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Recently, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet awarded a $70 million contract for the manufacture of electric buses to a western Sydney manufacturer. Custom Denning will manufacture 79 electric buses, as part of the NSW Government’s commitment for the state’s fleet of more than 8,000 buses to go green by 2030.

From powering our mobile devices, electric vehicles and homes to providing grid-scale energy storage, lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised the way we live in the world. As lithium-ion battery costs fall – down 97 per cent since 1991 – and the world pursues a lower emissions energy future, batteries are an enabling technology that will support … Continue reading Building Australia’s lithium battery value chain →

This time last year, when anyone asked me for an annual outlook, all I was prepared to say was that market conditions in 2021 would be uncertain. I was right. 2021 was just as unpredictable as 2020, with further lockdowns and border restrictions.

Due to the uncertainty around energy sources for manufacturers, REDEI Enterprises, a Dandenong-based manufacturer, are making sustainable products for their customers, including their own lithium iron phosphate batteries. 

On 16 September, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia would no longer proceed with the Attack Class conventional submarine program to be built by Naval Group. Instead, Australia is set to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines after striking a trilateral security agreement with the US and the UK.    

Like every industry across the globe, Australia’s welding industry is feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to feedback from Weld Australia’s members, the key challenge being faced across the industry is a shortage of labour, from Welding Supervisors and Inspectors, right through to welders. Finding competent, skilled, experienced welders is becoming more and more difficult.  

Australian manufacturing today is at its lowest point ever. During its 1960s heyday, local manufacturing accounted for over 30 per cent of GDP. This isn’t new news to many in the sector.  Currently, that figure is just 5.6 per cent of GDP. And that is despite a quadrupling of output since the 1950s. Productivity holds the … Continue reading Advancing the Australian manufacturing sector →

The Latin saying “Citius, Altius, Fortius” or “Faster, Higher, Stronger” would be familiar to those at the pinnacle of world sport, the Olympics. Chosen to encapsulate the traits of peak human performance, these three words are just as relevant to athletes as they are manufacturers – both of whom continually seek a competitive advantage. 

One of the most enjoyable parts of our jobs at the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) is that we spend our days talking to many of the most innovative and creative people in the Australian business community.  

Welding is a safe occupation when proper precautions are taken. But, if safety measures are ignored, welders face a range of potentially dangerous hazards that can cause electric shock, or even a fatality.  

Since the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) was established in 2015, we have helped more than 215 manufacturers and 24 research institutions undertake collaborative projects. These projects have commercialised innovative products and services that embrace the entire manufacturing value chain. 

Vonda Fenwick, CEO of the South East Melbourne Manufacturers’ Alliance (SEMMA), speaks to Manufacturers’ Monthly about how the good, the bad and the ugly in relation to local content.

The recently announced 2021-2022 Federal Budget has failed the next generation of welders, with a noticeable lack of funding allocated to TAFE, and vocational training more broadly. This is despite the serious skills shortage facing Australian industry, exacerbated by border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Sharon Robertson, CEO of the IBSA Group, shared her thoughts with Manufacturers’ Monthly about the renewed focus on manufacturing in Australia since the COVID-19 pandemic and how skills will be playing a critical role in moving the economy forward within the sector.  

Rewind to this time last year and the vision of lines, hundreds of metres long, snaking their way down roads and around the blocks of Centrelink offices is still etched in my memory. Fast forward to today and the lines are now of prospective employers looking for skilled staff. 

Almost 18 months after Australia identified the first COVID-19 cases, the country has shown resilience and undergone many fast-paced developments in the health sector.  

Despite the challenges of 2020 and the undeniable negative impact of COVID-19, the world has seen a rapid adoption of digital technologies over the past six months. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, noted in April that due to the pandemic the business saw two years’ worth of digital transformation in just two months. More recently, … Continue reading Accelerating Industry 4.0 uptake: five messages for SMEs →

In today’s world of global competition and digital disruption, Australian manufacturers are becoming acutely aware of the need to do things differently, David Chuter, CEO and managing director of the IMCRC, explains. The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) has brought with it a range of new technologies that have enabled manufacturers to disrupt and transform … Continue reading Effective industry and research collaboration: Cultivating the right culture →

Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, outlines how manufacturers should see codes and compliance in a positive light. In late October, the New South Wales state government introduced the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019 to parliament. If passed, this Bill will see much-needed and long- anticipated reforms made to the state’s building industry. The … Continue reading Focus on compliance a benefit to manufacturers →

David Chuter, CEO and managing director, IMCRC, explains how to look beyond the technology of Industry 4.0, and focus on its value to manufacturing. Every day, business leaders, in partnership with the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC), are searching for ways to embrace and invest in the advanced and digital technologies that have become closely associated … Continue reading Towards an Industry 4.0 future – leadership for innovation →