building products

Queensland timber manufacturer Parkside Timber has purchased two timber mills in South-West Western Australia. The company bought Auswest Timbers’ Greenbushes mill and Nannup Timber Processing, in part to grow its sustainable timber manufacturing operations. Parkside Timber is certified as a Chain of Custody timber producer, which defines the timber used by Parkside as Responsible Wood. … Continue reading Timber manufacturer reopens WA mills →

To create a culture of continuous improvement, Felicity Kelleher has drawn on practical and theoretical knowledge. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out. When speaking with Felicity Kelleher, plastermill, compounds continuous improvement coordinator at building products manufacturer, CSR Lightweight Systems, she is in the middle of driving a 20 per cent rate increase in the company’s dry compounds … Continue reading The process to improvement →

A new technique to develop fire-retardant coatings for rigid polymer foam-based building materials has received $888,000 in funding through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowships program. Led by Professor Hao Wang, from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), the project comprises researchers from five Australian universities and four international universities. With building fires an … Continue reading Fire-retardant coatings for flame resistant buildings →

Steel building product manufacturer Metroll will move in to Bohle Industrial Estate, in Townsville. Metroll supplies steel products to the building and construction sector, and has committed to manufacturing in the region. According to Member for Townsville, Scott Stewart, the move to the Bohle Industrial Estate allows for an expansion of the company’s manufacturing capabilities. … Continue reading Steel manufacturer expands Queensland base →

The Australian government has announced the commissioning of the first Australian-built Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Hobart. According to the Department of Defence, the warship brings together the best of Australian and global technology to be one of the world’s most potent and lethal warships.  She will provide air defence for accompanying ships, in addition to land … Continue reading Australia commissions its first air warfare destroyer →

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro today The NSW government announced the opening of the Growing Local Economies Fund, which will use an innovative new funding model to target $500 million in investments in business-boosting infrastructure across regional NSW. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the investment, which is part … Continue reading $500 million to grow NSW economies →

In a press statement, the state government of Victoria has announced that it is giving young people and those reskilling from other sectors experience and opportunities in Victoria’s booming rail industry. On Tuesday, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan met the first intake of signalling cadets at the Newport Rail Academy. The … Continue reading Job opportunities and reskilling to support Victoria’s booming rail industry →

In a news release earlier this week, the Andrews Labor Government is creating thousands of local jobs and using Victorian businesses to build the biggest public transport project in Victorian history – the Metro Tunnel. This was announced when Premier Daniel Andrews visited Spotswood’s Rail Centre to meet with apprentices and workers to announce the jobs … Continue reading Melbourne Metro Tunnel to see creation of 7000 jobs →

Last week, the NSW government announced the funding for the renewal of the Fitzroy Street shipyard slipway to reactivate the Port of Newcastle and the Hunter as a major marine ship repair and maintenance precinct. For this project, defence company Thales Australia will begin stage one of a phased redevelopment of the site, creating an … Continue reading New life breathed into Newcastle maritime maintenance →

At the recent Paris airshow, it was reported that Boeing released a forecast for aerospace services demand, projecting the need for expansive services over the next 10 years, valued at US$2.6 trillion (A$3.4 trillion). The outlook is said to demonstrate “tremendous potential” for growth in the aerospace services markets Boeing serves, including: Maintenance, engineering and … Continue reading Boeing: Tremendous growth predicted in aerospace market →

According to research by Curtin University, corrosion may be costing the Australian economy more than $30 billion each year. Within industrial environments, exposure to things like water, acid or salt causes corrosion of geared motors. This, in turn, reduces the strength of the corroded parts and inevitably means they have to be replaced. In corrosive … Continue reading Corrosion is eating away at Australian industry →

It may sound like science fiction, but wastewater treatment plants may one day turn ordinary sewage into biocrude oil, thanks to new research at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The technology, hydrothermal liquefaction, mimics the geological conditions the Earth uses to create crude oil, using high pressure and temperature to achieve in minutes … Continue reading Making fuel out of sewage →

NHP has announced a partnership with local IoT experts, Switch Automation, to deliver InfoSyte, an exclusive energy management software solution from NHP tailored for the Australian and New Zealand markets. A powerful cloud hosted energy management platform, InfoSyte has the ability to integrate with energy, water and gas measuring devices along with other facility systems such as building management systems (BMS) and … Continue reading NHP partners with Switch Automation to deliver InfoSyte →

With the completion of the US$9.3 billion acquisition of ERP provider NetSuite earlier last month on November 7, Oracle outlined what customers should be expecting in the coming months. Co-CEO Mark Hurd made one point clear – NetSuite will continue as its own global business unit and that Oracle intends to invest in the product … Continue reading Oracle ‘s NetSuite acquisition won’t change a thing →

Cutting tools maker Sandvik Coromant has signed an agreement to become a Premium Partner of leading machine tool manufacturer, DMG Mori. According to DMG, Sandvik Coromant will be the only tooling manufacturer to be named as a DMG Mori premium partner. As a DMG’s premium partner, Sandvik Coromant will work together with the machine tool … Continue reading Sandvik Coromant becomes DMG Mori Premium Partner →

Most robots achieve grasping and tactile sensing through motorised means, which can be excessively bulky and rigid. A Cornell group has devised a way for a soft robot to feel its surroundings internally, in much the same way humans do. A group led by Robert Shepherd, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and principal … Continue reading Engineers develop robot with human-like tactile senses →

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 →

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 →

German high-precision machine tool manufacturer Thielenhaus Microfinish  said it is now capable of machining crankshafts for engines with three to six cylinders, in some cases even without major retooling via the use of its CrankStar machine. In addition to centre and pin bearings and thrust faces, the CrankStar can finish oil seal diameters and deburr … Continue reading New crankshaft microfinishing possibilities opened up →

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 →