employment

A downturn in China would have catastrophic implications for Australia’s economy, according to new research from Deloitte. While there is not an immediate risk of a Chinese downturn, Deloitte partner Chris Richardson believes it is a ‘plausible risk’, considering its elevated debts and reliance on government stimulus spending to maintain growth, not to mention global … Continue reading Chinese downturn could cost 500k Australian jobs →

Recruiting expert Hays has released its latest quarterly report on employment trends in Australian industries. According to the report, Australia’s manufacturing market was active last quarter, with employers steadily recruiting. This is expected to remain the case this quarter. While many manufacturers continue to move offshore, others are investing in new factories or installing additional … Continue reading The manufacturing skills in demand this quarter →

John Pollaers, the chairman of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC), has welcomed federal investment into “key infrastructure projects” including Australia’s $90 billion shipbuilding programme. Professor Pollaers has said the naval shipbuilding industry, the 20-year Barangaroo project in Sydney and the future Western Sydney Airport are all examples of large infrastructure projects that depend … Continue reading AISC welcomes federal funds for shipbuilding →

Kingspan Insulation has announced the opening of its insulation manufacturing facility at Somerton in Melbourne. The $40 million factory is the first Green Star-rated manufacturing facility in Australia, aiming to support production entirely through renewable energy. With the opening of the Melbourne plant, Kingspan will not only be able to supply products to Australia, but it … Continue reading Australia’s first Green Star-rated factory opens in Victoria →

A new HILDA survey has revealed the level of job satisfaction among Australian workers. Satisfaction is measured in terms of job security, work flexibility, the job itself, working hours and payment. According to the survey, just over 40 per cent of Australians report being ‘very satisfied’ with their job security and 36 per cent with … Continue reading Survey reveals Australians’ job satisfaction →

A former Rio Tinto executive has written a report chronicling the rise of China’s industrial sector, one foreign factory at a time. Michael Komesaroff has written a report titled Make the Foreign Serve China, where he recounts China’s purchase of numerous unwanted factories from Australia, the US, Japan, Germany, Britain and other developed countries. According … Continue reading China’s journey to global manufacturing domination →

A regional Victorian manufacturer has secured a contract to make 395 truck trailers for supermarket giant Coles, in a development expected to create more than 100 jobs. MaxiTRANS Industries said the $60 million deal to build the refrigerated and non-refrigerated trailers at its Ballarat plant is one of the largest contracts of its kind in … Continue reading Victorian manufacturer secures contract with Coles →

Workers at the Real Pet Food factory in Dubbo have won pay rises of up to 30 per cent in a new union agreement. A four-year agreement was negotiated between the Real Pet Food Company and Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, resulting in pay rises for its (approximate) 100 employees. Depending on their shift, some workers … Continue reading NSW pet food factory workers win pay rise →

In a submission to the Annual Wage Review, the Australian Industry Group (AIG) has proposed a 1.5 per cent increase in Australia’s minimum wage. This equates to an increase of $10.10 per week in the National Minimum Wage and $11.75 per week at the base trade level, according to AIG chief executive Innes Willox. According to … Continue reading AI Group proposes minimum wage increase →

CEVA has just moved into what it claims is one of the biggest sheds in the southern hemisphere, a half-kilometre-long storage and distribution facility equivalent to eight MCG playing fields in size – located in Truganina which is in proximity to Sydney and Adelaide’s highways, Melbourne’s port and the freeway into the city. The Truganina … Continue reading CEVA expands its Australian presence →

Over the past few decades, the manufacturing industry has undergone numerous major upheavals. Right now, we are witnessing the dawning of the next era with Industry 4.0, boosted in Asia by China’s recently announced China 2020 vision, in which they outlined plans to adopt new technologies and industries, marking a shift away from traditional manufacturing, … Continue reading The dawn of the new industrial era with the smart factory →

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 →

The new GEMÜ 4242 combi switchbox is suitable for secure and fast applications in most food and other types of process plants. It is small, compact and light, and is ideal for pneumatically operated linear actuators. With its integrated 3/2-way pilot valve made of anodized aluminium or stainless steel, the new combi switchbox 4242 from … Continue reading New switchbox for food processing plants →

Modern automated industrial processes rely heavily on the precise control of process conditions, making it critical to detect emerging deviations. A King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)-led research team has now developed a highly sensitive incipient anomaly detection method with the potential to dramatically improve industrial productivity, quality and safety. From oil and … Continue reading New method for early detection of industrial process problems →

Emerson Automation Solutions expands its vortex flow meter portfolio with the addition of the Rosemount 8600 Utility Vortex Flow Meter, designed specifically for utility applications. Its application-specific design reduces installation costs, provides accurate and reliable flow measurement, and extends vortex technology into a wider range of applications. The Rosemount 8600 Utility Vortex delivers the benefits … Continue reading New vortex flow meter for utility applications →

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 →

Company tax cuts are a key component of Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison’s plan to drive growth in jobs and wages, spurring on the Australian economy. There’s no question that tax cuts and lower energy prices will enable companies to keep more of the money they make. But it’s not more money per se, but what … Continue reading Management education, not just tax cuts, needed to create jobs and growth →

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 →