Victoria

The Victorian government has begun an interactive design process with local manufacturers to develop its next order of trains and trams. Currently, manufacturers are invited to develop proposals and participate in a collaborative design process, and workshops will be held over the next months to bring together manufacturers and government. The new trams will replace … Continue reading Interactive design process to ensure local content in new trams, trains →

Experts engaged to give advice on Victoria’s circular economy (CE) plan warn that without industry input, the strategy’s success could be jeopardised. RMIT professors Scott Valentine and Usha Iyer-Raniga, who have given input to the government in feedback workshops, highlighted that the strategy should not just go towards grappling with Victoria’s waste and recycling crisis, … Continue reading Circular economy needs industry input: experts →

The Victorian government has ordered the next batch of six VLocity trains, to be built locally at Bombardier’s site in Dandenong. 100 direct jobs will be supported by the current stage of the $340 million project, which will see the manufacturing of 18 new three-carriage trains to serve regional Victoria. “Bombardier are a world leader … Continue reading Order received for locally produced VLocity train sets →

The potential for hemp fibres to be used in industry is the subject of a new taskforce, created by the Victorian government. Today, the food industry uses hemp products, however, the taskforce hopes to expand the number of industries that can use the environmentally friendly and sustainable product. “Hemp has huge potential in so many … Continue reading Taskforce to investigate hemp for industrial uses →

As part of the Metro Tunnel project, the Victorian government has constructed an $18 million purpose-built factory to produce concrete segments to line the walls of the tunnel. The segment manufacturing facility can produce roughly 150 curved segments each day, at a rate of one every seven minutes. The plant employs 70 people, many of … Continue reading Metro building drives Victorian manufacturing →

Victorian businesses are now able to apply for grants from the Workforce Training Innovation Fund. The fund provides support for industry and education providers to utilise innovative technologies and processes to upskill students to fit the needs of employers. Seed funding of $50,000 per project or grant funding of up to $5 million per project … Continue reading Partnerships between industry and education develops new products →

Victoria hopes to attract more students to study defence manufacturing with an $855,000 grant for a new defence manufacturing skills training project. A.W. Bell, located in Dandenong South, will work with education provider Chisholm Institute and other industry partners to create a training course in investment casting and defence manufacturing, the first in Australia. The … Continue reading Funding for defence manufacturing skills →

The Victorian government is encouraging manufacturers in Geelong to invest in innovation, with a $40,000 towards local business groups. Encouraging best practices in day-to-day business, businesses in Victoria’s second largest city are being incentivised to run development activities. Examples of two events that are supported under this program are the Geelong Small Business Festival, run … Continue reading Victorian government offers boost to Geelong manufacturers →

Solar manufacturers and those involved in the construction of solar farms have a new guideline in Victoria. The planning guidelines will apply to large-scale solar farms, and cover decision makers, solar farm developers, and communities. The document, “Solar Energy Facilities – Design and Development Guideline”, was the product of nine months of development and consultation, … Continue reading Guideline to create certainty in Victorian solar energy →

The latest Australian-made buses have begun operating on the streets and roads of Melbourne. Made at Volgren’s factory in Dandenong, the buses are the first arrivals from a $16 million order for 100 new buses. Another 50 buses are currently being built in Ballarat by automotive manufacturer, Oz Press Industries. The local manufacturing of buses … Continue reading Victorian-made buses now on route in Melbourne →

Funding from the Victorian state government has allowed businesses in the state to innovate and pursue advanced manufacturing processes and develop new business models. The Boost Your Business Voucher Program provides small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to find new markets for their products and invest in growing their workforce. The funding is categorised into eight … Continue reading Victorian investment sees manufacturers adopt new business models →

On either side of Australia, announcements on July 18 and 19 pointed towards the growth of hydrogen as a potential energy source for local and international consumption. In Western Australia, the WA government launched its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy while opening Canadian energy company ATCO’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Jandakot, south of Perth. The Western … Continue reading Hydrogen’s potential as an energy source continues to expand →

The Victorian government is supporting farmers to invest in Internet of Things (IoT) technology, boosting advanced manufacturing enterprises with applications in the agricultural sector. Horticulture, dairy, sheep and grains farmers are encouraged to be involved in the current trial, which is funded through a $12 million program. According to a statement on the program from … Continue reading Victorian farmers encouraged to adopt IoT technologies →

The establishment of an Israel liaison officer at Parkville’s Melbourne Biomedical Precinct will support the commercialisation of biomedical research, according to the University of Melbourne. The liaison officer will collaborate with the whole of Victoria’s biomedical sector, including universities, research institutes and industry. The announcement is the next step from the Victoria Israel Biomedical Innovation … Continue reading Victoria deepens biomedical connection with Israel →

Wind turbines made in Australia have begun to be built for the Berrybank Wind Farm. The project is worth $276 million and will be built by Spanish firm Global Power Generation (Naturgy Energy Group) with assembly and manufacture carried out in Victoria. The farm will involve 213 construction jobs as well as 24 apprenticeships. The … Continue reading Wind turbines in Victoria support regional manufacturing jobs →

Victorian manufacturing firm Integrated Recycling has had its Duratrack railway sleepers made from recycled plastic laid at Richmond train station, near the centre of Melbourne’s railway network. Integrated Recycling turns plastic that would have otherwise gone to landfill into sleepers at its plant in Mildura. The Victorian government has invested $630 000 in the development … Continue reading Recycled plastic turned into rail sleepers →

The production of buses in Victoria reached a milestone when the first of 50 new buses were completed in Ballarat, in June. Built by OzPress Industries in the regional Victorian city, the buses will be put into service across Melbourne’s public transport network. The fleet of buses were manufactured with the assistance of Gemilang International … Continue reading First of Australian-made bus fleet completed in Victoria →

Nissan has announced that by 2020 its Australian headquarters will be located in Mulgrave, Victoria – bringing about 460 jobs to the area. The announcement, made in June, confirms that 400 jobs involved in manufacturing the Japanese company’s electric vehicle fleet will move to Mulgrave and 60 roles will be added. Parts for Nissan’s electric … Continue reading Nissan boosts jobs for engineers and technicians in electric vehicle expansion in Vic →

French companies Viseo and Total Eren will establish new headquarters in Victoria, creating 65 new technology and innovation jobs. Tim Pallas, minister for economic development, says Viseo and Total Eren will help expand Melbourne’s French business and innovation sector. “Time and time again businesses are choosing Victoria to set up shop – and that’s no … Continue reading French firms call Victoria home →

The Andrews Labor Government announced on 28 May it will invest in start-ups and innovation programs outlined in the Victorian Budget from 2019 to 2020. The Victorian Budget comprises will allocate more than $169.8 million towards initiatives to help develop more jobs in Victoria through boosting trade, driving innovation, and delivering programs that help Victorians … Continue reading Labor Government to boost start-ups and drive innovation →