government and regulation

According to a new report by Forbes Insights in association with Hitachi Data Systems, titled “How to Win at Digital Transformation: Insights from a Global Survey of Top Executives”, changing customer expectations are the biggest external driver of digital transformation (DX) in Australia, cited by 58 per cent of respondents compared with the 35 per … Continue reading Forbes report finds companies failing to unlock the potential of their own data   →

The HLF series fiber laser is the newest edition to the range of Yawei sheetmetal machinery to be available from Applied Machinery. Yawei is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of CNC press brakes, CNC turret punch presses and guillotines and their entrance into the laser cutting market is off the back of years of … Continue reading New laser machine set to launch in the Australian market →

Bonfiglioli has scored a Bulk Handling Awards hat-trick, taking out the Gears, Motors and Drives category for the third year in a row. This year, Bonfiglioli was recognised for its low backlash drives, which are designed for demanding applications like bulk handling where there are often lots of stops and starts during operation. The awards were … Continue reading Bonfiglioli wins again at the Bulk Handling Awards →

As the lights were illuminated on this year’s Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, they sparkled in some very special baubles that were hand blown and adorned with various emblems, the stamps for which came from Kaeser Compressors. Coburg, the home of both Kaeser, and the English royal family shares a long history together. Prince Albert, … Continue reading Kaeser helps to decorate the royal Christmas tree →

South Australia has opened a new manufacturing technologies centre to help businesses grow by providing access to the state’s best researchers, financial institutions and global supply chains. The $1.2 million centre, situated in Adelaide’s northern suburbs at the University of South Australia’s Mawson Lakes campus, will help businesses identify methods by which they can adopt … Continue reading New tech hub opened in South Australia →

Nvidia and Fanuc Corporation have announced that they will be collaborating to implement artificial intelligence on the Fanuc Intelligent Edge Link and Drive (FIELD) system to increase robotics productivity and add on to existing capabilities to automated factories worldwide. Adding AI to the FIELD system will give robots the ability to teach themselves to do … Continue reading Fanuc & Nvidia announce AI collaboration →

Siemens and Mentor Graphics have announced that they have entered into a merger agreement under which Siemens will acquire Mentor for US$37.25 per share in cash, which represents an enterprise value of US$4.5 billion. This acquisition decisively extends Siemens’ leading Digital Enterprise Software portfolio with Mentor’s electronics IC and systems design, simulation and manufacturing solutions. … Continue reading Siemens acquires Mentor Graphics →

A new report from Forrester has identified and compared the top 11 IoT software platform providers for this quarter. According to the report, IBM, PTC, GE and Microsoft lead the pack, while  AWS, SAP and Cisco Jasper offer competitive options, and LogMeIn, Ayla Networks, Exosite and Zebra Technologies lag behind. Forrester evaluated vendors based on 25 … Continue reading The top IoT software platforms for 2016 →

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced that Thales Australia has been awarded a $100 million contract to design a major sonar system upgrade for Collins class submarines. Minister Pyne said Thales Australia will engage other Australian-based companies including Sonartech Atlas and L3 Oceania, as well as suppliers from the … Continue reading Thales snaps up Collins sub sonar contract →

Trumpf and Siemens are joining hands to produce a software solution for optimised and streamlined additive manufacturing of metal parts with Trumpf printing machines – from part design to 3D printing. The two companies hope to industrialise laser metal fusion technology and make the additive manufacturing process for metal parts an integral part of the … Continue reading Trumpf and Siemens to collaborate on 3D metal printing →

Jim Metcher, the NSW secretary of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) and the longest-serving union leader in the country has been accused of hiding his violent past from the Fair Work Commission. This includes his brutal domestic abuse of his daughter and ex-wife. He is expected to face the Fair Work Commission on … Continue reading Union boss’s violent past comes to light →

With Asia Pacific leaders reaffirming their commitment to free trade at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Peru, Malcolm Turnbull is “confident” that US president elect Donald Trump will “see the light” and do an about turn on his protectionist stance against the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Currently it looks to be headed for … Continue reading Turnbull trusts in a Trump TPP turnaround →

CSIRO has launched its “FloWorks” Centre for Industrial Flow Chemistry today in Clayton, Victoria. The aim of FloWorks is to provide cutting-edge research into flow chemistry capability, making it more accessible to the chemical manufacturing industry. Senior research scientist with CSIRO’s manufacturing sector and Director of the new centre, Dr Christian Hornung, said flow chemistry … Continue reading CSIRO set to improve chemical manufacturing →

ASX-listed Australian hearing implant manufacturer Cochlear has lost a court case in the US over two disputed hearing aid patents. In a ruling delivered last Thursday, the [US] Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favour of the Alfred E. Mann Foundation (AMF), confirming that defendants Cochlear infringed on two claims of AMF … Continue reading Cochlear loses US patent appeal →

In a first for Australia, The Courier Mail has reported this morning, the Herston Biofabrication Institute, to be opened in late 2017, will be manufacturing human tissue, bones and eventually even organs. Eventually employing up to 60 researchers, the Institute will also develop capabilities of advance medical technologies such as 3D printing and computational medicine. … Continue reading 3D printed organ company to open in Brisbane in 2017 →

It’s the time of the year when company boards and executives face their shareholders at annual general meetings. Boards will be asked to explain the pay packages of executives. Already some have been called into question. Some Australian companies cite the need to rely on the United States as a benchmark when it comes to … Continue reading OPINION: Should Australian companies set executive pay to a US benchmark? →

In a bid to re-strategise its business plans for growth in 2017, German bearing maker Schaeffler has announced that it looks to shave off 500 jobs at its industrial division in Germany and other European countries. The company has cited the move was due to slow delivery chains and overly centralised sales operations and mentioned … Continue reading Schaeffler cuts jobs but Asia Pac remains unaffected →

Materials handling company, the Kion Group, has successfully completed its $2.1 billion dollar (A$2.86 billion) acquisition of automation and supply chain optimisation specialist Dematic earlier this month. With the acquisition, the Kion Group will now feature a suite of products ranging from forklift trucks to AS/RS solutions. “The transaction brings together the world’s most profitable … Continue reading Kion completes Dematic acquisition →

Boral has entered into a binding agreement to acquire US building products maker Headwaters. The US$2.6 billion deal is subject to shareholder approval and regulatory approval, and is expected to complete in mid-2017. Based in Utah, Headwaters is a leading manufacturer of building products and one of the largest marketers of fly ash in the … Continue reading Boral cements its acquisition of US building products maker →

Australia’s 457 visa system is back in the news again. If you believe Labor, the 457 visa is a rort allowing foreign workers to steal Australian jobs. The government, on the other hand, defends it as a way for Australia to meet skills gaps in the economy. Misunderstanding the problem is leading to wrong solutions … Continue reading The real issues with the 457 visa aren’t being addressed →