Automotive

Kay Hart, global BEV manager, distribution & digital experience, Team Edison, has been named president and CEO, Ford of Australia and New Zealand. Hart, will be based in Melbourne, reporting to Peter Fleet, Ford group vice president and president, Ford Asia Pacific. Hart succeeds Graeme Whickman, president and CEO, Ford of Australia and New Zealand, … Continue reading Ford Australia gets new CEO →

Three Geelong businesses have been able to transform their operations, buy new equipment, employ extra staff and retain their current workforce thanks to $2.3 million from the Victorian State Government. Minister for Industry Ben Carroll visited Flat Glass Industries Geelong last week, which, with the state government’s Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT), has successfully started … Continue reading Jobs and manufacturing in Geelong gets a LIFT →

The Huf Group (Velbert, Germany) and the MH Group (Sydney, Australia) agreed that Huf International (Velbert, Germany) will acquire all shares in MHG (Thailand). The automotive supplier located in Rayong, Thailand, engages in injection moulding and robotic painting. Main customers are Ford, Automotive Alliance Thailand (a joint venture between Ford and Mazda) and other automotive … Continue reading Huf to take over MH Group Thailand →

The ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures (ATLAS) was launched this week at RMIT University by Senator James Paterson. ATLAS is led by RMIT University in close partnership with Deakin University and the Australian National University, lead partner the Ford Motor Company, CSIRO and 11 additional local and international partner organisations including those from … Continue reading ATLAS launched at RMIT, automotive industry to get boost →

Tesla is in the process of recalling 11,000 Model X SUVs that have been manufactured between October 28, 2016 – August 16, 2017, worldwide because the company says the SUV’s rear seats might not lock into place – thus posing a potential safety issue. At this point, Tesla has not mentioned what could have caused … Continue reading Tesla voluntarily recalls 11,000 Model X SUVs worldwide →

A purchaser for General Motors Holden’s Elizabeth manufacturing site in Adelaide has been selected following a six-month search. Holden, which wants to retain a presence “across a significant portion of the site” with a spare parts operation, has also announced interest from other major occupiers. With its closure on October 20 marking the end of the … Continue reading Holden finalising contracts at SA automotive factory →

Workers at Toyota’s Altona manufacturing plant will clock off for the last time today. Toyota is the last passenger vehicle manufacturer to close its doors in Victoria. According to the Labor government in Victoria, the Turnbull Government’s decision to push vehicle manufacturing offshore by closing local plants has affected Victorian jobs adversely. According to the press … Continue reading Toyota finally shuts its doors in Victoria →

 SAP has announced the initial companies participating in its blockchain co-innovation initiative and plans to make the digital ledger system an integrated part of Internet of Things (IoT), manufacturing and digital supply chain solutions using the SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service. Companies including Capgemini, Deloitte, GrainCorp, HCL Technologies, HERE Technologies, Moog Inc., Natura Cosméticos S.A., NetApp and PeerNova are collaborating with SAP to validate use cases and … Continue reading SAP announces first co-innovation customers, partners in blockchain initiative for IoT →

In a press release by the SA government, Adelaide has been announced as now being a hub for SA’s electric vehicle charging network with eight fast charging stations opening today within a new dedicated electric vehicle (EV) parking area, adjacent to the Central Market precinct. A further 11 charging stations will be installed in the Adelaide Central … Continue reading Adelaide an electric vehicle hub →

Former automotive industry workers have found jobs working to remove dangerous level crossings after taking part in an Victorian Government’s South East Automotive Transition program to reskill and retrain them for new careers. Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney visited the Rosanna Level Crossing site to meet six former apprentices and two former trainees … Continue reading Vic government program helps former automotive workers transition to new roles →

Australian car manufacturers have been warned they must meet their consumer guarantee obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) because they are squeezing dealers. As retailers, car dealers are the first point of call for consumers experiencing a problem with a faulty car. However, information provided to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and … Continue reading Car manufacturers ‘squeezing dealers’ over consumer expense – ACCC →

The Queensland Government is providing almost $350,000 to fund innovation kick-starting safer handling and a more enjoyable experience for motorcycle riders world-wide. In a media release last week, Minister for Innovation Leeanne Enoch said two Brisbane-based companies – Queensland Motorcycle Innovation and Heluva ­ – have received Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas funding to back bright ideas … Continue reading Qld Government backs innovative motorcycle technology →

Driverless vehicle company Navya and the SA Government have agreed on plans to establish Navya’s Asia-Pacific manufacturing facility in Adelaide. The agreement followed discussions between Premier Jay Weatherill and Navya CEO Christophe Sapet in Paris. Investment Attraction South Australia has been working with Navya for the past 12 months to bring the project to fruition. … Continue reading Navya to establish Asia-Pac HQ in Adelaide →

The government of Victoria has helped a Sunshine West engine repair business create highly-skilled jobs for former automotive workers. Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan met workers at Cornell Diesel and toured the company’s new state-of-the-art servicing facility. “We know Melbourne’s west has been hit hard by the end of local car manufacturing, and these … Continue reading New jobs for former auto workers in Victoria →

Bosch has announced last week that it has launched a digital vehicle access system which would turn the smartphone into a car key. With this system, smartphones are identified by the on-board sensors in a car as drivers approach them. If verified, the car will then unlock automatically. With this new application, Bosch says that … Continue reading Bosch announces digital keyless access system for cars →

Last week, Toyota Australia reported that its last Toyota Aurion has rolled off the line at Toyota Australia’s Altona manufacturing base after 11 successful years, racking up over 110,000 sales domestically, as well as 70,000 that were built for the export market. It was Toyota’s answer to the big-Aussie V6 family sedan that broke cover … Continue reading Last Toyota Aurion rolls off the line →

QuintessenceLabs was awarded a $3.26 million investment from the Australian Department of Defence to continue the expansion of its quantum key distribution (QKD) capabilities and extend it to free space communications. This was the largest of the eight investments recently made by the Defence Innovation Hub, a part of the Australian Department of Defence. QuintessenceLabs … Continue reading QuintessenceLabs gets investment boost from DoD →

Sydney will be home to a world leading startup and innovation hub, creating up to 6,500 new jobs, thanks to a $35 million investment from the NSW Government. A media release from the NSW Industry mentioned that the Sydney Startup Hub will be the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and will allow … Continue reading Sydney to “cement” its place as a global startup leader →

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 →

A BIS Research report forecasts the global 3D printing plastic and photopolymer material market is estimated to reach $1.86 billion (A$2.37 billion) by 2023 at a CAGR of 21.5 per cent from 2017 to 2023. The report says that it is because of the reliable properties of plastic and photopolymer, their cost effectiveness as compared … Continue reading Global 3D printing plastic and photopolymer market to reach A$2.37 billion by 2023 →