate processing plant in Mile End, South Australia. The upgrade is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. As the business remains committed to its bean to bar artisan production methods, without disrupting supply, the new facility will utilise the latest … Continue reading New factory for Haigh’s Chocolates →

The program guidelines have been released for the new $47.5 million Advanced Manufacturing Growth Fund. The purpose of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Fund is to help the Australian manufacturing sector transition to globally focused, high skill, advanced manufacturing. “Manufacturing continues to be a major part of our economy, but the sector needs to continue its … Continue reading Government helps to advance Australian manufacturing →

Bega Cheese has finalised its takeover of the Vegemite brand, after a cyber attack stalled the deal. In a deal worth $460 million, Bega has acquired food giant Mondelez International’s Australian grocery and cheese business, which includes the Vegemite brand, as well as others such as ZoOSh salad dressings and beef extract Bonox. The acquisition … Continue reading Vegemite back in Australian ownership →

This quarter will be positive for the manufacturing and operations market, according to Hays’ quarterly report for July-September 2017. Despite the continuing demise of the automotive sector, SMEs are embracing diversification, according to Hays. However, in the food industry, technological investment and regulation and governance continues to create vacancy activity and particular skill shortages, particularly … Continue reading Skills in demand: Manufacturing and operations →

The Australian Army’s 7th Brigade, based at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane, has received its second delivery of locally manufactured trucks, trailers and modules as part of a $1.6 billion LAND 121 contract. The delivery comes with a boost to local jobs with more than 220 new jobs in the state’s heavy vehicle manufacturing industry and flow on … Continue reading Local truck manufacturing creates jobs in QLD →

The closure of the Walker exhaust manufacturing facility in Adelaide will leave 128 workers without jobs. South Australian government officials have promised to be on site at the facility this week to provide workers with advice and assistance to transition to new jobs. According to the facility’s owner, Tenneco Australia, the facility will shut when … Continue reading SA government to help displaced Walker employees →

The Australian Industry (Ai) Group’s Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) inched 0.2 points higher to 55.0 in June – a ninth consecutive month of expansion for the manufacturing sector. “Sales, exports and production all lifted and growth was widespread across the sector,” said Ai Group chief executive, Innes Willox. There was higher activity in the … Continue reading PMI: Australian manufacturing continues to expand →

Truck component manufacturer Abcor has secured a five-year contract to supply high-end bull bars for Isuzu. Abcor will be producing the bullbars for Australian and New Zealand markets, with the potential to export to other markets. The deal was two years in the making, according to Abcor director John Kaias. “The partnership approach was important … Continue reading Victorian manufacturer to supply Isuzu truck components →

Ultra-thin, flexible screen-printed batteries for cheap portable devices and intermittent renewable energy are closer to reality, due to a joint UNSW-University of Queensland project to further develop technology by battery energy storage firm Printed Energy and bring it to market. Backed by the energy innovator and philanthropist Trevor St Baker, founder of ERM Power and … Continue reading Next generation of manufacturing in screen-printed batteries →

Parliamentary Secretary for the South Coast Gareth Ward has announced that Nowra company Global Defence Solutions has been recognised with a national award for manufacturing mobile kitchens for the Australian Defence Force. Ward said that Global Defence Solutions (GDS) took out an award for projects worth under $50 million at The Defence + Industry Conference … Continue reading Nowra company recognised for RAAF manufacturing →

Australian salaries are set to increase by 2.8 per cent this year, according to the Australian Institute of Management (AIM)’s annual salary survey. “Businesses this year forecast they will increase salaries by 2.8 per cent, which is in real terms basically zero, if you take into account inflation,” Sam Bell, general manager of AIM’s corporate … Continue reading Salary increase for FMCG manufacturing workers →

Australian manufacturing has seen its biggest employment growth in a decade. According to report Manufacturing: A moment of opportunity, Australian manufacturing jobs have increased by 40,000 in the past year, and productivity has returned to near its pre-financial crisis peak. Indeed, trend employment data from the Bureau of Statistics shows that manufacturing saw the second-biggest … Continue reading Australian manufacturing industry rebounding →

The food and grocery sector is 30 per cent more valuable to Australian manufacturing than it was 10 years ago, according to new research by consulting firm EY. This is largely a result of Asia’s growing middle class and the demand for Australia’s produce, according to the research. The sector has been aided in recent … Continue reading Food and grocery sector driving Australian manufacturing →

The Hunter region, particularly Newcastle, is seeing improved manufacturing employment and investment figures, according to the latest State of the Regions report.  In the coastal half of the Hunter, 23,295 people were found to be employed in manufacturing in 2017, compared with 21,499 in 2012 and 17,832 in 2002. According to the report’s co-author Dr … Continue reading Hunter manufacturing returning to pre-mining boom state →

As the world of manufacturing becomes more integrated, the role of robotics is changing the shape of the factory floor. Steven Impey takes a look at the effect it will have on the Australian workforce. Depending on which literature the industry insider goes by, the impact that robotics will have on the factory floor of … Continue reading Rise of the machine manufacturer →

Sunshine Coast pet treat business Huds and Toke has expanded into the Japanese market, after receiving a government grant in April. The family business started four years ago, manufacturing high-quality dog, horse and cat treats in Queensland. After receiving $90,000 under the state government’s Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas Fund, the company has made plans to … Continue reading Qld pet treat manufacturer expands exports →