Australia Pacific LNG farewells first shipment to major Japanese customer Australia Pacific LNG, the largest producer of natural gas in eastern Australia, yesterday confirmed the first LNG shipment to the Kansai Electric Power Company. Image credit: www.aplng.com.au The cargo departed Curtis Island on Wednesday on board the LNG FUKUROKUJI which was built to fulfil Kansai Electric’s contract with Australia Pacific LNG. Under the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) – which was signed in 2012 – Kansai Electric is to receive approximately 1 million tonnes of LNG each year for 20 years. “The departure of Electric’s first cargo under the SPA represents another significant milestone in Australia Pacific’s history and highlights the strong partnership between our two companies. It also demonstrates the important role our business lays in delivering a cleaner form of energy to the global market,” said Australia Pacific LNG CEO, Page Maxon. “The shipment to Kansai Electric marks the 27th shipment by Australia Pacific LNG since exports began. We have been pleased with our operations from Train 1 and we expect to deliver the first cargo from Train 2 by the end of CY2016.” Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt welcomed the latest news from the state’s $60 billion liquefied natural gas industry, saying it was another milestone for the first coal seam gas to LNG project in the world. “This is the 27th shipment from APLNG and the first to Kansai Electric, a major electricity generator,” Mr Pitt said. “APLNG’s first shipment was in January, rounding out a trio of LNG ships leaving Queensland after Santos’ GLNG and QCLNG sending off their first shipments in 2015. He said the surge in overseas exports will see liquefied natural gas become the state’s second largest export worth up to $17 billion from 2018-19. “By 2018, Queensland could be the world’s fourth largest LNG exporter and, by the end of the decade, Australia has the potential to be the world’s leading LNG exporter,” the Treasurer added. Australia Pacific LNG was established in 2008 as a joint venture between ConocoPhillips (37.5%), Origin Energy (37.5%), and Sinopec (25%). Australian Manufacturing

Ausdrill completes sale of DTA’s drill bit manufacturing and distribution business Diversified mining services company Ausdrill has completed the sale of its Drilling Tools Australia (DTA) business to Robit Plc for $66 million. Image credit: Ausdrill Facebook page It follows the sale of its DT HiLoad truck tray manufacturing business to WA-based Schlam Engineering, which was completed in March 2016. According to the company’s ASX announcement, Robit will execute the payment in two tranches. The first tranche ($46.2 million) will be paid immediately, with the second tranche ($19.8 million) to be paid no later than 31 December 2016. Ausdrill said the transaction, which was announced in May this year, includes DTA’s drill bit manufacturing and distribution business, but excludes the net assets of DTA’s oil and gas and spare parts business, It said DTA will continue manufacturing operations at its facility in Canning Vale, Western Australia, under a five year leasing arrangement with Ausdrill. Ausdrill’s Managing Director Ron Sayers also told the ASX that the company entered into a 2.5 year supply arrangement with DTA for the supply of drill bits going forward. “We are pleased to have secured this agreement with Robit, which opens up a range for DTA and enables Ausdrill to focus on its core business,” he said, adding that proceeds from the sale will be used to fund future capital expenditure and to pay down debt. Australian Manufacturing

SME capability key to supporting Australia’s defence industry A Lockheed Martin Australia and Ai Group co-convened Forum gathered senior leaders from Australia’s industry, defence and academic communities to discuss the importance of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in helping Australia meet its security and defence industry objectives. Image credit: http://ift.tt/mBiDV4 Held last week, Securing Australia’s SME Defence Capability Forum explored the key challenges and opportunities for the growth of the nation’s SME sector, not only in the provision of Australia’s defence materiel, but also in the transition of the wider economy. The Forum included keynote speakers from Lockheed Martin Australia, University of South Australia, Nova Group, Defence Teaming Centre Inc, Defence Materials Technology Centre, UniSA Ventures, Ai Group South Australia and SAGE Group Holdings Ltd, all of whom advocated for a concerted focus on capability planning and R&D investment in Australia’s SME sector as critical for Australia’s defence industry. In his keynote address, Lockheed Martin Australia Board Member Kim Beazley highlighted the potential for the defence sector and the role of SMEs in securing Australia’s place on the global stage. “In rebalancing our economy in the context of the end of the mining boom, Australian industry has significant responsibilities. The defence sector will play a key role in this transition, and will provide substantial opportunities for our nation’s SMEs,” he said. “In order to facilitate growth and to foster innovation in the defence industry, it is imperative that we place a concerted focus on our SME sector and the opportunities to expand its capabilities. Investing in SMEs, including those spearheading new research and development, will expedite the transformation of Australian industry and ensure that Australia meets its security and economic objectives,” Kim Beazley said. Image credit: aigroup.com.au Ai Group Councillor and Managing Director SAGE Group Holdings Ltd, Andrew Downs also stressed the importance of SME’s in supporting and advancing Australia’s defence industry. “Today’s forum raised important questions about the future of Australia’s defence sector and placed a spotlight on the role of SMEs, particularly in taking advantage of the opportunities here in the South Australian market,” he said. “Industry collaboration and openness will play a key role in ensuring that we have a sustainable supply chain and reach targets for the broader industry.” Australian Manufacturing

Expressions of Interest for Advanced Food Manufacturing Grant now open South Australia’s Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell has invited food manufacturers and researchers to apply for up to $100,000 in funding under Round 3 of the State Government’s Advanced Food Manufacturing Grant program. Image credit: pir.sa.gov.au The State Government funded program supports jointly funded projects, which means businesses must match the cash contribution of grant funding for their project. Mr Bignell noted that preference will be given to projects demonstrating a focus on delivering a functional or luxury product. He said that in order to strengthen this round and boost the available funding to the sector, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia (PIRSA) partnered with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL). “Innovation is critical to the growth and success of our food industry on a global stage. The partnership between PIRSA and FIAL as part of the South Australian Food Innovation Centre is helping to provide key industry support to ensure local food producers and manufacturers are able to effectively compete in global markets and continue to produce high-value products,” Mr Bignell. “The program is aimed at attracting applications from companies that are serious about investing in the future of their business and improving their capacity to grow and innovate. This strengthens the capability of our food industry, which in turn drives productivity, profitability and export competitiveness.” He remarked that PIRSA and FIAL were key partners under the South Australian Food Innovation Centre – a unique collaboration between the State Government, SA university research and development faculties and key state-based food industry associations and research bodies. “FIAL’s support encourage investment in and uptake of innovation across the sector, leading to improved productivity and export competitiveness. This program contributes to the State Government’s economic priority of Premium Food and Wine Produced in our Clean Environment and Exported to the World – encouraging businesses to maximise the production of value-added and differentiated food,” Minister Bignell said. FIAL’s Chairman, Mr Peter Schutz said FIAL was pleased to partner with PIRSA to help resolve the challenges facing South Australia’s food and agribusinesses. “We hope businesses will make the most of this opportunity to share in the future of the Australian food industry. This program is a great opportunity,” Mr Schutz said. “Food and agribusinesses often have challenges to address before they can grow, such as identifying new market opportunities, tailoring their packaging or adjusting the functionality of their product to meet their customer’s needs. This program will allow SA food and agribusinesses to undertake research into their business challenges and grow their capability.” Australian Manufacturing

Team Sentinel’s prototype sparks hope for Burnie to transform into an advanced manufacturing hub Team Sentinel, a consortium of companies primed by Elbit Systems of Australia, which is one of four groups that are bidding for the $2.7 billion contract to manufacture 225 Land 400 armoured vehicles, has unveiled its prototype Sentinel II vehicle. Image credit: www.army.gov.au The lucrative contract for designing, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance of the Land 400 Sentinel Military Vehicle would result in the opening of 1,000 jobs and soften the blow from Ford’s departure in 2016. Funded by the Federal Government’s Defence Capability Plan, the Land 400 Sentinel project is the world’s largest armoured vehicle project that could transform Geelong into an advanced manufacturing hub. The nature of the program requires high-technology manufacturing, advanced composite production, software development and maintenance, vehicle system integration and logistics skills. Elphinstone will build the hull and engine of the vehicles, while CBG Systems in Hobart will add its stealth blanket technology. The project is set to generate an estimated 150 jobs at Elphinstone over five years and 20 at CBG. Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman said the unveiling of the Sentinel vehicle is major milestone for Team Sentinel and Tasmania. “Team Sentinel’s prototype, could be the beginning of the next combat reconnaissance vehicles that will be protecting Australian troops from 2020. And, for Tasmania, this could be the emergence of another competitive strength; defence manufacturing. Over the next few months Team Sentinel will be refining its offer and finalising its vehicle development with Tasmania’s Elphinstone’s support,” Mr Hodgman said. According to him, more $30 billion is spent every year on defence, and Tasmania gets less than 0.03 per cent of that amount. “Earlier this year we launched Our Fair Share of Defence Strategy. The strategy will target our fair share of defence spending by attracting, enabling and building defence industries in the State and promoting Tasmania as both a military supplier and a port for our Southern Ocean responsibilities,” the Premier said. “The Tasmanian Government has been proud to support the bid. While there are a many stages ahead, we will continue to support Team Sentinel every step of the way.” Australian Manufacturing

Ansell introduces new HyFlex ® ultralight oil repellent glove Ansell Limited, the global leader in healthcare barrier protection solutions, announced the introduction of the HyFlex 11-925, the first ultralight HyFlex® style to combine a ¾ dip geometry, oil repellence and oil grip in a single flexible glove. Image credit: www.ansell.com This innovative glove features Ansell RIPEL™ Liquid Repellence Technology, which prevents oil or lubricants from making contact with the wearer’s skin, reducing the risk of skin irritation. It also features Ansell GRIP™ Technology which is a patented grip feature that wicks away oil and moisture from the surface of the glove, ensuring safer handling and secure grip. Steve Genzer, President and General Manager of the Ansell Industrial Global Business Unit, said the result is a unique combination of flexibility, grip, and comfort that gives users the ability to do their jobs safely and productively, while minimising risk of irritation and discomfort. “We found a need in the industry for a glove that provides a secure grip in oily environments while also providing lasting comfort; otherwise workers just simply take off their gloves when they become saturated,” Mr Genzer said. “By combining our proprietary technologies, we’re able to offer an extremely thin, comfortable glove that still provides the protection and performance workers in oily environments need.” The 11-925 is the latest addition to the HyFlex line and the companion to the HyFlex 11-926, an oil-repellent multi-purpose glove launched last year to provide a light duty glove with enhanced durability for extended wear time. Both gloves share many of the same oil protection features, with the 11-925 offering a thinner and ultralight weight fit for increased dexterity, flexibility, and tactility for handling finer or smaller parts. Available in six sizes, Ansell ‘s HyFlex 11-925 gloves are ideal for a number of industries, including automotive and auto OEM, electrical machinery, metal fabrication, power tools, and transportation equipment. Ansell’s HyFlex brand was established in 1996 and has since become the world’s best-selling precision assembly glove with millions of pairs sold. Australian Manufacturing

German switch manufacturer turns to 3D printing to reduce prototype testing time by 85% 3D printing giant Stratasys announced that German switch manufacturer, Berker, is significantly reducing its production costs and time for testing electrical component prototypes by using Stratasys 3D printed injection moulds. Image credit: investors.stratasys.com The German company’s newly designed electrical component required parts produced using injection moulding. Once assembled, the parts had to pass an electrostatic discharge (ESD) test conducted by an independent testing agency which meant that the switch prototype had to use the same materials as the final part. Instead of using metal injection moulds to test the designs – which are very expensive and time consuming to produce – Berker decided to try 3D printed injection moulds produced on a Stratasys Conned multi-material 3D Printer. The company produced a series of 3D printed injection moulds using Stratasys Polymer 3D printing technology with Digital ABS™ material. Each 3D printed mould, with a different geometry, was used to inject a different final part material: ASA, PC and TPE. Krause, Head of Technical Department & Manufacturing, Berker said one of the biggest challenges was that the newly designed parts needed to fit precisely in order to snap fit together with an existing metal mould-produced part. “This new flexibility enables us to try out two or three different solutions at the same time to get the best result,” Mr Krause said. “The confirmed quality of our products produced using these functional prototypes has accelerated our R&D processes.” According to him, the new technology enabled Berker to achieve impressive results in terms of time and cost savings, with an average 83% reduction in cost per mould and 85% reduction in production time. “Stratasys 3D printed injection moulds have helped Berker save time and reduce costs while making working prototype assemblies in the final material,” added Mr Krause. “This technology is now used now all over our company to make sample parts in ‘real’ materials.” Nadav Sela, Director, Manufacturing Tools, Stratasys, said Berker were able to successfully overcome their challenges by 3D printing moulds that were used to produce their parts with the proper tolerances and material selection-all at a fraction of the time and cost of the traditional moulding process.. “3D printing injection moulds are often an optimal solution for product prototyping and low volume manufacturing,” Mr Sela said. “For a very low production cost and quick turnaround time, they enable the manufacturer to produce parts with complex geometries in final materials before investing in mass production. And after testing the injected prototype part, if designs need to be adjusted, a new mould can be produced in just a few hours, again saving significant time and expenditures.” Australian Manufacturing

Volkswagen to fork out $14.7m to settle diesel claims in US Volkswagen will pay approximately $14.7 million to resolve civil claims over its diesel cars with 2-liter diesel engines, including plans for buybacks and payments for each vehicle owner. Image credit: Volkswagen The deal, which represents the largest automotive settlement in the history of the US, will include up to $10 billion to buy back or repair approximately 475,000 vehicles equipped with 2-liter diesel engines which were rigged to pass emissions tests. The car maker said that the agreements covering the proposed settlement scheme were subject to a judge approval. “We take our commitment to make things right very seriously and believe these agreements are a significant step forward,” said Matthias Müller, Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen AG. “We appreciate the constructive engagement of all the parties, and are very grateful to our customers for their continued patience as the settlement approval process moves ahead. We know that we still have a great deal of work to do to earn back the trust of the American people. We are focused on resolving the outstanding issues and building a better company that can shape the future of integrated, sustainable mobility for our customers.” The company said that it continues to work expeditiously to reach an agreed resolution for affected vehicles with 3.0L TDI V-6 diesel engines. Australian Manufacturing

Solar Impulse arrives in Europe, heralding a new era of environmentally friendly transport Solar Impulse, a groundbreaking solar aircraft, has completed the first of its kind flight across the Atlantic, demonstrating that the latest generation of sustainable technologies can pave the way for a new era of environmentally friendly transport systems and solutions. Solar Impulse 2 above the cloudsImage provided The pioneering aircraft completed a 71-hour transatlantic flight from New York to Seville as part of its remarkable round-the-world journey which began last year in Abu Dhabi. What makes this plane unique is the fact that it relies on the latest generation of solar cells, batteries and lightweight composites to achieve the once seemingly impossible task of flying around the world without using any fossil fuel whatsoever. “This aircraft is essentially a flying smart grid, using the energy collected from renewable sources and then providing it efficiently to users who may require it at a different period of time from when it was generated,” remarked André Borschberg, one of the aircraft’s two pilots. Another unique characteristic of Solar Impulse is its wingspan, which is greater than a 747 even though the solar aircraft weighs as much as an ordinary passenger car. In addition, the aircraft uses high-capacity lithium-polymer battery system to permit it to fly through the night as well as in full sunlight. “The world could be much more efficient if all of these technologies were implemented on a wide scale. This is exactly what our partners at ABB are doing – applying these innovations in a way that the entire world can use them,” said the project’s other pilot, Bertrand Piccard, who is Solar Impulse’s initiator and chairman. ABB’s CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer noted that Solar Impulse serves as just one strong current example of how advanced technologies are revolutionising the world of transportation. He said the company provides an expanding range of products and solutions that increase the efficiency of transport systems while reducing their environmental impacts on multiple fronts. “At ABB, we seek to find new ways to run the world without consuming the earth,” Mr Spiesshofer added. “Regenerative braking systems in electric trains, trams and other vehicles are also contributing to significant improvements in energy efficiency. ABB’s ENVILINE product portfolio incorporates regenerative braking and other high-efficiency strategies to reduce energy consumption in direct current rail traction systems by as much as 30 percent.” The development of new fast-charging stations, which can recharge the battery packs in the latest vehicles in just a few minutes, also contributed greatly to the rapid acceptance of electric buses and other EVs. A new public bus system in Geneva and one currently under construction in Namur, Belgium, make use of fast-chargers from ABB to provide cost-efficient zero-emission transport that will improve air quality and reduce congestion in city centres around the world. Marine transport has also benefited from recent innovations. ABB’s Azipod propulsion systems, a gearless steerable marine propulsion system where the electric drive motor is in a submerged pod outside the ship hull, allow for dramatic increases in manoeuvrability and efficiency, delivering fuel savings of approximately 700,000 tonnes since its launch 25 years ago. The company’s OCTOPUS solution uses big data, smart sensors and advanced connectivity to provide guidance to ship operators on the most efficient routes to follow, while also giving warnings of potential hazards. “We are seeing huge new opportunities in the field of sustainable transport,” commented Mr Spiesshofer. “Recent technological developments are opening the way to major advances in energy efficiency and productivity. We are only just beginning to realise the full potential of these changes.” Australian Manufacturing

Rockwell Automation is now accepting nominations for 2016 Manufacturing Safety Excellence Awards The application period for Rockwell Automation’s fourth annual Manufacturing Safety Excellence Awards is now open. Image provided The awards recognise manufacturers, machine builders (OEMs) or system integrators that demonstrate a true commitment to safety across three key pillars of a comprehensive safety program: a strong safety culture, well-executed compliance procedures, and effective use of current, machine-safety technology. “Last year’s winners – The Clorox Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) – were selected because they embrace safety as a means to achieve business goals,” said Mark Eitzman, safety market development manager, Rockwell Automation. “They go beyond compliance and make safety an integral part of the company culture and machine design processes – improving plant productivity and company profitability.” Jason Stover, senior electrical project engineer, PCMC said winning the 2015 award highlighted the company’s commitment to improving machine safety for its customers. “As an OEM, we differentiate ourselves from competitors by guiding our customers through the safety process and educating them on the opportunities safety presents. Some might not recognise safety as a fundamental part of equipment, but by the time we’re done, they see the value,” Mr Stover remarked. The awards also recognise companies that have successful collaboration between their engineering and EHS departments, which greatly reduces injury rates while also improving production efficiency. “We achieve success with everyone in the organisation working and learning together, including engineering, EHS and operations,” said Dennis G. Averill, CIH, CSP, global director of safety and hygiene, Kimberly-Clark. “This collaboration is not only done conceptually, but also during the actual execution of risk assessments, safety standards development and more.” The 2016 winners will be announced in the fall, joining a distinguished list of past winners including Bevcorp, Corning Environmental Technologies, General Motors, Procter & Gamble and the PepsiCo divisions of Walkers Crisps and Pepsi Flavors. “To nominate a company, complete the entry form and email it to swludwig@ra.rockwell.com with “Safety Excellence Awards Nomination” in the subject line or mail it to the following address: Rockwell Automation, Attn: Steve Ludwig – Safety Excellence Awards, 1 Allen Bradley Drive, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124,” Rockwell said in a press release. Nominations close on 31 August, 2016. Australian Manufacturing

NSL Consolidated to build greenfield steel plant in India Australia-based dual bulk commodity company NSL Consolidated has signed a binding agreement with Wei Hua, China’s leading heavy equipment crane building company, for the joint development of a Greenfield steel making plant in Andhra Pradesh. Wei Hua’s blast furnace shell ready for deploymentImage credit: NSL Consolidated ASX release The joint venture company will be established with a 50/50 shareholding, with no funding required from NSL. Under the agreement, NSL will be responsible for all associated approvals for the construction and operation of the steel plant, and will also conduct the latest market research report on the iron and steel industry in India which will help determine the size and scale of the proposed steel plant project. The company will have the option to sell iron ore to the steel plant or into the local market at local prices, while Wei Hua to provide all steel plant equipment, the majority of which has already been acquired and is ready for deployment. According to NSL, the JV will leverage the Chinese Government’s “one road, one belt” investment strategy with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, with discussions with the Andhra Pradesh Government (GoAP) for land, power, water and other utilities approvals already underway. “We are very excited by the strengthening of the relationship with Wei Hua and the progression towards the proposed steel plant,” said Managing Director Cedric Goode. “The execution of the binding agreement also provides further validation of the strong relationships and ties that NSL has built within India and in particularly the GoAP. India is currently the world’s third largest producer of crude steel.” He said NSL was looking forward to building value for shareholders as the only foreign company to own and operate iron ore mines in India. “When you consider the Company now has a track record of operating in India, with its own mines and beneficiation plant, and from its own operations has achieved iron ore sales, established offtake agreements with JSW Steel and BMM Ispat, obtained strong continuing government support and now attained the support of a large Chinese company with a commitment to enter the Indian economy, it is certainly exciting times.” According to him, the binding agreement is valid for a period of 12 months, with both parties reserving the right to terminate by giving 30 days notice. Australian Manufacturing

Mayne Pharma to acquire a portfolio of US generic products from Teva and Allergen ASX-listed specialty pharmaceutical company Mayne Pharma has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a portfolio of US generic products from Teva and Allergen for $652 million. Image credit: www.maynepharma.com Mayne said that the portfolio – which consists of 37 approved products and 5 FDA filed products across a range of therapeutic areas – aligns strongly with its core competency in complex pharmaceutical formulations and includes difficult-to-manufacture, modified-release tablets and capsules, soft-gel capsules and transdermal patches. According to the company, up to eleven of the acquired products will be transferred into Mayne Pharma’s commercial manufacturing facilities in Greenville, North Carolina, and Salisbury, South Australia. “This will accelerate the use of existing and previously announced expansions to manufacturing capacity, and enable additional margin to be captured over time, improving overhead recovery and the return on recent capital invested to expand these facilities,” the company said in a press release. Mayne Pharma’s CEO, Scott Richards, said the acquisition will significantly transform the scope and breadth of the company’s US generics division and will propel Mayne Pharma into the top 25 retail generic pharmaceutical companies and the top 2 in the generic oral contraceptives market in the United States. “The acquisition transforms Mayne Pharma’s Generic Products Division into a top 25 player in the US retail generics market, diversifying Mayne Pharma’s earnings across a broad range of products, therapeutic areas and technologies. ”This attractive Portfolio spans multiple dosage forms and complements our expertise in higher-value niche, differentiated products. The on-market products have strong shares in stable, mature markets, while the pipeline products are expected to deliver additional growth in attractive markets as they are launched over the next couple of years.” Mayne Pharma said it will fund the acquisition via an extension of an existing debt facility, and a fully underwritten equity raising on the ASX. Australian Manufacturing

Airbus uses innovative 3D printed mini aircraft to test high-tech concepts Airbus is using a small-sized, 3D printed pilotless aircraft as a testbed for futuristic aircraft technologies ranging from 3D printed structural parts to advanced aerodynamics and artificial intelligence. Image credit: www.airbus.com Powered by two 1.5 kW electrically-driven propellers, this mini aircraft– known as THOR (Testing High-tech Objectives in Reality) – weighs approximately 21 kg and can fit in a four-metre-by-four-metre square. About 90% of its structural components were 3D printed from plastic polyamide powder. “This mini aircraft does not represent an actual airliner design Airbus is considering, rather it is a platform to enable low-risk and fast-track development of different technologies in real flying conditions,” explained Detlev Konigorski of Airbus’ Emerging Technologies & Concepts activity in Germany, who oversees the THOR project. “The first version was to test whether the slogan “Print me an airplane” can be converted into reality.” According to Airbus, a major advantage for THOR is the short lead time of 3D printing, which significantly reduced development time for producing the technology demonstrator compared to traditional manufacturing methods. “Using an existing design concept, it took approximately seven weeks to print the THOR aircraft’s 60 structural segments, followed by approximately one week for assembly and three days to fine tune the electrical systems before it was flight-ready,” the company said in a press release. THOR’s maiden flight occurred in November 2015, and the mini aircraft is resuming testing following its display at the recent Airbus Innovation Days exhibition and the ILA Berlin Air Show. “The first flight was simply about flying,” Mr Konigorski said. “Now, we want to generate basic data on things like altitude, speed and acceleration in a turn.” Airbus is currently assembling follow-on THOR versions at the new Center of Applied Aeronautical Research in Hamburg, Germany, in which Airbus is a major partner and shareholder. The company said that these aircraft will feature a modular design allowing for greater flexibility in airframe and structural testing. “For example, the second THOR version will accommodate interchangeable wings, including concepts for a hexagonal wing with support structure derived from a honeycomb design; a metallic aluminium wing; and a flexible wing made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastics,” reads the press release. “Once wing testing is complete, the THOR project will focus on artificial intelligence in collaboration with the Airbus Defence and Space business unit of the Airbus Group parent company. The idea is for a THOR aircraft to land completely on its own, identifying obstacles on the runway and determining whether it is safe to touch down without support from any ground infrastructure.” According to Mr Konigorski, another important aspect of the THOR project is the team’s “willing-to-fail approach,” which helps Airbus push the envelope of experimentation. He said the goal was to implement high-risk ideas on flying vehicles as soon as possible. “If a THOR aircraft takes off, and after 30 feet makes a nose dive back the ground, our attitude is: ‘good, let’s sweep it off the runway and come up with a better idea,” Mr Konigorski said. “In a few weeks, we can print a new aircraft!” Australian Manufacturing

Fitmycar receives funding to boost manufacturing output and create new jobs Victoria’s Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan announced a $42,000 state government grant for Ravenhall based manufacturer Fitmycar to help the company enhance its facilities and exports by more than $1 million. Image credit: www.fitmycar.com Fitmycar is a manufacturer and distributor of premium quality aftermarket vehicle floor mats and accessories. Mr Noonan, who toured the company’s facility in Ravenhall on Monday, said the grant will enable Fitmycar to purchase and install a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine that will transform the company’s manual manufacturing process into a highly automated workflow system. He said the CNC machine will also help the company increase its exports to the US market, create five new manufacturing jobs and upskill three of its existing staff. “The Andrews Labor Government is helping manufacturers to invest in new technologies and processes that will transition Victoria towards an advanced manufacturing economy,” the Minister pointed out. The grant is part of the Labor Government’s Future Industries Manufacturing Program, which is one of three industry programs under the Future Industries Fund to support high growth industries and create jobs. Companies can apply for grants of up to $500,000 under the Manufacturing Program to invest in new manufacturing technologies and processes that will create sustainable jobs and increase productivity. “Our Future Industries Manufacturing Program is giving businesses like Fitmycar the support they need to improve their capabilities, take on new workers and target growth opportunities,” Mr Noonan concluded. Australian Manufacturing

ABB collects prestigious innovation award at Automatica 2016 ABB showcased an entire range of products and solutions to support the flexible, connected Factory of the Future at Automatica 2016 fair in Munich last week under the themes for Collaboration and Digitalisation. Image credit: ABB ABB was recognised for YuMi, the world’s first truly collaborative robot, with the prestigious Invention and Entrepreneurship in Robotics Award (IERA) at the International Symposium of Robotics. The award was presented in a forum organised jointly by IEEE Robotics and the International Federation of Robotics. YuMi is a human-friendly dual arm robot that was launched in 2015 to meet the ever growing needs of today’s consumer electronics industry. Per Vegard Nerseth, Managing Director of ABB Robotics, said the company was pleased to have won the prestigious award that recognises the technical merits and the current and future impact of innovations on the robotics industry. “We are pleased with the YuMi solution’s strong penetration in our targeted 3C sector, but what is especially encouraging is all the completely new customers talking to us at Automatica about collaborative applications,” Mr Nerseth said. “These emerging opportunities are at the heart of our Next Level growth strategy.” ABB also presented its IRB 8700 robot, capable of lifting up to 800 kg. This robot was also shown in a collaborative application with the company’s new SafeMove2, an advanced safety-certified software solution that allows people and robots to safely work together without jeopardising productivity. Digitalisation was a key topic as part of an integrated ecosystem ABB calls the Internet of Things, Services and People. Automatica 2016, the world’s largest showcase for robotics and manufacturing automation, saw the global introduction of a new suite of Connected Services that can substantially improve the performance and reliability of individual robots up to entire fleets spread across several factories. “Automatica is always a great opportunity to talk to the top decision makers here in Germany, where digitalisation and Industry 4.0 are high on the agenda,” added Mr Nerseth, “But this year we also had the opportunity to talk with new customers from the Americas and Asia too who are looking for solutions to improve the flexibility and efficiency of their operations and move in the direction of the Factory of the Future. This is truly a global topic.” Australian Manufacturing

UK’s favourite snack food brand to create 120 manufacturing jobs in Melbourne Leading English potato crisps maker Tyrrells has selected Victoria to expand its brand into the Australian and Asia Pacific markets. Image credit: http://ift.tt/292eEFl The company will invest in Victorian food processing company Yarra Valley Snack Foods – which will also continue to produce its own popular lines of snacks – creating 120 manufacturing jobs in Melbourne’s outer east. Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan said the Andrews Labour Government has worked closely with Tyrrell’s to facilitate the company’s maiden investment outside of the UK. “The Andrews Labour Government is working with companies like Tyrrell’s to bring in investment that create jobs across Melbourne and regional Victoria,” the Minister said. “This investment will create 120 manufacturing jobs in Melbourne’s outer east and also support Victorian farmers, with the company sourcing high quality raw ingredients from the local region.” Tyrrell’s’ CEO David Milner said the decision to invest in Victoria was influenced by the state’s reputation as a clean, green and safe manufacturer and exporter of premium quality food and beverages, as well as by its stable AAA rated economy. “Quality is at the very heart of everything we do and we found that there was nowhere else able to match, in terms of what was available to us, the Yarra Valley region in Victoria,” Mr Milner added. “Victoria is a very straightforward place to do business and that helped inform the decision making process for us, having our headquarters on the other side of the globe.” Tyrrell’s was founded in 2002 and has since grown to become one of the UK’s leading snack food brands, producing crisps, popcorn, rice crackers and tortillas using high quality, locally-sourced ingredients. Australian Manufacturing

Downer Bombardier JV wins supply and maintenance contract with WA’s Public Transport Authority Rail technology specialist Bombardier Transportation announced that its Australian joint venture (JV) with Downer EDI – known as EDI Rail Bombardier Transportation – has been awarded a contract by Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority (PTA) to supply an additional 10 three-car commuter trains (30 cars). Image credit: www.bombardier.com The contract, which represents an extension of PTA’s original award for B Series EMU trains in 2011, runs until 2026 and also involves the provision of maintenance services on all “A” and “B” series commuter fleets. Bombardier said the contract is valued at approximately $511 million. “We are delighted to continue to support our long-term customer PTA with these additional B Series EMU trains and maintenance services,” said Rene Lalande, Managing Director, Bombardier Transportation Australia. “In addition to increasing capacity on Perth’s commuter network, these trains provide a comfortable and sustainable mobility solution for the city’s growing community. Bombardier will also apply its asset management expertise to optimise the total performance of PTA’s commuter fleets, boosting reliability and availability for the train operator and its passengers.” According to the company, the trains will be equipped with the proven BOMBARDIER MITRAC Energy Saver propulsion, which is homogenous across all Bombardier’s EMU fleets in Australia. Downer EDI’s CEO Grant Fenn said the new 10 x 3 B series units will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Maryborough, Queensland and be delivered to the PTA by December 2020. “These new contracts highlight Downer’s complete service offering and our ability to deliver value for our customers,” Mr Fenn concluded. Australian Manufacturing

Austal wins A$100m commercial ferry contract Austal has landed its fourth commercial ferry contract in the past month with the signing of an A$100 million agreement to design and construct a 109 metre vehicle passenger (RoPax) ferry for Denmark’s Mols Linien. Image credit: www.austal.com According to Austal, the ferry will be built at its Henderson shipyard and will be the largest commercial ferry built by the company since 2011. “The 109 metre RoPax ferry is an enhanced design based on Austal’s proven catamaran platform, with a new optimised hull shape and vessel weight minimisation solution that delivers better performance and greater fuel efficiency,” the company said in a statement to the ASX. “Innovations such as these will enable Mol’s new high speed ferry to achieve lower operating costs and deliver an enhanced passenger experience.” The first-in-class vessel will feature two fill vehicle decks for 425 cars, or 610 lane metres for trucks and up to 232 cars. Additionally, the all-aluminium catamaran will have a capacity to carry up to 1,006 passengers safely and comfortably at speeds up to 40 knots. “Once again Austal has demonstrated that it is a world leader in ship design and construction with the sale of this newly optimised class of very large 109 metre ferry to a highly discerning customer, which has led to this reference customer sale,” said Austal CEO David Singleton. “In the past two months Austal has secured more than A$400 million in new orders for defence and commercial vessels which clearly demonstrates our success in developing technically superior and highly cost competitive solutions for domestic and export markets. Austal is proud to put Australian ship building on the world stage.” Australian Manufacturing

Australia’s first green-fuel biorefinery could soon become reality The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will support the development of Australia’s first “biorefinery” capable of producing renewable diesel and jet fuels from plant material. Image credit: http://arena.gov.au/ RENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the agency will provide $2.4 million funding support for Southern Oil Refining (SOR) to develop and construct a cutting edge biocrude and biofuel laboratory in Yarwun, near Gladstone. He said the project will inform the feasibility and design of a proposed commercial scale biorefinery, which could deliver significant economic benefits for the country. “Our agricultural industries have an abundance of plant waste that can be ideal biocrude feedstock and there are several potential markets for selling green fuels including aviation, shipping and defence,” Mr Frischknecht said. “ARENA has previously supported Australian companies like Muradel and Licella to develop innovative technologies for producing biocrude but there is currently no way of refining this into large quantities of useable biofuels. A new biorefinery would be the first step in providing the missing link in the development of an Australian biofuels industry.” He said SOR had in place in-principle agreements with Muradel and Licella for the supply of biocrude for refining, demonstrating how ARENA-supported companies can work together towards achieving commercial outcomes. “The United States Navy has a 50 per cent target for alternative energy sources by 2020 and the Royal Australian Navy has signed an agreement to explore using more environmentally friendly fuels, significantly increasing demand for green-fuels,” Mr Frischkencht added. “Major Australian airlines are also considering these fuels to meet industry-agreed emission reduction targets, with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia recently announcing a partnership to investigate options for locally-produced aviation biofuel.” According to Mr Frischknecht, the project will support the business case for building a biorefinery for producing renewable diesel and jet fuels. “The test laboratory ARENA is supporting will characterise biocrudes and biofuels and provide a blueprint for the refinery,” he added. “SOR will carry out testing and reporting to produce valuable knowledge for Australia’s bioenergy industry. New protocols for the conversion of biocrudes to drop-in fuels will also be established. This new knowledge and infrastructure is an important and necessary step towards attracting further investment in the biofuels supply chain in Australia.” The project, valued at $5.3 million, is scheduled for completion in March 2019. Australian Manufacturing

Quickstep moves into automotive production to deliver on contracts with several multinational companies Quickstep Holdings yesterday welcomed Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at its Waurn Ponds facility in Victoria. Image credit: http://ift.tt/23mddD6 During his visit, Mr Turnbull toured the company’s new advanced composites manufacturing operation and announced the Coalition Government’s commitment to a $20 million Jobs and Investment package for the Geelong region. “We are delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to our Waurn Ponds facility which is now in production supporting automotive contracts for Ford, Thales and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology,” said David Marino, CEO and Managing Director of Quickstep. “We have also begun collaborative projects with several multinational companies using our patented Qure and resin spray transfer (RST) technologies. Our global R&D centre is making great progress as we invest to raise Qure’s volume production rate.” Mr Marino said Quickstep has completed the first set of composite parts for Thales Australia’s Hawkei light protected vehicle using RST as the exclusive supplier of Hawkei bonnet, side skirts and mud guards. “The company will deliver ten sets of parts – comprising more than 150 individual components – for testing by end-September 2016. Thales Australia will supply 1,100 Hawkei military vehicles and 1,000 trailers for the Australian government,” Mr Marino added. The company is also manufacturing carbon fibre air intake ducts for the Ford Falcon XR6 Sprint sportscar, which is the first mass-produced Ford passenger vehicle globally to have a carbon-fibre air intake duct factory-fitted. In addition, Quickstep is engaged in development projects with several tier-1 industry suppliers. These projects are co-funded by Quickstep and its collaboration partners – including two leading vehicle manufacturers, a global aircraft manufacturer, and a French naval shipbuilding company (DCNS) – and are expected to lead to niche production contracts. Quickstep operates from state-of-the-art aerospace manufacturing facilities at Bankstown Airport in Sydney, NSW; the aforementioned production site for automotive parts manufacturing and R&D/ process development centre in Waurn Ponds; and a development and customer support operation in Munich, Germany. The company’s automotive division has been supported by a grant of $1.76 million through the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund (GRIIF), an initiative funded by the Federal and Victorian governments and Ford Australia. Australian Manufacturing

Bowhill Engineering wins hull contract as part of $12.8m ferry project The South Australian Government has selected Bowhill Engineering to replace the two remaining timber-hulled ferries operating on the River Murray following a competitive tender process which entertained offers from a total of five businesses. Image credit: www.boweng.com.au The contract was awarded as part of the state government’s $12.8 million initiative to replace four ageing timber-hulled ferries with steel-hulled ferries. Prior to winning this tender, Bowhill Engineering was also selected to construct the first two steel hulls, with one ferry already in operation at Lyrup neat Berri. The second hull is currently being fitted out at the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure’s Morgan dockyard and is scheduled for launch next month, with the final two ferries expected to be operational by 2018. Bowhill Engineering’s Managing Director Jeremy Hawkes said the company was thrilled to have been chosen to deliver the second part of this important regional project. “At the beginning of the ferry replacement project back in 2014, we set ourselves the ambitious goal of providing unprecedented value for money to DPTI and the South Australian taxpayer,” Mr Hawkes said. “The opportunity for our dedicated team to deliver the second part of this project is verification that we have been able to deliver on this goal. Local people having a chance to deliver important local infrastructure, creating and maintaining regional employment, does it get any better than that?” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said the project will provide job stability for the company’s skilled workforce of about 25 people, and support growth for up to three additional staff. “It is great to see a local company awarded this contract. Through the competitive tender process Bowhill Engineering demonstrated that it is the best-placed business to build the remaining two ferry hulls,” the Minister said. “Load limits can cause inconvenience for ferry users and can impact on productivity, particularly for farmers and transport operators who are forced to find alternative routes.” He said the investment will help to improve the reliability of the ferry services along the River Murray by lifting the remaining load limits on the existing timber-hulled vessels. “We are very pleased to have a local River Murray business undertaking this work on behalf of communities along the River Murray and we look forward to delivering the full fleet to steel-hulled ferries,” the Minister concluded. Australian Manufacturing

3D Systems showcases latest advancements in direct metal printing alongside leading aerospace and defense companies Top aerospace and defense manufacturers have shared best practices for leveraging metal additive manufacturing in end-use part production at an Aerospace and Defence Practicum for Direct Metal Printing (DMP) hosted by 3D Systems with industry leaders and Department of Defence experts at Pennsylvania State University. Image credit: www.3dsystems.com This two-day, hands-on workshop and demonstration, which was held on 21-22 June, featured talks by experts from leading aerospace and defense manufacturers and suppliers including Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, United Technologies Aerospace Systems and many more. The event was designed to educate existing and potential customers on the unique challenges of supporting the aerospace and defense sector while introducing them to new industry-specific tools currently under development. A growing number of aerospace and defense manufacturers are turning to DMP to reduce part weight and count through innovative design enhancements that were previously impossible using traditional processes. The aerospace and defense sector is sensitive to obtaining high quality parts for demanding operating conditions. As such, it is characterised by stringent regulations and qualification processes that serve as “de facto barriers” to entry for suppliers. 3D Systems’ metal engineers, in collaboration with leading experts and standards bodies, has offered hands-on training on the company’s DMP technology, and provided guidance on best practices and protocols in industry specific metal applications. Additionally, the company showcased an upcoming print process management tool for workflow management in DMP and its latest advancements in in-situ monitoring for precise print outcomes. Neal Orringer, Vice President of Alliances and Partnerships, 3D Systems, said these new capabilities offer 3D Systems’ DMP users software strategies for optimised printer operation as well as novel non-destructive methodologies for evaluating and qualifying prints inside machine build chambers. “DMP technology offers the aerospace and defense sector high strength and low weight production,” Mr Orringer said. “However, we recognise that our customers require more than that: they need to be armed with quality control protocols and tools that ensure repeatability, productivity, and precision. We’re combining our in-house metals expertise with the insights of industry leaders and partners to drive innovation and adoption in this key area for additive manufacturing.” Australian Manufacturing

Orica CEO: customer-centric strategy and disciplined capital management key to success in unfavourable market environment Orica CEO Alberto Calderon yesterday delivered a speech to the WA Mining Club in which he talked about leading an organisation through every part of the commodities cycle. Image credit: www.orica.com In his opening speech, Mr Calderon talked about challenges facing the mining industry in recent years following the end of Australia’s mining boom. “It would be an understatement to say that the past few years have been challenging. China’s growth has slowed and that, combined with a subdued pricing outlook for metals and mining, has delivered a perfect storm,” Mr Calderon said. “And the dark clouds only seem darker when we remember that in the 10 years leading into 2014 we were in the midst of the biggest mining boom in generations.” He said that despite the current downturn in commodity prices, the cyclical nature of the mining industry left room for optimism that the sector will recover in years to come. “While the current environment presents serious challenges, we are playing a long game. We have a 140 year legacy – a testament to our resilience and adaptability. We believe that over the next few years, we will be able to grow our business by executing against the following strategies,” Mr Calderon added. “We believe our differentiation strategy will allow us to outperform the market. Additionally, our focus on customer centricity will improve the penetration of our differentiated products and services.” He said the key to success in such volatile market conditions was to turn to stringent and disciplined approach to capital management. “Now, more than ever before, we have to ensure that every dollar invested in the business delivers a satisfactory return,” he pointed out. “We implemented a Capital and Investment Management framework, governed by a formalised Investment Committee with Terms of Reference and Standards. The framework ranks, using consistent metrics, all the capital projects in the company on a scale of 0-300. This enables us to compare completely different projects on a like for like basis, and then deploy capital to the highest ranking projects as a priority.” Mr Calderon said that Orica has also turned its attention to defining its long-term, optimal initiation systems supply network. “Orica has a highly geographically dispersed Initiation Systems manufacturing footprint, which we need to leverage more effectively for the benefit of our customers and Orica, while not compromising on the elements that are most important to our customers – safety, reliability and quality,” he explained. “To ensure we deliver against these factors we have embarked on a project that will utilise our highly automated plants, like those in Gyttorp (Sweden) and Brownsburg (Canada), to produce a high quality product, consistently and efficiently.” He said the company was striving to perfect and support the right operating model that places customers at the heart of everything the company does. “We reflected on the best way to organise ourselves – one that is efficient and delivers the greatest value to our customers. We designed a new operating model with our customers at the centre. This then defined how we are structured around the world, to enable the successful execution of our strategy and improve our responsiveness to customers,” he said. “The result is a model where the four regions, Australia Pacific and Indonesia; Europe, Africa and Asia; North America and Latin America have accountability for end-to-end customer service delivery, operational and financial performance.” Australian Manufacturing

ARENA bridge funding shows cost of big solar projects is shrinking The Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) announced that it received 20 eligible applications for its large-scale solar PV competitive funding round which closed last week. Image credit: arena.gov.aumoree ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the agency’s program to support the construction of large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in Australia has shown how quickly the cost of building new plants is falling as momentum in the sector builds. “ARENA is playing a vital role providing bridge funding for projects that will make large-scale solar PV more competitive by increasing confidence and building supply chains. Our funding round has already reduced costs through competitive tension and encouraged a portfolio of new Australian solar plants to proceed to more advanced stages of planning and development,” Mr Frischknecht said. “Moree Solar Farm and AGL’s Nyngan and Broken Hill plants needed around $1.60 in ARENA funding per watt. The funding requirement for new projects fell to 43 cents per watt in the expression-of-interest phase of our funding round in November last year. The need fell again by more than a third to an average of 28 cents per watt in the full applications. This clearly demonstrates how quickly large-scale solar PV costs are falling supported by ARENA funding, which has resulted in rising confidence, lower finance costs and a more supportive market for power purchase agreements.” Mr Frischknecht stressed that despite these substantial cost reductions, the development of large-scale solar PV projects was still constrained by various commercial hurdles. “Doing something the first few times is always harder and more expensive, and building large-scale solar PV plants is no exception,” Mr Frischknecht said. “We arranged a knowledge sharing forum for existing ARENA-supported developers to pass on their experience to the new shortlisted developers, fostering collaboration, sharing solutions to common problems and advancing the industry as a whole. And growth in the local large-scale solar PV sector will provide a significant boost for Australia’s regional economy, with our competitive funding round estimated to create upwards of 1000 new jobs in construction, manufacturing and civil engineering.” ARENA said that detailed due diligence and merit assessment analysis of the 20 applications is now being undertaken, with the successful projects expected to be announced in September this year. Australian Manufacturing

Universal Robots unveils showroom of plug & play applications Danish company Universal Robots has announced the launch of Universal Robots+, a showroom of plug & play applications that offer a new level of simplicity for the company’s customers when installing a new robot application. Image credit: Universal Robots official Facebook page The company said that the aim of Universal Robots+ was to reduce costs and implementation periods, as well as increase user satisfaction and experience. “Universal Robots+ offers accessories, end-effectors and software solutions meaning both distributors and end users can save weeks and even months in the integration process from concept to operation of the UR cobots,” Universal Robot said in a press release. “URCaps, accessory components that extend the UR robots’ capabilities, can be customised hardware components, software plug-ins or a combination of both.” Esben H. Østergaard, CTO and co-founder of Universal Robots, said the company was also launching +YOU, a free developer programme, offering a marketing and support platform for UR-robot application developers. “With Universal Robots+, everyone can benefit, including our developer community, our distribution partners and our end customers,” Mr Østergaard said. “Participants in our developer programme +YOU will receive free support when developing URCaps. By integrating the accessory components showcased at the Universal Robots+ showroom, our distribution partners and end users reduce spending on application development and testing when they deploy the URCaps as simple plug & play solutions.” Stefan Tøndering Stubgaard, Manager of Universal Robots’ Corporate Technical Support explained how developers and distributors will benefit from Universal Robots+. “When developers have received our approval for designing within Universal Robots+, we will support them via our local subsidiaries by providing robots for testing and optimising URCaps,” Mr Stubgaard said. “On request, robots can also be purchased at a reduced price, given that they will be used exclusively for the development and testing of new UR-related components.” After completion of a URCaps prototype, the developer will send it to Universal Robots for examination. “Before a new product can be presented in our showroom, we verify its quality. In comprehensive functionality tests, we test whether the URCap can be implemented and operated easily and if the product conforms to Universal Robots’ quality requirements,” Mr Stubgaard added. Additionally, developers can get their URCaps certified by Universal Robots by documenting that their solution is already operating in a real application and is used successfully by a customer. “Having capabilities featured in the Universal Robots+ showroom is free of charge for developers. In providing this, Universal Robots offers all developers a professional marketing platform granting them access to an ever expanding, global customer network. Sales of all products and capabilities revolving around the UR-robots’ universe will continue to be provided through Universal Robots’ established network of distribution partners,” read the press release. “In this way, distributors also benefit from this central platform, where they can both offer and access applications developed specifically for the use with UR robots. Universal Robots+ is the toolbox that tailors optimal solutions for their individual customer needs.” Universal Robots said that in order to enter the Universal Robots+ Community and have their application solutions featured in the Universal Robots+ showroom, developers must complete a free registration in the +YOU community forum where developers can submit their application ideas. “After meeting registration criteria, the developers will receive access to the +YOU online forum, where they can exchange questions and ideas. In addition, all members of the community will receive access to the company-internal developer support, which will assist (if necessary) in developing a market mature application. Additionally, the URCaps Software Development Kit can be downloaded free-of-charge,” it says in the press release. The launch of Universal Robots+ coincided with the introduction of a new update for the robot arms’ operating software. Mr Østergaard said the new release (Software Version 3.3) includes updates such as the Profinet IO device functionality. According to him, the new compatibility with Profinet protocols opens up numerous additional areas of deployment and activities for robots. “A key feature of the update supporting the Universal Robots+ platform is the ability for providers to now offer solutions that interface seamlessly with the UR software,” he concluded. Universal Robots+ and the +YOU forum are now accessible online, with the first URCaps are on display in the Universal Robots+ Showroom. Australian Manufacturing

GE to lead US Department of Energy’s advanced 3D printing nuclear technology research project GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has been selected by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to lead a $2 million additive manufacturing research project. Image: http://twitter.com/generalelectricGE Under the agreement, GEH will manufacture simple replacement parts for nuclear power plants. These samples will be 3D printed in metal at the GE Power Advanced Manufacturing Works facility in Greenville, South Carolina, and will then be shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “Once irradiated in INL’s Advanced Test Reactor, the samples will be removed, tested and compared to an analysis of unirradiated material conducted by GEH,” the company said in a press release. Jay Wileman, President and CEO of GEH said the results will be used by GEH to support deployment of 3D printed parts for fuels, services and new plant applications. “The potential of 3D printing to speed delivery time and reduce the cost of manufacturing performance-enhancing replacement parts for nuclear power plants is quite significant,” Mr Wileman added. “We want to recognise the Department of Energy for its leadership in advanced nuclear research and we look forward to working with the Idaho National Laboratory.” The project, which is part of a more than $80million investment in advanced nuclear technology announced last week by DOE, will use Nuclear Science User Facilities funding to provide GEH with access to world-class neutron and gamma irradiation and post-irradiation examination services. The GE Power Advanced Manufacturing Works facility in Greenville opened in April. GE has invested $73 million in the 125,000-square-foot facility to date and is planning to invest further $327 million across the GE Power Greenville campus over the next several years to drive innovation and the faster development of best-in-class technologies that deliver more value for customers across the world. Australian Manufacturing

GM appoints Alicia Boler-Davis as head of GM Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations General Motors has named Alicia Boler-Davis to the position of executive vice president, Global Manufacturing, effective immediately. Image credit: GM Facebook page Ms Boler-Davis will succeed Mr Jim DeLuca, who is retiring after a 37-year career that included key positions in manufacturing, labor relations and quality. Ms Boler-Davis’ career in GM began in 1994. Since then, she served in various engineering and manufacturing leadership positions, including vehicle line director and vehicle chief engineer for small cars and plant manager for Lansing’s Consolidated Operations and Arlington Assembly. In 2012, she was appointed head of Global Quality and Customer Experience and two years later she was promoted to the position of senior vice president, Global Connected Customer Experience. Ms Boler-Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Indiana University. In her new role, Ms Boler-Davis will report to GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, and will lead 180,000 employees at 171 facilities in 31 countries. She will also have responsibility for labor relations. “With all the change facing our industry in the next several years, Alicia’s vast and diverse experience and proven track record for delivering results will help ensure our global manufacturing performance and capabilities are aligned to meet the challenges ahead,” said Ms Barra. “Alicia’s strong manufacturing background, combined with her recent roles leading quality and the customer experience, will allow us to grow an even stronger customer-focused link to our people and processes in manufacturing.” Ms Barra also thanked Ms DeLuca for his many years of service with the company. “Jim has played a key role in driving significant improvements across the globe in quality and manufacturing costs,” she said “Jim’s dedication and strong commitment to building relationships throughout his career has set an example for his team and the company.” Mr DeLuca, who received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in manufacturing management from GMI, was appointed vice president of Quality for GM Asia Pacific and GM Daewoo Auto & Technology in November 2007. Prior to leading GM Global Manufacturing, he had been vice president of Manufacturing for GMIO since 2013. Australian Manufacturing

ACCC takes legal action against Heinz over nutritional claims on food for toddlers The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched a legal action against H.J. Heinz Company Australia in relation to its Little Kids Shredz product range. Image credit: www.accc.gov.au The consumer watchdog is arguing that the food processing company made “false and misleading representation” and engaged in “conduct liable to mislead the public” in relation to the nature, characteristics and sustainability of these products, in contravention of the Australian Consumer Law. The Shredz products’ packaging features images of fresh fruit and vegetables and statements like “99% fruit and veg” and “Our range of snacks and meals encourages your toddler to independently discover the delicious taste of nutritious food”. The ACCC is alleging that these images and statements are misleading the public that these products are of equivalent nutritional value to fruit and vegetables and are a healthy and nutritious food for children aged one to three years, which is not the case. “The ACCC has brought these proceedings because it alleges that Heinz is marketing these products as healthy options for young children when they are not. These products contain over 60 per cent sugar, which is significantly higher than that of natural fruit and vegetables – for example, an apple contains approximately 10 per cent sugar,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. “We also allege that rather than encouraging children to develop a taste for nutritious food, these Heinz Shredz products are likely to inhibit the development of a child’s taste for natural fruit and vegetables and encourage a child to become accustomed to, and develop a preference for, sweet tastes.” “The ACCC wants to make clear that major companies have an obligation under the Australian Consumer Law to ensure products’ health claims do not mislead the public. As part of the ACCC’s current focus on consumer protection issues arising from health claims by large businesses, we are particularly concerned about potentially misleading health claims for products being marketed for very young children.” ACCC’s legal against Heinz follow a complaint by the Obesity Policy Coalition about food products for toddlers that make fruit and vegetable claims but are predominantly made from fruit juice concentrate and pastes, which have a very high sugar content. The Shredz product range consists of three varieties including; “peach apple and veg”, “berries apple and veg”, and “strawberry & apple with chia seeds”. Australian Manufacturing

Daihatsu teams up with 3D printing giant Stratasys to offer car design customisation (VIDEO) Japanese carmaker Daihatsu Motor Co has partnered with Stratasys to introduce a range of 3D printed “Effect Skins” for Daihatsu Copen’s front and rear bumpers and fenders that customers will be able to tailor to their own specifications and preferences. Image credit: investors.stratasys.com These Effect Skins – which come in 10 different colours – were designed by industrial design company Znug Design, Inc. and 3D creator Sun Junjie, and 3D printed with Stratasys Fortus 3D printers. The skins will allow customers to adjust the parameters of the designs themselves, delivering on the 3D printing vision of mass customisation of end-use parts. Daihatsu General Manager Osamu Fujishita said the Effect Skins were 3D printed on Fortus® Production 3D Printers from Stratasys using ASA thermoplastic which is very durable, UV resistant and aesthetic. “What would have taken two to three months to develop can now be produced in two weeks,” Mr Fujishita said. “We believe on-demand production [with 3D printing] offers definite benefits to supply chain efficiencies. And it allows easy access for customers.” Mr Kota Nezu from Znug Design said the project demonstrated the superiority of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing methods when it comes to reducing costs, and especially when it comes to creating on-demand product parts with high customisability and rich design properties. “This project would not have been possible with traditional manufacturing or tooling methods,” Mr Nezu pointed out. According to Stratasys, the Effect Skin project is being tested in 2016 in select markets with plans for commercialisation in early 2017. Australian Manufacturing

Downer completes $7.5m Newport rail service delivery centre upgrade Downer EDI has completed the $7.5 million upgrade to its Newport rail service delivery, transforming the historic site into a leading services delivery centre for bogies, wheelsets and engine overhauls. Image credit: www.downergroup.com The upgrade saw Downer install a Portal Wheel Lathe which allows Newport to service train wheelsets for all three rail gauges used by Australian networks. Michael Miller, Chief Executive Officer Rail at Downer said the extensive two year upgrade significantly improved Victoria’s rail infrastructure capabilities and increased the potential for further employment opportunities at the site. “The new equipment and processes at Newport give Downer the ability to service any train running on Australian rail networks, significantly increasing the number of potential maintenance contracts available,” Mr Miller said. “Rail maintenance work has been carried out on this site for over 130 years and this $7.5 million investment into a critical piece of Victoria’s rail infrastructure increases availability, improves reliability and reduces costs for our customers in Victoria and across Australia.” Downer said it is planning to invest an additional $2.4 million in the Newport facility later this year to further increase the facility’s capacity and capability. The completion of the upgrade was marked with an event attended by the State Labor Member for Footscray, Marsha Thomson MP. Australian Manufacturing

Bega Cheese announces 2016/17 farm gate milk price Australian dairy company Bega Cheese has released its opening farm gate milk prices for the 2016/17 financial year. Image credit: Bega Cheese Facebook page The company has cut the farm gate milk price for the upcoming season from $5.60 to $5.00 per Kg of milk solids, which represents a cut of approximately 11%. Executive Chairman Barry Irvin said dairy prices have been impacted by Russian sanctions of dairy imports, a slowing demand in China and highly competitive markets across the world. “Farm gate milk prices are ultimately driven by returns we receive from markets both within Australia and globally. Many of the factors affecting these markets such as global supply, demand, currency relativities and competitor behaviour are beyond the control of individual companies,” Mr Irvin explained. “Bega Cheese’s long term strategy of building value added business platforms does assist in enhancing the base value of dairy products and therefore farm gate milk price but cannot insulate farm gate milk prices from the reality of the market. These are difficult times in terms of farm gate milk prices, we believe our opening 2016/17 prices appropriately reflect the market and are responsible.” According to Mr Irvin, analysts are not expecting an improvement in dairy community returns until at least the first half of calendar year 2017. Australian Manufacturing

Austal wins two new export orders Global defence prime contractor Austal has won two new contracts for three commercial passenger ferries with a combined value of approximately A$30 million. Image credit: www.austal.com The first contract award, valued at approximately A$15 million, is from or Seaspovill Co. Ltd for the construction of a 50 metre high speed passenger catamaran. Austal said it will construct the catamaran to an Incat Crowther design that has capacity to carry up to 450 passengers, at speeds of up to 40 knots. According to the company, the new 50 metre high speed catamaran will be constructed by Austal Philippines in Balamban, Cebu with delivery anticipated in June 2017. The second contract award, which includes includes the provision of spares and is valued at A$13 million, is from Supercat Fast Ferry Corporation (SFFC) of the Philippines, for two 30 metre passenger catamaran ferries. Austal said that the two catamarans will be able to transport about 300 passengers each at up to 25 knots, and will join SFFC’s popular “Supercat” fast ferry fleet operating between 10 ports throughout the Philippines Archipelago. The two Incat-Crowther designed vessels will also be constructed by Austal Philippines, with delivery scheduled for June 2017. Austal CEO David Singleton said the two contracts were significant in many ways, with the two SFFC vessels representing Austal Philippines’ first new build program for the Philippines domestic market and the Seaspovill contract Austal’s first new build for South Korea. “Once again Australian ship design and reputation for performance and quality wins out in the highly competitive international ship building market,” Mr Singleton added. “Austal has a world class reputation for high speed ferries and naval vessels which continues to be recognised and brings quality work to the business. We are seeing a resurgence in the passenger ferry market worldwide which Austal is well placed to win.” Australian Manufacturing

Toyota Australia posts $236m profit on the back of strong vehicle sales across all segments Toyota Australia has posted an after tax profit of $236 million for the financial year ended 31 March 2016, which represents a 22% increase compared to the previous financial year. Image credit: www.toyota.com Toyota said the result was underpinned by strong vehicle sales across all major segments, with 209,252 Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold locally and 64,605 vehicles exported during the 2015/16 financial year. “It has been extremely pleasing to see our employees continue their dedication and commitment to achieve our company goals. Their ongoing engagement has helped us to achieve these positive results,” Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner said. “Our manufacturing team members are working tirelessly to ensure that our last Camry will be our best one yet. The quality of these vehicles has been at an all-time high and this has assisted us in maintaining strong domestic and export sales for the Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion. Last year we also revamped almost 70 per cent of our vehicle line-up, including the widely anticipated release of the all-new HiLux. The fact that our vehicle line-up continues to appeal strongly to Australian motorists is extremely satisfying.” The company also informed that it has incurred restructuring costs of $81 million in this financial year due to the 2014 announcements that it would stop manufacturing in Australia and consolidate its corporate operations by the end of next year. Australian Manufacturing

The largest workplace health and safety exhibition in the region to be held in Sydney Safety in Action, the largest workplace health and safety event in Australia will be held at the Sydney Showground Olympic Park from 6 – 8 September 2016. Image provided The event is expected to gather more than 5,000 decision makers in Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) across manufacturing, government, construction, healthcare, transport, distribution, cleaning and engineering and will feature over 20 free seminars on insights and priorities for employee safety. “It’s estimated that over 2,000 workers die from a work-related illness each year, highlighting the urgent need for national improvements to prevent and reduce the number and severity of injuries and illnesses in the future,” said Keith Barks, General Manager at Informa Australia, who are jointly presenting the event with the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA). The event will run parallel with the SIA’s National Convention, a 2 day conference featuring global and Australian safety leaders who will address the theme of “Disruptive Safety”. The convention program will include the SIA Annual General Meeting, OHS education awards, OHS leaders and CEO’s breakfast, and a women in leadership forum. The free Safety in Action seminar series will be focusing on mental health and physical wellbeing and will hear from leading industry professionals discussing this year’s theme “Keep your workplace safe”. Presentations include Beyondblue, SafeWork NSW, Myosh, Mayo Hardware, Aframes Safety, with full details to be released shortly. “There will also be a broad range of exhibitors showcasing the latest safety developments, and these include: major sponsor Myosh, show bag sponsor ATOM, Mix Telematics, Chemical Safety International, Royal Life Saving, Safety Institute of Australia, and SAI Global. A full list of exhibitors can be found here,” read the press release to Australian Manufacturing. “Exclusive to Safety in Action Sydney will be Australia’s largest cleaning and hygiene show CleanScene. Presented by the National Cleaning Suppliers Association (NCSA), the co-located event will feature a number of exhibitors catering for cleaners, commercial, industrial and facility managers, government agencies and purchasing officers.” Attendance at Safety in Action Sydney and CleanScene is free and those interested in attending the events can register their interest online here: Safety in Action and CleanScene. Australian Manufacturing

AAMC asks parties to state their policies on important industry issues The Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC) has called on all parties to state their policies on driving success in Australian advanced manufacturing and to respond to where they stand on a range of important industry issues highlighted by the Council. Image credit: aamc.org.au The Council has also offered its own views and positions on these issues that are currently impacting advanced manufacturing in the country. “It is important that we understand where all the major parties stand on these issues – all of which will impact the success or otherwise of advanced manufacturing in Australia,” he said. “Australia’s economic future depends on stability, clarity and responsible stewardship of our high value industries and the creation of meaningful employment for the future. Our advanced manufacturers are among leaders in the world in their fields. Our policymakers must understand the imperatives of global business in order to maintain and grow these businesses here for future generations of Australians.” The AAMC asks all parties where they stand on the following issues: Where do you stand on continued support for the Industry Growth Centres? “We believe bipartisan commitment to core early stage innovation programs is fundamental to the success of advanced manufacturing in Australia. Continuity must be maintained for the Growth Centres to be successful. Industry must have a degree of certainty in order to collaborate for future growth,” the Council said in a media statement. Where do you stand on concentrating effort behind the competitiveness agenda outlined through the growth centres? “Australian Governments have attempted in recent years to invest in the development of programs to bridge the so-called “Valley of Death” between research and commercialisation, and to increase the global competitiveness of our industries,” reads the statement. “We believe the competitiveness agenda is important. The structure is established. In other words, we have invested in the “machines” for growth; we just need to give them petrol. A possible review and evaluation of direction may be required to ensure the program is on the right track and to ensure it will deliver real outcomes for industry. But we cannot keep ripping up the plants to see if they are growing.” Where do you stand on the incentives around Intellectual Property (IP) development for manufacturing in Australia? AAMC said it is on the opinion that Australia must introduce an advanced manufacturing innovation incentive scheme to attract and maintain high value manufacturing in Australia. “Applicants would be required to submit plans for substantive commitments in manufacturing or for expanding knowledge-rich activities or capabilities in Australia,” reads the statement. “At the same time, Australia’s Research and Development (R & D) tax incentive must be maintained at current levels and protected against further cuts.” Where do you stand on follow through on defence contracts to ensure access for Australian industry to major global supply chains? “The Australian defence industry is world class and globally competitive, and must gain full access to major global value chains,” the Council stated. “The recent First Principles Review process has set a new direction for Defence, while the Defence Industry Policy Statement has laid the foundation for a renewed defence-industry relationship, and real outcomes for Australian industry growth. These major reforms must be fully realised.” Where do you stand on building small and medium sized enterprises so they are competing on equal terms with their counterparts in competitor nations? “The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) definition of small business is: an individual, partnership, trust or company with aggregated turnover less than $2 million. The Council has called for the threshold to be increased to $20 million to support scale and allow companies to operate on a more level playing field with their overseas competitors,” the AAMC said. “Revising the definition to better reflect the reality of viability for a small business will help promote a stronger economy. It will ensure these entities gain full and reasonable benefit from ATO allowances for small business, and support their growth and continued viability into the future.” Australian Manufacturing

Local Motors unveils “Olli”, the world’s the first self-driving vehicle with cognitive computing capabilities Local Motors, the creator of the world’s first 3D-printed car, has introduced the first self-driving vehicle to integrate the advanced cognitive computing capabilities of IBM. Image credit: cocreate.localmotors.com The electric vehicle, dubbed “Olli”, is equipped with some of the world’s most advanced vehicle technology, including IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) for Automotive, to improve the passenger experience and allow natural interaction with the vehicle. Local Motors CEO and co-founder John B. Rogers said Olli will first be used on public roads locally in DC, and late in 2016 in Miami-Dade County and Las Vegas. “Olli offers a smart, safe and sustainable transportation solution that is long overdue. Olli with Watson acts as our entry into the world of self-driving vehicles, something we’ve been quietly working on with our co-creative community for the past year,” Mr Rogers said. “We are now ready to accelerate the adoption of this technology and apply it to nearly every vehicle in our current portfolio and those in the very near future. I’m thrilled to see what our open community will do with the latest in advanced vehicle technology.” IBM’s Watson technology empowers Olli to understand and respond to passengers’ questions as they enter the vehicle. According to the company’s blog post, passengers will be able to interact conversationally with Olli while travelling from point A to point by asking questions about destinations, specific vehicle functions, or even recommendations on local destinations such as popular restaurants or historical sites based on analysis of personal preferences. “Cognitive computing provides incredible opportunities to create unparalleled, customized experiences for customers, taking advantage of the massive amounts of streaming data from all devices connected to the Internet of Things, including an automobile’s myriad sensors and systems,” said Harriet Green, General Manager, IBM Watson Internet of Things, Commerce & Education. “IBM is excited to work with Local Motors to infuse IBM Watson IoT cognitive computing capabilities into Olli, exploring the art of what’s possible in a world of self-driving vehicles and providing a unique, personalised experience for every passenger while helping to revolutionise the future of transportation for years to come.” The vehicle was unveiled last week during the Grand Opening of a new Local Motors facility in National Harbor, Maryland, which will serve as a public place where visitors can watch the printing happen in real time. “National Harbor has a history of attracting unique and experiential shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, so we are an ideal launch pad for Local Motors,” said Jon Peterson, Principal of Peterson Companies, the developer of National Harbor. “We are excited to welcome Local Motors and play a part in the revolution of the transportation industry.” Australian Manufacturing

CSIRO unveils solar-powered air-condition for commercial buildings CSIRO has developed an innovative solar-powered air-conditioning system that addresses the high energy consumption of large commercial spaces such as shopping centres and hotels. Image credit: www.csiro.au The new system, which operates at Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre in Ballarat, Victoria, uses concentrating solar thermal technology to produce heat energy that is then used to power the air conditioning system of the shopping centre. Jointly managed by CSIRO with Stockland Group and NEP Solar, the $1.2 million, three-year pilot project is also supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) with $520,000 in funding. CSIRO Energy Director Peter Mayfield said the technology showed promising early results. “CSIRO’s energy research is driving down costs of renewable technologies, accelerating the transition to a lower-emissions future,” Dr Mayfield said. “We are pioneering new technologies and this project is a world-first demonstration of a desiccant air-conditioning system using roof mounted concentrating solar thermal collectors.” ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said ARENA was very pleased to have partnered with CSIRO on this technology. “It has the potential to further improve the efficiency of solar thermal energy systems and storage to provide clean and reliable heating and cooling in commercial buildings,” Mr Frischknecht said. “ARENA is committed to supporting innovative projects like this and helping to share lessons learned amongst the wider RD&D sector, powering Australian renewable energy innovation well into the future.” CSIRO said that the air conditioning system is powered by NEP Solar’s trough collectors with heat stored in a thermal oil tank. “The roof space required for the solar air-conditioning technology can be 40 per cent less than a traditional single-stage desiccant system,” it said in a press release. “Solar heat-driven desiccant air conditioning systems can provide humidity controlled fresh air into the buildings and is expected to significantly reduce HVAC electricity usage for commercial buildings.” CSIRO said it will continue to monitor the operation pilot system over the next 12 months to establish the long-term commercial viability of the design. Australian Manufacturing

Ararat Wind Farm receives its first blade delivery Victoria’s Ararat Wind Farm has received its first shipment of GE turbine blades which will see Australia’s third largest wind farm switch to its full employment capacity of 165 workers over the two-year development period. Image credit: GE Newsroom The Ararat Wind farm, which is powered by RES, Downer and GE, will be located on rural land located approximately 180km northwest of Melbourne and between 9km – 17km northeast of Ararat in Victoria. Matt Rebbeck, COO of RES Australia, said the delivery marks an important milestone in the development of the project which will inject almost $8 million into the local economy. “Today is a proud moment for RES Australia and the Ararat community and shows the result of our deep involvement and long term engagement over the last ten years,” Mr Rebbeck said. “We are particularly pleased to have The Victorian Premier, the Hon. Daniel Andrews officiate today’s events demonstrating ongoing support for the Ararat Wind Farm project and renewable energy developments in the state of Victoria.” Geoff Culbert, CEO of GE Australia, New Zealand & PNG said the project has hit the half-way milestone in construction. “The Ararat Wind Farm is proof that Australia’s renewables industry creates investment and jobs, and drives economic benefit for local communities,” Mr Culbert added. “We’re excited to also welcome the 165 workers from the local community who are so integral to the project’s success.” Trevor Cohen, Executive Director, Downer Utilities, said that once complete, the Ararat Wind Farm will be a world class project that plays a key part in Australia’s renewable energy future. “The arrival of the blades marks the next phase of construction that will see work start on the installation of 75 wind turbines that will generate electricity to power around 120,000 homes per annum, or about six percent of Victorian households,” Mr Cohen said. “This is a great opportunity to continue our community engagement activities and provide an occasion that enables members of the public to observe first hand, the size and scale of equipment being installed at the wind farm.” Mr Stuart Liddell, Ararat Wind Farm’s General Manager, said the integration with local community has been key to their success to date. “This is a great opportunity to continue our community engagement activities and provide an occasion that enables members of the public to observe first hand, the size and scale of equipment being installed at the wind farm.” Australian Manufacturing

AMWU endorses Labor’s national rail plan AMWU members have backed Labor’s national rail initiative that will coordinate train purchases between the states to boost Australian manufacturing. Image credit: www.amwu.org.au The National Passenger Rail Procurement initiative, which a Shorten Labor Government would start implementing the plan in its first year in office, aims to end the fragmented “boom and bust” cycle of each state purchasing its own rolling stock – often from overseas – while ignoring the national picture. Speaking at the launch of the initiative last week, Labor’s Industry spokesman Senator Kim Carr told AMWU members that the Federal Government should take leading role in encouraging the states to purchase passenger and freight rolling stock from local firms, using Australian-made parts and steel. “I’m very confident we can secure the support of the states,” the Minister said, adding that Labor will also examine the need for a national federal-state transport authority to help co-ordinate local procurement on $46 billion of rail infrastructure already announced. The launch was attended by 20 AMWU members from SSR, plus delegates from Alstom and UGL in Ballarat and Downer from Newport (Melbourne). Darren Thompson, our AMWU delegate at SSR, said the shop had proven its potential by designing and building two new locos in the past few years. “Local content has to be the way to go if we’re to grow more jobs,” he said. “The Andrews Government has kicked it off here in Victoria, but the Federal Government could lead and provide this across the country.” SSR co-owner Vin Nally said the sector requires serious Government investment to be able to compete with foreign companies. “We’ve proven we can build a world-class lco here, build it cheaper than importing it from the US. We have the skills in Australia, we need governments to invest,” he said. AMWU Assistant National Secretary Glenn Thompson urged the Coalition to match the policy as local procurement should be bi-partisan. “The existing inefficiency of having state and territory governments independently ordering and building trains is costing Australian jobs,” he said. “Labor’s plan to harmonise the procurement of public transport rolling stock is an excellent example of how to innovate and assist industry to grow the number of jobs in the sector.” Australian Manufacturing

Fonterra to double lactose recovery from waste stream with $8m upgrade Fonterra will spend 8$ million on a technology upgrade that will double the amount of lactose recovered at its Edgecumbe plant in the Bay of Plenty, NZ. Image credit: www.fonterra.com The dairy giant said the upgrade will allow it to capture lactose that was previously unable to be extracted from the site’s waste stream by creatively applying existing filtration technology. Fonterra Director New Zealand Manufacturing, Mark Leslie said the upgrade will reduce the company’s reliance on imported lactose from overseas suppliers and will play a vital role in the Co-operative’s ability to provide high quality milk powder to the world. “Lactose is used mainly in standardising milk powder, and the additional volumes of lactose we’re now able to capture will be essential in supplying the new dryer opening soon in Lichfield – one of our most strategically important builds,” Mr Leslie said. “We are continually looking for ways to get the most out of our milk and this is another good example. We have found a creative way to use existing technology that will bring great results, save us cash and deliver real value for our farmers.” According to him, the upgrade will not only generate savings for the Co-operative, but it will also reduce the site’s environmental footprint by removing even more solids from the waste water. “Important to Fonterra is our commitment to creating a more sustainable dairy industry. As with any project we undertake, reducing our emissions and our environmental impacts is one of the first considerations,” Mr Leslie said. “This project, and several others planned for the Edgecumbe site in the coming months demonstrate that ongoing commitment.” Australian Manufacturing

Join the contest and win Adidas Parley for the Oceans 3D printed snickers Last year, nongovernmental organisation Parley for the Oceans has teamed up with German sportswear giant Adidas to 3D print the world’s first sneaker made out of ocean waste. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1YsbHht The pair showcased their concept shoe – which consists of an upper made with ocean plastic content, and a midsole which is 3D printed using recycled polyester and gill net content – at the “Parley Talks” at COP21 in Paris, demonstrating how the industry can re-think design and contribute to stop ocean plastic pollution. Now, as part of its A.I.R (Avoid. Intercept. Redesign) strategy, the organisation is calling on all who share their values and mission to protect the oceans and end ocean plastic pollution to support the Ocean Plastic Program by creating a video that calls to action. The creators of the 50 most inspiring videos will be named Parley Ambassadors and will also earn a pair of these limited edition shoes that cannot be bought on the market. “Creators of the most inspiring 50 videos will earn a pair of shoes. More important, they become core members of the Parley movement,” it says on the Parley for the Ocean website. Contenders will be required to upload their video to Instagram, and tag Adidas and Parley in the caption with #ParleyAIR.The contest ends on 31 June 2016. For detailed information, please go to: http://ift.tt/1YsbHht. Australian Manufacturing

Woodside injects $10M into Monash innovation centre Australian oil and gas company Woodside and Monash University have announced the launch of a new Innovation Centre that incorporates cutting-edge technology with exceptional expertise in both engineering research and design, and IT. Image credit: Woodside Facebook page Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the Innovation Centre, Minster for resources Energy and Northern Australia, Mr Josh Frydenberg said the Centre will drive significant advances in the energy sector, bringing positive economic benefits to Australia. Woodside will contribute AUD $10 million over five years toward the Centre, which will establish a globally connected innovation hub that rapidly accelerates advances in materials engineering, additive manufacturing and data science. The Centre will be equipped with a selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printer – the most precise and dimensionally correct 3D printer available – capable of manufacturing components used in oil and gas plants. Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AO thanked Woodside for the $10 million contribution, which represents the largest corporate philanthropic gift in the University’s history. “This partnership will build on the University’s record of innovation in engineering and IT to provide practical solutions for Australian industry,” Professor Gardner said. “The Woodside Innovation Centre demonstrates Monash University’s commitment to connecting our world-leading research with industry. We are grateful to Woodside for such a generous contribution to establish the Centre that will have a national and global impact,” Mr Shaun Gregory, Woodside’s Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer said Woodside engineers and Monash researchers will jointly develop and test prototypes in the laboratory, aiming to lead to new applications for the energy and other industries. “Launching an innovation centre at Monash adds to our existing network of FutureLabs at Curtin University and the University of Western Australia in Perth. Launched last year, our FutureLabs are building an ecosystem of scientific and technological innovation through collaborations with research institutions, start-ups, entrepreneurs and adjacent leading industries,” Mr Gregory said. “Our vision for our Monash centre is for us to rapidly advance commercial opportunities through materials engineering, additive manufacturing and data science. We are really excited about collaborating with researchers and experts from Monash to identify opportunities to solve real-life challenges we face at Woodside.” Professor Frieder Seible, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President (Enterprise) and Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Information Technology said the Innovation Centre highlighted the capability of Monash researchers to collaborate with industry specialists like Woodside. “Today’s important innovation drivers are New Materials, New Manufacturing Methods, and Data Analytics, exactly the three pillars of the Woodside Innovation Centre. Monash engineering and information technology research and expertise is leading in all three areas, in particular in the additive manufacturing of duplex and super duplex stainless steels. With 3D printed components rapidly coming online, Monash is at the forefront of the next generation of manufacturing capability in Australia,” Professor Seible said. “In addition, Monash has Australia’s most advanced 3-D visualisation environment for fully immersive analytics of big data sets. Through this partnership, we will train the next generation of exceptional engineers and IT professionals to deal with tomorrow’s challenges and advances.” Australian Manufacturing

Former ASC Executive appointed Chair of SA’s Automotive Transformation Taskforce Mr Steve Ludlam, the former Chief Executive of naval shipbuilder ASC and a current member of the Defence SA Advisory Board, has been appointed as the new Chair of SA’s Automotive Transformation Taskforce. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1UytphY He has also been appointed as the Chair of the Northern Economic and Social Implementation Board, a key advisory body under the Northern Economic Plan. Commenting on the appointment, Automotive Transformation Minister Kyam Maher said the Taskforce will continue to play a critical role in assisting automotive and component manufacturers to diversify into new industries and markets, and to take advantage of the opportunities presented by SA’s continuous build of naval ships. “Steve Ludlam is a global submarine expert who was Chief Executive of naval shipbuilding company ASC Pty Ltd from 2010 to 2014. Before moving to Adelaide, Mr Ludlam was President of Submarines at Rolls-Royce in the United Kingdom, where he led the successful modernisation of the country’s submarine program,” the Minister said. “During his time at ASC he restructured the company’s operations, and is widely credited for restoring efficiencies in the Collins-class submarine maintenance program. Mr Ludlam is the ideal person to lead the Automotive Transformation Taskforce as the Holden closure draws nearer, and to help supply chain companies to diversify and take advantage of the huge opportunities set to be delivered by Adelaide’s naval shipbuilding future.” The Automotive Transformation Taskforce was established 2014 in response to the Holden closure. It has established critical support initiatives – such as the Automotive Workers in Transition Program and the Automotive Supplier Diversification Program – to help supply chain companies and workers to retrain and diversify. The Northern Economic Plan – which focuses on driving economic and social transformation in northern Adelaide – was developed by the State Government in partnership with the Playford, Salisbury, and Port Adelaide Enfield councils, industries, businesses, and the community. Australian Manufacturing

BFC wins $2.5m grant to expand its range of high end cheeses The South Australian Government has awarded Beston Global Food Company (BFC) a $2.5 million regional development grant to develop a new cutting-edge cheese processing facility as part of the Beston Pure Foods operations at Murray Bridge, SA. Image credit: http://ift.tt/25HcWNc The planned expansion, which will cost a total of $25 million, will increase the company’s cheddar making capacity and expand the range of cheeses to include Mozzarella, Gruyere and Parmesan, as well as a range of soft cream and white mould cheeses. BFC Chairman Roger Sexton said the expansion was part of the company’s strategy to become a producer of a diverse range of high end, premium dairy products for both local and export markets and to boost the dairy industry in SA. “The objective of the new facility is to produce cheeses which are import replacing, thereby creating a demand for additional milk from dairy farmers in South Australia,” Dr Sexton said. “Working in conjunction with well-established local and national cheese distributors we also intend to build an incubation centre as part of the project whereby newly qualified cheesemakers can experiment with new cheese varieties in a way that meets both our own production requirements as well as the commercial requirements of distributors.” BFC CEO Sean Ebert said the SA grant award “recognised the important role” which the company was playing to boost high value food production. “The project to expand production of Beston Pure Foods at Murray Bridge has been developed in response to customer demand and, importantly, satisfies all of our company’s financial benchmarks and investment criteria.” The government grant is conditional on BFC obtaining local council and other regulatory approvals for the development. Australian Manufacturing

Imagine IM opens Australia’s first commercial graphene plant Imagine Intelligent Materials (Imagine IM) yesterday officially opened Australia’s first commercial graphene plant in Geelong. Image credit: Imagine.com Built by Geelong-based engineering company Australian Engineering Solutions (Austeng), the plant will have the capacity to produce approximately 10 tonnes of graphene per year. “Graphene is a material that is critical to the future of advanced manufacturing globally. Imagine IM’s focus is on developing applications that utilise the amazing properties of graphene to enable the manufacture of transformative smart textiles, fibres and membranes,” said Chris Gilbey, CEO of Imagine IM, in a press release on the PR Newswire. “The challenge is to enable integration into manufacturing and to deliver product at scale. Our initial pilot plant will serve the needs of Geofabrics over the next two years and will provide sufficient graphene for other products that are currently in R&D. The commissioning of this plant positions Imagine IM as one of the few graphene companies anywhere in the world with a path to market. Geelong can now consider itself the Graphene capital of Australia.” Graphene – whose discoverers won the Nobel Prize for physics in 2010 – is a one atom thick layer of carbon extracted from graphite. It is 100 times stronger than steel, is impervious to water and gases, can stretch like rubber and has extremely high electrical and thermal conductivity. This “super material” is widely seen as a new platform material for advanced manufacturing, with applications including; electronics, fashion and sports wearable technology, mining, water conservation and purification, automotive structures and energy storage. Imagine has developed a graphene coating technology that enables the production of a unique conductive geotextile that will be manufactured and launched by Geofabrics Australasia later this year. Geofabrics will use the technology to offer Australian civil engineering companies significantly improved capacity to locate and remedy leaks with applications in landfill and mining construction. “This project has involved all roads leading to Geelong. Austeng came highly recommended as tech enablers and unrelatedly, we have undertaken R&D work at both CSIRO in Geelong and Deakin University. Geelong is one of the most innovative Australian cities in which to work,” said Phil Aitchison, COO and Head of R&D at Imagine IM. Australian Manufacturing

Victorian industrial textile fabricator wins grant to expand manufacturing capacity Victorian industrial textile manufacturer C.E. Bartlett has been awarded an $80,000 grant to purchase and install a new state-of-the-art FIAB High Frequency Welder. Image credit: bartlett.net.au The funding, which is part of the Labor Government’s Future Industries Manufacturing Program, will further automate the company’s manufacturing process, allowing it to increase production capacity and improve its product range. Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan, who announced the grant while touring C.E. Bartlett’s facilities on Wednesday, said the funding boost will make the company more competitive locally and abroad. “The Andrews Labor Government is helping manufacturers invest in new technologies and processes that will transition Victoria towards an advanced manufacturing economy,” the Minister said. “Our Future Industries Manufacturing Program is giving local businesses the support they need to create new jobs and grow the economy.” The Labor Government’s Future Industries Manufacturing Program is one of three industry programs under the Future Industries Fund designed tp support high growth industries and create jobs. Companies can apply for grants of up to $500,000 under the Manufacturing Program to invest in new manufacturing technologies and processes that will create jobs and increase productivity. C.E. Bartlett Pty Ltd is a family owned and operated Industrial Textile Fabricator which was established in 1956. The company specialises in the manufacture of a wide range of products using canvas, PVC and other synthetic fabrics. Australian Manufacturing

Victoria sets ambitious renewable energy targets to create thousands of jobs Victoria is aiming to generate 25% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020, and up to 40% by 2025, in an effort to create new jobs and reduce its carbon footprint. Image credit: arena.gov.au Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the targets while attending a community event to mark the arrival of the first turbine blades at the Ararat Wind Farm on Wednesday. “Growing renewable energy means growing jobs, and we want a big boost to both right here in Victoria,” the Premier said. “The world is shifting to renewable energy – it creates jobs, drives growth, and protects our environment – and Victorians want to be at the forefront of that.” Mr Andrews also announced an auctions scheme – running a series of technology-neutral auctions, as well as solar auctions – which will see project developers compete to be the lowest cost provider. He said successful bids will be handed long-term contracts to support their projects, providing certainty for investors. “The targets and auction scheme form a key part of Victoria’s Renewable Energy Action Plan to be released later this year – reviving a sector which has stalled since the Federal Government cut the national Renewable Energy Target in 2015,” the Premier explained. Ms D’Ambrosio said the State government will work with the renewable energy industry, electricity networks and retailers, and consumer groups to refine the details of the scheme. According to her, the first auction of contracts will begin next year, with separate auctions to be held for large scale solar projects. “We’ve developed Victorian renewable energy targets that generate thousands of new jobs, particularly in regional Victoria, while also cutting Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions,” the Minister added. “By making our scheme complementary to the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Target we are saving the RET. Investors have lost faith in the national target, but we are restoring the confidence needed to invest.” Australian Manufacturing

Simple “salt bath” method to accelerate development of next-gen batteries for electric cars A team of scientists from CSIRO, RMIT University and QUT has recently demonstrated that a simple salt bath could pave the way for the next generation of rechargeable lithium batteries that will disrupt the electric vehicle industry. Scientist(s) working at a fume cupboardImage credit: www.csiro.au The research, which was published yesterday in Nature Communications, found that pre-treating a battery’s lithium metal electrodes with an electrolyte salt solution extends the battery life and increases performance and safety. CSIRO battery researcher Dr Adam Best said the simple method will fast-track the development of next-gen energy storage solutions and overcome the issue of “battery range anxiety” that is currently a barrier in the electric car industry. According to him, the technology has the potential to improve electric vehicle drive range and battery charge to such extent that electric vehicles will soon be “competitive with traditional petrol vehicles” “Our research has shown by pre-treating lithium metal electrodes, we can create batteries with charge efficiency that greatly exceeds standard lithium batteries,” Dr Best said. According to Dr Best, the pre-treatment process involves the immersion of lithium metal electrodes in an electrolyte bath containing a mixture of ionic liquids and lithium salts, prior to a battery being assembled. “Ionic liquids or room temperature molten salts, are a unique class of material that are clear, colourless, odourless solutions and are non-flammable,” Mr Best explained. “When used in batteries these materials can prevent the risk of fire and explosion, a known rechargeable battery issue.” He said the salt bath pre-treatment adds a protective film onto the surface of the electrode that helps stabilise the battery when in operation. “The pre-treatment reduces the breakdown of electrolytes during operation, which is what determines the battery’s increased performance and lifetime,” Dr Best said, adding that batteries that have undergone the process can also spend up to one year on the shelf without loss of performance. QUT researcher Associate Professor Anthony O’Mullane said the method can be easily adopted by manufacturers. “The pre-treatment process is readily transferrable to existing manufacturing processes,” Mr O’Mullane said. According to the CSIRO, the research team, which is currently developing batteries based on this technology, is looking for partners to help bring these materials and devices to market. Australian Manufacturing

New Small Business Office to deliver Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy The Palaszczuk Government will establish an Office of Small Business to deliver its Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy that was announced in the state budget on Tuesday. Image credit: http://ift.tt/yftkXj By fantasista Small Business Minister Leeanne Enoch said the office will deliver the $27 million initiative in the sector over three years, helping small businesses to create jobs, drive business growth and innovation and build digital capacity. “The Office of Small Business will develop and deliver programs to foster our future entrepreneurs especially women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by expanding the Queensland Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program,” Ms Enoch said. “It will put in place actions to advocate for small business at State and Federal Government discussions, bringing us in line with other states.” The Minister also announced the creation of a new Small Business Knowledge Hub to research key issues impacting Queensland small business and draw on this to inform and influence policy decision making across Queensland Government. “The Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy will be our plan to make Queensland the place for small business to start, grow and employ. It will do this by leveraging the Advance Queensland agenda to create jobs, drive productivity and harness innovation” the Minister added. “It will also provide targeted support for small business to get a better start including $10,000 digital capacity grants; $5,000 grants through the Queensland Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow Program. These initiatives will help small business increase their digital capabilities; ensure a more coordinated approach to service delivery across the government; strengthen support for regional small business; and provide a stronger advocacy voice for small business.” Ms Enoch underlined that the Strategy had a strong regional focus with initiatives that will build better partnerships with government and regional stakeholders. “Small businesses are in every community and are the backbone of our regions. In Queensland, 97 per cent of all businesses are small and they employ almost half of the state’s private sector workforce,” Minister Enoch said. “The Strategy gives us a plan that will enable Queensland Government to work effectively with small business to help them make their ideas a reality, to grow their businesses and employ.” The Strategy also provides funding for the 2017 Queensland Small Business Week and supports the continuation of the Queensland Small Business Advisory Council and Red Tape Reduction Advisory Council that provide direct input to government on issues facing small business. Australian Manufacturing

Austal pledges to continue innovation development and investment in WA Austal Limited has attended the first forum hosted by the Government of Western Australia’s new Innovation Minister, Mr Bill Marmion, in preparation for the upcoming State’s first Innovation Summit, which will be held in Perth on 28 July 2016. Image credit: Austal Austal Vice President of Strategy and Commercial Development Andrew Malcolm, who attended the forum, said the company is looking forward to playing a proactive, leadership role in the Innovation Summit to help drive innovation development and investment in Western Australia. “Austal’s successes, both here in Australia and overseas, are underpinned by our continued focus on innovation in vessel design, construction and support,” Mr Malcolm said. “We believe the current opportunities for Austal and the broader WA defence industry in the delivery of the Commonwealth’s continuous naval shipbuilding program – including new Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Australian Navy – will lead to collaboration and even greater innovation by WA companies across the supply chain.” Austal’s Western Australia-based team of naval architects, designers and production engineers have been involved in the design and construction of some of the world’s most innovative commercial and defence vessels, including the 127 metre Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and 103 metre Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) for the United States Navy, and the locally built 58 metre Cape Class Patrol Boat for the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy. Australian Manufacturing

Montague introduces new folding bike for city dwellers US-based Montague Bikes, the world’s leading maker of full-size folding bikes, has launched a new multi-purpose commuter bike designed to deliver a comfortable riding experience and compact size for city living. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1gKgF4C Equipped with a 21-speed Shimano drivetrain and trigger shifters, the new foldable Urban brand features full-size wheels and wide, 35mm tires that can handle both pavement and light trails. When folded, the bike compacts to just 36 inches wide, 28 inches high and 12 inches deep, which, coupled with its ultra light weight (29 lbs), makes for a bike can be taken on public transit and fit easily under most desks. As all Montague bikes, the Urban includes the patented DirectConnect™ folding system that provides increased frame stiffness and can be folded and unfolded in less than 20 seconds. Ryan Walas, Director of Marketing for Montague Bikes, said the bike is also equipped with Montague’s patented Eurobike award winning RackStand which serves as a standard cargo rack and mud guard when the bike is in use, converts into a kickstand when parked, and allows the bike to stand upright when folded. “A bicycle is increasingly the most efficient and enjoyable way to get around the city, and the Urban makes cycling easier and more accessible than ever before.” Mr Walas said. “This bike is a true urban assault vehicle that is tough enough for the city streets and can fold in seconds for the car trunk, train, or closet. It delivers a rich riding experience with the added security of being able to store inside when not in use.” The Urban, which retails for $749.95, is part of Montague’s 11 all-new bike models for 2016 that feature the same folding frame design. The 2016 line-up includes six road and five mountain bikes ranging in price from $639.95 to $2,449.00. Australian Manufacturing

WA Government to co-fund Australian Mines’ upcoming drill program at Dixon Australian Mines Limited announced that the WA Government has agreed to co-fund a proposed diamond core drilling program at its emerging Dixon prospect which is located approximately 50km of Northern Star’s Plutonic Gold Mine. Image credit: Australian Mines’ ASX release Australian Mines said that the funding, awarded under the Government’s competitive Exploration Incentive Scheme, covers 50% of the direct drilling costs associated with the proposed 1,200 metre diamond drill program at Dixon. According to the company, the location of the proposed diamond holes is based on the recently undertaken detailed geological and geophysical modelling, with the final design of the drill program to be influenced by the company’s reverse circulation (RC) drilling program, which was completed earlier this week. Managing Director Benjamin Bell said that the company had already sent samples from this recent RC drilling to the lab, with initial assay results expected within the next two weeks. “We are very pleased that the State Government has agreed to support our exploration program at Dixon through directly injecting funds into our next phase of drilling,” Mr Bell said. Australian Manufacturing

ABB connects 648 MW solar project to India’s national grid Swiss automation giant ABB has commissioned five substations to link a 648-megawatt (MW) solar project at Kamuthi in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to the national transmission grid. Image credit: www.abb.com The solar photovoltaic project, which was awarded by independent power producer (IPP) Adani Group in 2015, consists of five plants in a single location and is the largest of its kind in the world. According to ABB, 360 MW from the solar project is currently grid-connected and at full capacity it will account for nearly 10% of India’s solar power, which amounts to approximately seven gigawatts (GW). Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids division, said the project will not only diversify India’s energy mix to meet growing demand, but will also help the country achieve its target of 100 GW of solar power by 2022. “We are proud to support the country’s clean energy vision and push for solar power which demonstrates its commitment to sustainable growth,” Mr Facchin said. “This project exemplifies our end-to-end power and automation system integration capabilities and reinforces our commitment to the renewable energy sector, a key component of ABB’s Next Level strategy.” ABB’s involvement in the project, which was completed on schedule, included the design, supply, installation and commissioning related to the solar plant electrification and automation systems. Australian Manufacturing

MG appoints interim Chief Financial Officer Murray Goulburn (MG) has announced the appointment of Alan Tilley to the position of interim Chief Financial Officer, effective Tuesday, 14 June 2016. Image credit: www.mgc.com.au Mr Tilley, who holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales, comes to MG from NRMA Motoring and Services Group where he served as the Group Chief Financial Officer for almost 8 years. During his time with NRMA, Mr Tilley was responsible for the group’s financial management business performance and ICT. Prior to his tenure with NRMA, he worked in top 20 ASX listed and professional service environments in Australia and Europe including finance roles at Brambles, Transfield and PwC. Mr Tilley is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Australian Manufacturing

Boeing awards $200m in space contracts to six small businesses A number of small companies specialising in engineering, information technology, software development and mission assurance support have received a total of $200 million in contracts from Boeing to work on the International Space Station (ISS). Image credit: Boeing website Boeing, which is NASA’s prime contractor for the ISS, said the contracts were awarded under the Boeing Engineering and Technical Support Service program. The world’s largest aerospace company said that contract recipients include S&K Global Solutions, LLC; Barrios Technology, Ltd; ALATEC, Inc; Summit Technologies & Solutions, Inc; RVMTI JV, LLC; and All Points Logistics, LLC. “Supplier partners are critical to our growth and success,” said Mark Mulqueen, Boeing ISS program manager. “It’s important to Boeing and our NASA customer that we commit significant resources to growing our small business network through targeted outreach, mentoring programs and regular collaboration.” During the first half of the 2016 fiscal year, Boeing Space Exploration programs – which include the ISS, Commercial Crew and Space Launch System – purchased approximately $754 million in products and services from a network of 690 suppliers. According to the company, these purchases included contracts worth approximately $211 million awarded to small and diverse businesses. Australian Manufacturing

Navistar to manufacture GM’s Cutaway G Van Navistar, the leading manufacturer of commercial trucks, buses, defence vehicles and diesel engines, has reached an agreement with General Motors (GM) to manufacture the cutaway model of GM’s G Van at its Springfield, Ohio plant. Image credit: GM Facebook page Navistar said the multi-year manufacturing contract, which commences in early 2017, will generate at least 300 jobs and recommission its second line at the plant. “We’re very pleased to partner with GM on this important manufacturing opportunity,” said Persio Lisboa, president, Navistar operations. “Our Springfield plant is an important part of our manufacturing footprint, and we’ve been preparing it for a higher volume concentration of light- and medium-duty products as part of our manufacturing strategy. This is an important step towards our goal to drive automotive quality into the commercial vehicle industry.” GM manufactures cutaway vans for commercial customers. The company’s Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans are upfitted into utility or service vehicles, ambulance or rescue vehicles, shuttle buses or school buses. “This partnership will provide our Wentzville, Mo., assembly plant more flexibility to keep up with continued demand for mid-size trucks and full size vans,” said Cathy Clegg, GM North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations Vice President. Navistar, which primarily manufactures its DuraStar® and WorkStar® models at the Springfield plant, last year signed a separate long-term agreement with GM to develop and assemble a medium-duty, conventional cab Class 4/5 commercial vehicle starting in 2018. According to the company, the future products will be “jointly developed” using Navistar’s expertise in rolling chassis configurations and manufacturing capabilities, and GM’s commercial components and engines. “The trucks will be available under both the International® and Chevrolet brands, and will mark Navistar’s reentry into the Class 4/5 market,” the company said in a media statement. Australian Manufacturing

High tech manufacturing triumph for Australia Australia is en route to become the first country in the world to use the new “super material”, graphene in the large scale manufacture of an industrial product, said Mr Chris Gilbey, the CEO of Imagine Intelligent Materials (Imagine IM). Image credit: Imagine.com In April 2016, the Sydney headquartered Imagine IM signed an agreement with Australia’s largest geotextiles manufacturer, Geofabrics Australasia, which will see Geofabrics become the exclusive Australian licensee of Imagine IM’s graphene coating technology for applications in geotextiles. Mr Gilbey said that Geofabrics will use the technology to offer Australian civil engineering companies significantly improved capacity to locate and remedy leaks with applications in landfill and mining construction. “Increased environmental regulations in Australia and around the world are driven by the need to address water safety and conservation and by the need for cost effective leak detection in the mining industry. We estimate our technology will save customers around 20 to 40 percent on their current solution costs,” Mr Gilbey said. “Our graphene coating technology has the potential to become a key element of the world’s geotextiles industry which is growing at around ten percent per annum and will be worth around $20 billion by 2018 ($16 billion US). We have utilised graphene’s electrical conductivity to provide the means to detect pin hole sized leaks in geotextiles. Leak detection is important because, undetected leaks mean that there is potential for toxins to escape from tailings dams and landfills into ground water.” Brendan Swifte, the General Manager at Geofabrics, said the company was scheduled to provide the marketplace with the first of its graphene coated geotextile products in August this year. “We are the leading geotextiles manufacturer in Australia and we entered into the agreement with Imagine IM because of our belief in graphene and our belief in Imagine IM’s ability to quality assure the product and the supply chain,” Mr Swifte said. “We believe that our bidim® geotextile with graphene coating is a “game changer” for the geotextile industry. It will be a high tech solution at an extremely competitive price.” Imagine IM – which recently contracted Geelong-based Austeng to build the country’s first commercial graphene manufacturing plant – is in the process of developing additional products and solutions for the global geotextiles industry and is planning to migrate its platform technologies into other textile product lines where solving problems associated with water are highly valued. Mr Gilbey said that Imagine IM is currently discussing international licensing agreements for its graphene technologies in the United States. “The race to commercialise graphene has seen the launch of numerous companies in the USA, Europe and Asia. The European Commission has established the 1billion Euro Graphene Flagship Fund to help drive the commercialisation of graphene in Europe. In the UK, British Government support has helped establish the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester,” he continued. “However, up till now, no company has been able to develop a product that delivers at industrial scale the potential that has been indicated in research labs.” Australian Manufacturing

2016 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Gala Dinner announces award recipients The Australian Labor Government has recognised exemplary companies and individuals in the Victorian manufacturing industry at the 2016 Manufacturing Hall of Fame gala Dinner. Image credit: www.csl.com.au Broadmeadows-based CSL Behring took out the Large Manufacturer of the Year award; Coburg North-based Thycon was named Industrial the Medium Manufacturer of the Year, while Campbellfield-based H&H Machine Tools Australia won the Small Manufacturer of the Year award. Stuart Payne, from Mount Waverley based food processing company GP Graders, was announced as this year’s Honouree. Under Mr Payne’s stewardship, GP Graders has grown to become a global market leader in research and development, design, quality assurance, marketing and sales. Dr Ashley Denmead from Carbon Revolution –one of the inventors of the technology that led to the world’s first commercialised carbon fibre wheel – landed the Young Manufacturer of the Year prize. In addition, Paz Group (construction), Morgan Advanced Ceramics (advanced material), RF Industries (technology), Close the Loop (recycling), EBM Papst (refrigeration, heating and IT), Cablex (aerospace, defence, transportation, electronic and telecommunications) were all inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 2016 Manufacturing Hall of Fame Gala Dinner also recognised a number of companies for their excellence in sectors driving Victoria’s economic growth and jobs. The winners in the Growth Sector Awards category were: Medical technology and pharmaceuticals – MSD Animal Health, Bendigo East New energy technology – Mil Systems, West Footscray Food and fibre processing – Andrew Peace Wines, Piangil Transport, defence and construction technology – MHG Asia Pacific, North Geelong International education – Swinburne University, Hawthorn Professional services – Cobalt Design Pty Ltd, North Melbourne Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan said the Labor Government is supporting companies in these growth sectors to create jobs and stimulate industry investment through the Future Industries Fund. “Manufacturing has a bright future in Victoria and these awards celebrate those businesses and individuals who are shaping the future of this important sector,” the Minister said. “We are investing in high growth sectors to create jobs and grow the economy and these awards recognise forward thinking businesses that are driving this economic growth. This year’s winners are all outstanding local businesses and individuals that are at the forefront of Victorian manufacturing and should be commended for their accomplishments.” Australian Manufacturing

Bitzer management concedes to workers demands The nine-week strike at refrigerator firm Bitzer ended on Friday after the company management bowed to the workers’ demands for a 10% pay raise over three years, a guarantee of permanency for casuals after six months service, as well as control over what hours they work. Image credit: www.amwu.org.au AMWU Assistant State Secretary Craig Kelly said the union’s organisers formed a guard of honour for the 54 AMWU members as they marched back through the gate for their first shift early last Thursday morning. “This brilliant outcome is a powerful signal to any employer wanting to erode conditions that they take on a united and industrially strong AMWU workforce at their own peril,” Mr Kelly said. “Our Bitzer members were like a dog with a bone – they just wouldn’t let go and they bit back.” Earlier this year, AMWU members had voted to take authorised industrial action and stop work indefinitely after management refused to abandon its plans to cut real wages and conditions in a new enterprise bargaining agreement. “Management have made no pay offer beyond the cost-of-living index, want to remove RDOs, stop contributing to income protection and pay any new workers the base award rate only rather than EBA rates,” the AMWU said in a media statement in the build up to the strike. “As part of a strategy to cut full-time wages and conditions, Bitzer management also want to reduce the wages of about eight casual workers by nearly a third. It offers them no prospect of permanency, even though some have worked there for the past few years.” The strike also forced Bitzer to slash the separate shifts brought in a year ago – which disadvantaged many workers – and provided members with access to WageGuard income protection and the opportunity for extra pay through re-classification of competency standards. “I reckon they wanted to divide us, they wanted new people coming in on very low minimum wages to slowly undermine our majority of permanent workers but it won’t happen and it never was going to happen,” said one AMWU member. Bitzer manufactures and markets a range of value-added refrigeration compressor systems and heat exchange products such as evaporators, condensers, coolers, dry coolers and custom coils. Australian Manufacturing

Tritium’s innovative technology could soon be powering electric vehicles around the globe Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pit has visited the manufacturing facilities of Brisbane-based innovation firm Tritium, the developer of the award-winning electric vehicle charging system Veefil. Image credit: writium.com.au Mr Pitt said the new technology was designed and built in Brisbane with a $2.5 million support from the Palaszczuk Government’s Business Development Fund, which is part of its Advance Queensland initiatives. “This home-grown company is the first to receive funding from the Business Development Fund and it’s exactly the type of innovative business that the Palaszczuk Government is looking to invest in,” the Treasurer said. “The Palaszczuk Government’s investment, alongside matched investment from private sector co-investors St Baker Energy Innovation Trust and the Varley Group, will help this world-leading Queensland business bring its innovative tech products onto the market sooner.” Launched in 2013, the Veefil® Electric Vehicle Fast Charger has the ability to charge an EV 20 times faster than plugging it into the wall at home, and to add 50km range to an EV battery in just 10 minutes. In 2014, the company partnered with Shanghai-based electric product manufacturer SSE to roll out this ground-breaking technology on a global scale. A year later, Tritium was approached by Charge Point, the world’s largest electric vehicle charging network, to install its fast charging stations across the country. To keep up with the growing demand from international market for its product range, the company moved to a new cutting-edge facility at the beginning of 2016. Tritium CEO David Finn said that the company was in the final stages of the commercialisation journey for its Veefil station. “Our fast charging technology is providing drivers of electric vehicles greater convenience to charge their cars anywhere,” Mr Finn said. “Backing from the Palaszczuk Government will allow us to expand our R&D, manufacturing and sales workforce, as well as finalise expansion at our new manufacturing facilities in Brisbane.” The $40 million Business Development Fund invests from $125,000 up to $2.5 million in matched funding, alongside private sector co-investors to help businesses transform their ideas and innovations into commercial realities. Australian Manufacturing

SA Government pledges $50m support for next Whyalla steelworks owner The South Australian Government has committed $50 million to support a new owner of the Whyalla steelworks. Image credit: www.arrium.com According to the press release by Premier Jay Weatherill, the funding will be placed in a facility that can only be accessed by a new owner if it is used to support the operations at Whyalla. The Premier also called for a bipartisan commitment from both major parties federally to contribute towards the funding to give the steelworks the best chance of survival. He said such commitment would mean that the total funding facility offered to a new purchaser would be $150 million, enough to support the long-term sustainability of steel-making at Arrium and maintain the company’s operations in South Australia. “The Arrium operations at Whyalla are critical to both South Australia and the nation as a whole – it is essential that we retain our sovereign steel-making capability,” Mr Weatherill stated. “I have written to the leaders of both major parties outlining our proposal to create a $150 million funding facility to be accessed by a future purchaser of the Whyalla steelworks. Given the national importance of this industry we expect a commitment from Mr Shorten and Mr Turnbull to back the proposed joint State-Commonwealth funding assistance package.” Arrium entered voluntary administration in April after a prolonged period of low commodity prices and the dumping of cheap, low-quality foreign steel in the Australian market. Australian Manufacturing

Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister joins Lockheed Martin Australia Board Mr Kim Beazley AC, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Australian Ambassador to the United States of America, has been appointed to the Lockheed Martin Australia Board. Image credit: http://ift.tt/U4v1UN Commenting on the appointment, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Raydon Gates AO said that Mr Beazley ‘s remarkable career in the highest echelons of politics and international diplomacy would be invaluable for the company going forward. “Kim Beazley is one of Australia’s most distinguished statesmen, respected by all sides of politics, policymakers and industry alike, and we are thrilled he has accepted this appointment.” Mr Gates said. “As a passionate advocate for Australian industry and a former Defence Minister, Kim brings invaluable experience to the Lockheed Martin Australia Board.” The Hon Kim Beazley AC said he was looking forward to contributing to Lockheed Martin Australia’s ongoing success as a key technology partner to Australia’s Defence Force and broader industry sector. “Throughout my career I have developed a deep respect for Lockheed Martin, both as an industry leader and a technology innovator,” Mr Beazley added. Lockheed Martin has been present in Australia for 55 years. The company works with local partners to deliver systems and advanced engineering capabilities for customers in the Aeronautics, Maritime, Surveillance and Defence domains. Australian Manufacturing

Airbus extends use of Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform to its additive manufacturing programs Dassault Systèmes announced that the Airbus Group has decided to extend the use of its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to its additive manufacturing programs integrating design, simulation and production. Dassault Systèmes logoImage credit: Dassault Systèmes / Facebook page The decision – which follows a two-year comprehensive benchmarking process – will see Airbus Group deploy Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative design and simulation applications as part of the “Co-Design to Target” industry solution experience, for the additive manufacturing of tooling, prototyping and parts for test flights and for production use on commercial aircraft. “This provides Airbus Group with digital continuity to optimise its conceptual designs by virtually validating each phase of the additive manufacturing process,” the European multinational software company said in a press release. “Leveraging Dassault Systèmes’ applications and its own leadership and engineering expertise in additive manufacturing, Airbus Group can explore greater design and manufacturing possibilities to meet engineering and manufacturing requirements for the additive manufacturing of tools and parts.” Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is already adopted by the aerospace industry for creative product design and prototyping, with its use gradually extending to large-scale production Robert Nardini, Senior Vice President Engineering Airframe, Airbus, said the “Co-Design to Target” industry solution experience leverages applications for additive manufacturing to offer high flexibility in part design, production and testing and reduction in waste and costs associated with the manufacturing of complex aircraft parts. “Numerous projects across Airbus are accelerating the use of additive manufacturing to produce prototypes as well as production components potentially delivering lighter and less expensive parts that meet technological, performance, safety and cost standards,” Mr Nardini explained. “Airbus has long used Dassault Systèmes’ simulation applications to accelerate the structural analysis and virtual testing of aircraft and now we can define a new way of designing parts by leveraging simulation-based design to better answer aviation market needs.” Dominique Florack, Senior Executive Vice President, Research & Development, Dassault Systèmes remarked that additive manufacturing creates new opportunities in areas such as remote fabrication for support and maintenance, rapid prototyping for realising new concepts and experiences and, developing designs that were previously impossible to fabricate. “With this approach, Airbus Group will be able to take advantage of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s next generation automated design assistant for parts, whether they are 3D printed or not, thus accelerating a new wave of transformation in the aerospace industry,” Mr Florack said. “With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform we are delivering an end to end solution including all engineering parameters for the additive manufacturing of parts inclusive of material science, functional specification, generative design, 3D printing optimisation, production and certification.” Australian Manufacturing

Nuheara inks manufacturing agreement with Flextronics Perth-based innovative audio wearables company Nuheara has contracted global electronics manufacturer, Flexotronics (Flex) to manufacture the company’s IQbuds™ and related accessories. Image credit: Nuheara ASX release Flex design, build, ship and service complete packaged consumer and industrial products for leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Apple, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Lenovo and Huawei & Ericsson. Commenting on the partnership, Nuheara CEO Justin Miller said the company was very pleased to have “such a reputable company” manufacturing IQbuds™. “Our primary objectives in selecting a manufacturer were two-fold; the first as experience with a proven track record of quality, the second was ability to scale,” Mr Miller said. “Flex pedigree delivers on both of these objectives with operations management, process development and state of the art manufacturing technology and facilities that few others could meet.” Nuheara is developing proprietary hardware and software to deliver multi-functional intelligent hearing technology that augments a user’s hearing and facilitates cable free connection to smart devices. Australian Manufacturing

Sandfire Resources announces completion of DeGrussa solar project Sandfire Resources announced that the new solar power facility at its 100%-owned DeGrussa Copper-Gold Mine in Western Australia has achieved full generation capacity. Image credit: arena.gov.au The facility is currently generating approximately 7MW of power – in line with seasonal expectations – with solar generating output to ramp up during the summer months to achieve full 10MW functional capacity. Located immediately adjacent to the DeGrussa underground mine and processing plant, the innovative $40 million solar project is the largest integrated off-grid solar and batter storage facility in the world. It comprises of more than 34,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels which are connected via an extensive network of low-voltage, high voltage and communication cables to a 6 MW lithium-ion battery storage facility and the existing 19MW diesel-fired power station at DeGrussa. Sandfire Managing Director Karl Simich said the project demonstrated that the adoption of renewable energy technologies at remote mine sites could have massive implications for the mining industry. “This project has already attracted a significant amount of interest from within the mining industry in Australia and Sandfire receiving inquiries from several of our peers interested in adopting this technology at their mine sites,” Mr Simich said. “I would not be surprised to see more facilities like this built over the next few years, as the benefits and potential of solar power became increasingly recognised across the resource sector.” The DeGrussa Power Solar Power Project is owned by the French renewable energy firm Neoen. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is supporting the project with $20.9 million recoupable grant funding and the CEFC has committed $15 million in debt finance. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the successful commissioning of this monumental off-grid renewable mining project marked a turning point for the use of renewable energy in off-grid industries. “This is a clear example of renewables providing substantial, reliable results for one of Australia’s largest industries,” Mr Frischknecht said. “The project has achieved a series of firsts. It’s the largest off-grid solar PV system in the world and one of the largest solar plants providing peak power load to a mining operation.” Australian Manufacturing

AGL Coopers Gap Wind Farm moves step closer to construction AGL’s proposed Coopers Gap Wind Farm Project near Kingaroy has edged closer to generating clean energy after the Office of the Coordinator General (OCG) declared it a Coordinated Project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971. Image credit: statedevelopment.qld.gov.au The company’s Executive General Manager Group Operations, Doug Jackson, welcomed OCG’s announcement, saying it is a significant step forward in progressing the project which could generate approximately 250 jobs at the peak of construction. “The Coopers Gap Wind Farm remains AGL’s foremost renewable energy project in Queensland with a high quality wind resource and one of the highest average wind speeds in the state. It would be the largest wind farm in Queensland with a proposed capacity of up to 350 MW,” Mr Jackson noted. “While there is still a long way to go before a final decision can be made on whether the project proceeds to construction, we look forward to working with local government and the community along with other government agencies to deliver the best possible outcome for the region and for Queensland.” Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dr Anthony Lynham, said the $500 million Coopers Gap Wind Farm would now move to an environmental impact statement with public consultation. “AGL Energy Limited has said the project could create up to 350 construction jobs and ongoing employment for up to 20 people in the region. Depending on the Coordinator-General’s evaluation, construction could start in late 2017 and take two and half years, making it operational by 2020,” the Minister said. “Our strong renewable energy agenda is clearly encouraging private sector investment in renewable energy. If AGL proceeds, this would be one of Australia’s largest green energy producers, and support our policy to generate half of Queensland’s electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030.” The Coopers Gap Wind Farm Project – to be located 180km north-west of Brisbane near Cooranga North – has a proposed installed capacity of approximately 350MW with around 115 wind turbines, which is enough to supply power to about 180,000 households. The wind farm is planned to be connected to a new Powerlink substation along the new Western Downs to Halys 275kV transmission line built by Powerlink. Australian Manufacturing

GE wraps up sale of Appliances business to Haier GE has completed the sale of its Appliances business to Chinese multinational consumer electronics and home appliances company Qingdao Haier for $5.6 billion. Image: http://twitter.com/generalelectric According to GE, the sale price includes an approximate $200 million increase from the originally announced sale price to account for increased working capital in the business. “The sale of GE Appliances is another step in the company’s portfolio transformation and its mission to become the world’s leading Digital Industry company,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “By successfully acquiring Alstom’s power and grid assets, splitting off Synchrony Financial and by continuing to execute the GE Capital exit strategy ahead of plan, the team is making GE a simpler, more competitive company.” GE said the sale will generate an after-tax gain of approximately $0.20 per share, adding that it expects gains to be offset by restructuring for the year. Goldman Sachs provided financial advice to GE, while Sidley Austin LLP acted as GE’s legal advisor. Australian Manufacturing

3D printed Sound Cells powered by Intel amaze at Vivid Sydney Three sound canopy installations were designed and 3D printed specifically for this year’s VIVID Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, which for 23 days – from 27 May to 18 June 2016 – transforms the Harbour City. Screenshot from Vivid Sydney website (http://ift.tt/1t2hT3J) These strange looking creations are shaped like geometric clouds and have been 3D printed using Australia’s largest 3D printer and what they do is bring the magic of the Sydney Opera House outside. The Sound Cells are also equipped with LED lights which interact with the music, thus creating a wonderful dynamic light show to go along with the beat. The canopies were made from plastic sourced from recycled water bottles. Sound Cells is a collaboration between Intel and Sydney Opera House, while the three Sound Cells currently placed outside Australia’s most famous music venue where designed by Australian artist Joe Crossley. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1VL1egC The Sound Cells contain speakers which are optically connected to Intel Broadcast Studios and will be playing live audio from inside the Opera House; when there are no musical events inside, the canopies will be playing immersive music programmed by Perth producer Ta-Ku every day from 18:00 – 23:00. “These otherworldly, emotionally enriching pools of sound, vision and light are a place to sit, stand, lean, dance, and experience the Sydney Opera House like never before – bringing what happens inside the famous sails outside,” it says on VIVID Sydney’s website. For more info about his amazing event, please go to http://ift.tt/MRN7Df Australian Manufacturing

Austal announces JV with Jianglong Shipbuilding to conquer Chinese domestic ferry market Austal is re-entering the Chinese ferry market to design and build the next generation of high speed passenger ferries servicing domestic routes in the country. Image credit: australia.austal.com The company will form a joint venture with China’s Jianglong Shipbuilding to pursue commercial vessel opportunities on the Chinese market, where the company has delivered 52 high speed aluminium ferries to 20 customers since 1990. Austal CEO David Singleton pointed out that the Chinese Government mandates a maximum operating life of 25 years for commercial high sped ferries. He said the company was looking to take advantage of this regulative as all of these vessels – as well as those built by other manufacturers – will need to be replaced progressively during the next few years. “This mandated fleet replacement combined with a growing domestic requirement will present a major market opportunity for Austal,” Mr Singleton said. “As Chinese customers are now seeking locally built vessels, the joint venture with established local shipbuilder Jianglong will allow Austal to compete in the domestic Chinese market without the need to develop new shipyard facilities.” According to the ASX release by Austal, the JV will be known as Aulong Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and will be 40% owned by Austal. The new entity will build and market Austal-designed commercial aluminium vessels manufactured within Jianglong Shipbuilding’s existing facilities in Guangdong province, for mainland China-based customers. “The Aulong JV is a great example of Australian engineers exporting Australian engineered products to one of the world’s leading markets. We are combining the strength of a current high quality shipyard in China with Austal’s market leading designs,” Mr Singleton continued. “The ferry market is a global one and we have to position ourselves accordingly., our decision at the start of the last decade to build ferries in the USA led to our current large operational footprint in that county. China is a market in which we also need an established local presence.” Australian Manufacturing

Lincoln Minerals’ proposed $40m graphite mine hits major milestone Lincoln Minerals Ltd, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Australian Graphite Pty Ltd, has received the first of two key approvals for the proposed $40 million graphite mine located north of Port Lincoln. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1YdfEa4 SA Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the company has been granted a Mining Lease for the Kookaburra Gully graphite project which is expected to create 90 jobs on the lower Eyre Peninsula. “Through projects such as Kookaburra Gully, South Australia is emerging as a supplier of graphite to meet the global demand for renewable technologies using lithium ion batteries and solar thermal power generation systems,” the Minister said. “Granting a Mining Lease is the first stage of a two-step assessment of a mining proposal. The next step in the project is the preparation of a detailed operating plan for the mine, known as a Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR). The development of a PEPR by Lincoln Minerals, prepared in consultation with the stakeholders of the mine, will be rigorously assessed by the Department of State Development. The project will include an open-cut mine and a processing plant with an annual throughput of 250,000 tonnes to produce about 30,000–50,000 tonnes a year of graphite concentrate. Graphite produced at the mine is expected to be transported by container from the mine by road to the Port of Adelaide for export. Australian Manufacturing

AECOM appointed Owner’s Engineer for Genex’s Kidston solar project Power generation development company Genex Power has appointed engineering design firm AECOM as Owner’s Engineer for construction of the first phase 50MW Solar PV Project at Kidston in North Queensland. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1t6kGZP AECOM has assisted Genex on the development and feasibility of the Kidston Solar Project since mid-2015 and has played a key role in finalising the technical and commercial negotiations for the Connection Agreement with Ergon Energy. Additionally, AECOM has assisted Genex in the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) tendering and in shortlisting contractors, as well as in conducting technical and economic analysis of the solar project. AECOM has extensive experience working on solar projects both in Australia and worldwide. The company recently acted as Owner’s Engineer for the recently commissioned 10MW Sanfire DeGrussa Solar Power Project in Western Australia, and was appointed lead designer for the 20 MW Royalla Solar Farm and for the 15 MW Sunshine Coast Solar Farm. Genex Managing Director Michael Addison said AECOM’s experience in an Australian context will assist the company in managing compliance requirements, key risks and challenges during different project stages. “AECOM’s proven expertise in building Australian solar project adds to Genex’s project delivery team. We look forward to continuing our well established relationship with AECOM,” Mr Addison said. “The company remains on track to commence construction alter this year and targets first cash flow within 12 months of construction commencing.” Australian Manufacturing

Quickstep inks MoU with DCNS for Australia’s future subs collaboration Quickstep Holdings has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French shipbuilding company DCNS Group for joint cooperation in the manufacturing of components and assemblies for Australia’s Future submarines. Image credit: http://ift.tt/23mddD6 DCNS is France’s biggest shipbuilder and a European Leader in naval defence. The company was recently selected by the Australian Government as its preferred international partner for the design of twelve submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. Quickstep CEO and Managing Director David Marino said the company’s innovative technologies for the aerospace, defence and automotive sectors were also suitable for naval defence. He said Quickstep’s potential participation in the new SEA 100 submarine program complemented the company’s involvement in the JSF F-35 Program, both of which are long-term programs that will allow the development of new technologies. “The application of Quickstep’s carbon fibre composites expertise for the marine defence industry is a natural extension of our technology. We are delighted to commence this partnership with DCNS which is an acknowledged world leader in naval defence systems,” Mr Marino said. “The MoU provides opportunities for Quickstep to participate in DCNS’s supply chain and for the potential use of our technology in submarine platforms in Australia and overseas.” He said a mixed Quickstep/ DCNS committee will consider the parts and projects most relevant to implementation of Quickstep’s technology, adding that the company expects to develop and manufacture a number of demonstration parts during the next twelve months. “Testing of Quickstep’s process technologies for naval applications may lead to production of components for DCNS’ submarine program for Australia and export markets,” the company said in a media release. Composites provide advantages including high strength for weight, weight reduction, thermal insulation and the absence of magnetic signatures, and are already used in naval and commercial ships for manufaturing superstructures, bulkheads, propellers and interior panels. Australian Manufacturing

WATG collects top honours for the world’s first freeform 3D printed house Leading architectural firm WATG has won First Prize in the Freedom Home Design Challenge which invited architects, designers, engineers and artists from around the world to design the world’s first freeform 3D printed house. Image credit: www.watg.com Commissioned by Branch Technology, the challenge required participants to design a 600-800 square-foot single-family home that would “rethink” traditional architectural aesthetics, ergonomics, construction, building systems, and structure from the ground up. Each submission was required to offer conceptual solutions for all aspects of the house. For instance, the building envelope was to consider material applications, fenestration and structure, and the interiors were to include a kitchen, bath, living area and one bedroom. Additionally, building systems were to satisfy mechanical, electrical, plumbing and lighting requirements while allowing for passive solar design strategies at the same time. WATG’s Chicago-based team – consisting of Daniel Caven, Chris Hurst, Miguel Alvarez and Brent Watanabe – won the competition with their unique design called “Curve Appeal”. The design comprises of two main components: an interior core and exterior skin. The interior living spaces are designed to protect occupants from the elements via passive strategies while connecting them to the exterior spaces and nature itself. The exterior skin, on the other hand, is derived from simple archways that ultimately “blend with the site” leaving an organic presence. Branch Technology Founder, Platt Boyd said the proposal captured the potential for 3D printing to revolutionise design and construction. “Curve Appeal is a very thoughtful approach to the design of our first house,” Mr Boyd said, adding that the house is set to begin planning phases in Chattanooga, Tennessee at Branch Technology’s lab and is expected to begin 3D printing in 2017. “It responds well to the site conditions, magnifies the possibilities of cellular fabrication and pushes the envelope of what is possible while still utilising more economical methods for conventional building systems integration.” Australian Manufacturing

BHP Billiton teams up with Peking University to fast-track CCUS research BHP Billiton had inked a three-year, US$7.37 million agreement with Peking University (PKU) to unlock the potential of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) for steel production in China. Image credit: bhpbilliton.com Part of the company’s support for the development of low emissions technology across multiple sectors, the agreement will aim to identify the key policy, technical and economic barriers to CCUS deployment in the industrial sector, particularly in the iron and steel industries. BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie remarked that the agreement builds on the BHP Billiton SaskPower Carbon Capture Knowledge Centre established in February 2016 to share learnings on CCS for the power sector from the Boundary Dam project in Saskatchewan, Canada. “The application of carbon capture, use and storage may prove to be important to reducing the volume of greenhouse gas emitted by the steel sector in China and elsewhere. However investment in the technology is behind where it needs to be,” he said. “China leads the way in the planning and development of large scale CCUS projects and should CCUS become commercially proven it could be a significant industry for China. We hope this research will draw more capital into the development of CCUS for use in steelmaking and broader industrial applications.” Peking University President, Professor Lin Jianhua said the agreement with a trusted partner like BHP would fast-track the development of solutions to challenges faced by the country and the world. “We recognise the importance of international collaboration in addressing the global challenge of climate change. This new project will push forward the collaborative work on many fronts, help support China’s carbon reduction, as well as promote friendship and cooperation between China and Australia,” he said. Li Junfeng, Director General of China’s National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation said the agreement would help meet the intensified greenhouse gas emissions control target adopted by the Paris Agreement last year. “This target requires further research into the development potential and supporting factors of low carbon technologies such as CCUS and renewable energies, both of which can help promote China’s transition to a low carbon economy.” he said. Australian Manufacturing

GM files preliminary recall of certain 2007-11 vehicles equipped with faulty Takata airbags GM is ordering a massive preliminary recall of certain 2007-2011 pickups and SUVs with passenger-side front airbag inflators covered by Takata defect information reports (DIRs) submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last month. Image credit: GM Facebook page “NHTSA’s Amended Consent Order directed Takata to file DIRs for previously unrecalled front airbag inflators using ammonium nitrate propellant without a drying agent. The order requires vehicle manufacturers named in the Takata reports to initiate recalls,” GM said in a media statement. “Although GM does not believe that a safety defect exists at this time, the company is filing a preliminary recall in cooperation with NHTSA. GM expects to provide NHTSA with additional test data, analysis or other relevant and appropriate evidence in support of its belief that these GM vehicles do not pose an unreasonable risk to safety.” GM said that because of the large number of vehicles with Takata inflators and the limited number of available replacements, the NHTSA order set up a multi-year, risk-based schedule for inflator replacements that prioritises vehicles and regions of the country that pose a higher risk to safety. “GM believes that its 2007-2011 trucks and SUVs do not pose an unreasonable safety risk at this time,” reads the statement. “This is based on no inflator ruptures during an estimated 44,000 crash deployments as well as analysis of parts returned from the field, and can be explained by the unique Takata inflator made for GM’s vehicles and features unique to GM trucks and SUVs.” According to the company, the preliminary recall will cover 2007-2011 pickups and SUVs including: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Avalanche, Tahoe and Suburban; GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL; Cadillac Escalade, Escalade EXT and Escalade ESV; and 2009-2011 Silverado and Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickups. “Because the Takata DIRs are based on both vehicle age and the state in which the vehicle is or has been registered, the specific vehicles and total number of vehicles covered by this preliminary recall will be determined following an analysis of vehicle registration data,” it says in the media statement. Australian Manufacturing

Amcor acquires South America’s largest flexible packaging business Amcor has completed the acquisition of Alusa, the largest flexible packaging business in South America. Image credit: Amcor webpage This deal marks Amcor’s second purchase in the space of just over two weeks following last month’s acquisition of Plastic Moulders Limited, a rigid plastics business that manufactures containers and closures for the food and personal care markets in North America. Alusa has four plants – one in each of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Argentina – and generates sales of approximately US$375 million. “Amcor now has a unique platform in an important growth region,” the Australian-based multinational packaging company said in a media statement. “Along with leadership positions in Europe and Asia, a strong presence in South America significantly improves Amcor’s customer value proposition in the flexible packaging marketplace, positioning us as a partner of choice for customers.” Australian Manufacturing

Turnbull’s PaTH internship program alerts Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has raised concerns that the PaTH internship program unveiled in the federal budget posed a serious risk for young workers in the auto industry. Image credit: www.business.gov.au The ACTU argues that the (prepare- trial- hire) intern scheme, which extends $4 an hour internships to the auto trades, could undermine Australia’s entire wage system by allowing businesses to access “a pool of free labour” instead of employing workers on a minimum wage. “This internship program is a path to nowhere – it’s replacing existing entry-level jobs with a churn and burn scheme that gives business access to free, exploitable workers. Paying young workers $4 per hour is not far above the rates in third world sweat shops – it’s outrageous and it puts our entire wage system at risk. Why would a business employ a minimum wage or lower paid worker when the government is ready to supply them with free labour and a $1000 handout?,” said CTU Secretary Dave Oliver. “Subsiding long term unemployed to perform low skilled work in supermarkets is not a plan to create, real lasting jobs. The government should be investing in TAFE, higher education and apprenticeships – but these have all been cut.” The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) was similarly critical of the PaTH program, saying it opened the way for unemployed people aged under 25 to be “used up by unscrupulous employers”. “This is cheap labour to be exploited – it’s inevitable some employers will cut back on full-paid employees then get the most menial, dirtiest tasks done by a churning flow of young interns who would each be turfed after their subsidy ran out,” said AMWU National Vehicles Secretary Dave Smith. “Why pay and train an apprentice to do basic tasks in their first-year when you can get a subsidised intern? Why pay a car cleaner or detailer a $17 award rate when you can get an intern for virtually nothing? That would be the logic of many unscrupulous bosses.” Australian Manufacturing

Ansell sells its ONGUARD® footwear protection business Global protection solutions leader Ansell has s sold its ONGUARD® footwear-protection business to Dunlop Industrial and Protective Footwear, Inc. Image credit: Ansell Facebook page According to the press release by Ansell, the transaction includes footwear protection products that are primarily sold in the US under the ONGUARD brand, as well as the company’s manufacturing facility in Havre de Grace, Maryland. “We remain focused on the execution of our strategic priorities, and divestiture of the ONGUARD brand is a step to concentrate the Body Protection business to segments we can lead globally,” said Magnus Nicolin, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Ansell. “This move enables us to focus on the globalisation of our innovative range of chemical clothing for Industrial, Chemical, Oil & Gas, and Life Science customers.” Ansell’s ONGUARD footwear protection is a small portion of BarrierSafe Solutions International Inc, a company which Ansell acquired in January 2014. Ansell said that the transaction is expected to be” marginally accretive” to F’16 EPS and approximately 2 cents dilutive to F’17 EPS assuming the proceeds are used to repay debt. According to the company, all of the other Body Protection brands, including Microgard®, Microchem®, Hercules®, AlphaTec®, Trellchem®, and Viking® will remain in its ownership and will continue to provide a comprehensive protection offering to the consumer. Dunlop Industrial and Protective Footwear, Inc. is a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of protective footwear. Recognised for the iconic Dunlop brand, the proprietary Purofort® technology and innovative product lines, the Company rates highly in the Agriculture, Food, Industry and Oil and Gas sectors. Australian Manufacturing

Turning Queensland into Asia-Pacific biofutures hub Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a $20 million investment under her Government’s Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan that aims to position the state as an Asia-Pacific hub for biofutures industries. Image credit: haveyoursay.dsd.qld.gov.au Ms Palaszczuk launched the Biofutures Roadmap during the Queensland reception at the BIO International Conference in San Francisco, saying it would provide multi-million dollar funds to four key areas to boost the state’s footprint in the industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector. According to the Premier, the Action Plan will provide $5 million for a Biofutures Industry Development Fund to financially assist companies complete due diligence and achieve financial close to allow better access to venture capital markets. The Action plan will also set aside $4 million for a Biofutures Acceleration Program to identify strategic catalytic investment opportunities and attract a signature keystone investor or investors to Queensland. Additionally, $5 million will be allocated for a Biofutures Commercialisation Program that will specifically assist businesses – in partnership with a Queensland research organisation – manage the significant risk in the development and scale-up of technology. And finally, $5 million will be invested in the establishment of Biofutures Queensland, a dedicated industry sectoral unit that will be the State’s focal point for biofutures industry support. “I promised Queenslanders my Government would work towards creating the jobs of the future, and this Biofutures Roadmap with funding will help deliver on that promise. We are thinking long-term about the establishment of a major new industry that has the potential to create a fresh and long-lasting wave of prosperity for Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “As well as discussing biofuels in several meetings on this trade mission, I also met with the US Navy’s 3rd Fleet in San Diego, following my previous visit to the Pentagon last year. The US Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the major airlines all see Queensland’s potential to become a biofuels powerhouse. We have the will and the determination to make this new industry a reality, and now through this funding we have the means to do it.” State Development Minister Anthony Lynham said the Government aimed to create a A$1 billion sustainable and export-oriented industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector, attracting international investment to the state by 2025. “Global demand for the biobased market expected to exceed US$1 trillion by 2022 We have a favourable climate, a strong existing agricultural sector, a highly skilled workforce, well developed supply chains, proximity to south-east Asia and a world class research and development sector,” Dr Lynham said. “All those factors, combined with a Government committed to working in partnership with the private and academic sectors, means we have what it takes.” Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland was “already making great inroads in this area” with three commercial biorefinery plants located in the State: Wilmar BioEthanol plant in Sarina; the Dalby BioRefinery (United Petroleum); and the Ecotech Biodiesel refinery in Narangba. “We have also poached Southern Oil Refining from New South Wales to Gladstone, where they will be building a A$16 million advanced biofuels pilot plant at their Yarwun facility in Gladstone,” she said. “If successful, this pilot plant will be expanded to a large commercial-scale refinery producing 200 million litres of advanced biofuel per annum, suitable for military, marine and aviation use. The biofutures industry is a key priority for my Government, and we have now given industry the certainty and vision required for them to invest in Queensland.” Australian Manufacturing

Australia’s first array of wave power generators sets new world record The Perth based Carnegie Wave Project has broken another world record, completing 14,000 cumulative operating hours – the highest ever recorded for the global wave energy industry. Image credit: arena.gov.au The Perth Wave Energy Project is the world’s first commercial-scale wave energy array that is connected to the grid and has the ability to produce desalinated water. In the past year, the CETO 5 project has used an array of three off-shore wave power generators to provide clean electricity and potable desalinated water to Australia’s largest naval base, HMAS Stirling, on Garden Island in Western Australia. In a country surrounded by oceans, where more than 80% of the entire population lives on the coast, the project demonstrated that wave technology has the potential to not only deliver sustainable energy solution for remote and on-grid communities, but to become an exportable global solution too. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the CETO 5 project was a “prime example” of how, with the right guidance and support, a technology can be progressed along the innovation chain towards commercialisation. “ARENA is proud to help local companies, like Carnegie, develop new renewable energy solutions that have the potential to change the way the world generates electricity. We do this by providing Australian innovators with the support they need during the critical RD&D period, when patient funding is essential,” Mr Frischknecht said. “The CETO 5 project demonstrates what this support can do for a technology’s development: assisting Carnegie to propel its technology’s development from an independently assessed Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of five, to a seven out of nine, in just three short years.” According to Mr Frischknecht, the data generated throughout the CETO 5 project is being shared within the ARENA portfolio and the renewable energy industry in order to help other wave energy projects advance faster and overcome development obstacles. Australian Manufacturing

Applications now open for the Governor of Victoria Export Awards Applications for the 37th edition of the prestigious Governor of Victoria Export Awards are now open. Image credit: http://ift.tt/1o2iq1A The Governor of Victoria Export Awards have been established to recognise Victoria’s most successful and innovative exporters and to stimulate greater involvement in exporting among Victorian businesses. The Awards celebrate the innovation and hard work of exporters across 12 categories including agribusiness, business services, creative industries, digital technologies, e-commerce, education and training, environment, health and biotechnology, manufacturing, minerals, energy and regional development. Award winners become eligible for the Victorian Award for Innovation Excellence and the prestigious Victorian Exporter of the Year, and can also self-nominate for the Victorian Women in International Business Award. Governor of Victoria Export Award winners also become finalists in the Australian Export Awards – a national awards program held in November – which will see the Victorian winners compete against other state and territory finalists for the national awards. Applications close on 31 July 2016. For more information or to apply, please visit http://ift.tt/1YRiL5B. Australian Manufacturing

Orica appoints new Board member Orica’s Chairman Malcom Broomhead has announced the appointment of Ms Karen Moses to the company’s Board, effective immediately. Image credit: www.orica.com MS Moses has over 30 years’ experience in the energy industry spanning oil, gas, electricity and coal commodities and upstream production, supply and downstream marketing operations. She worked with Origin Energy from 1994 until 2015, most recently as Executive Director, Finance & Strategy, and is currently supporting Origin in a transitional arrangement until her departure in August 2016. Ms Moses, who held various roles at Exxon and BP prior to joining Origin, is a director of Boral Limited, Sydney Symphony Limited, SAS Trustee Corporation and Sydney Dance Company. She has also held senior roles in Contact Energy Limited (2004-2015), Energia Andina S.A., Australian Energy Market Operator Ltd (2009-2012), Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) Ltd, Australian Energy Market Operator (Transitional) Ltd and VENCorp (2007-2009). Mr Broomhead welcomed Ms Moses to the company’s Board, saying her executive experience across finance and strategy would be invaluable for the company moving forward. “I am delighted with Karen’s appointment to the Orica Board. She is an exceptional business leader who brings a wealth of experience from the energy industry, across oil, gas, electricity and coal industries globally,” he said. “Her experience will enable her to provide valuable additional insight into our customer base, while also adding additional financial and strategy capacity to the Board.” Ms Moses, who will offer herself for election as a Director at the next Annual General Meeting in December 2016, said she was happy to be joining the company’s Board. “I am thrilled to be joining the Board of a world class Australian company, with a strong legacy. I look forward to working with the other Directors in contributing to the future success of a great company,” she said. Australian Manufacturing

Thales installs state-of-the-art train control system into the world’s longest railway tunnel Thales has integrated its cutting-edge train control system, ETCS Level 2, into the new Gotthard Tunnel connecting the Swiss-Italian and Swiss-German regions under the Alps. Image credit: www.thalesgroup.com “Thales’s advanced ETCS signalling technology will allow for the circulation of more than 300 trains per day at speeds of up to 250km/h in both directions,” the company said in a media statement. “This is the result of a global investment of 12 billion Swiss francs, including 1.9 billion for the railway equipment and 196 million for Thales’s contribution.” Thales said its involvement in the Gotthard project spans managing the development, production, installation, integration and homologation of the rail signalling systems within the overall system. “These systems have been built up under realistic conditions in the company’s Gotthard laboratory in Zurich and are the result of 8 years of work by a German-Italian bilingual team!” reads the statement. The Gotthard Tunnel will stretch over 57 km at a depth of 2.300 meters under the Alps, cutting travel times from Zurich to Milan to under 3 hours (an hour less than today). Now officially the world’s longest railway tunnel, it is expected to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, as it will shift transportation from road to rail. “We are very proud to contribute to this exceptional project, which was the most important missing link of the European corridors, connecting Rotterdam to Genoa,” said Peter Huber, General Project Manager Transtec Gotthard. “In spite of the complexity of the programme, we have successfully delivered the whole railway system for the tunnel including Thales’s signalling system, one year in advance.” Australian Manufacturing

Scientists develop world’s first robot that can procreate Dutch scientists have developed the world’s first robot that can procreate, paving the way for the beginning of a new area where machines that autonomously operate and reproduce are no longer fiction. Image credit: www.vu.nl Professor of Artificial Intelligence at VU Amsterdam Guszti Eiben and his team described their achievement as “a significant first step in the Industrial Evolution” that can play an important role in, for instance, the colonisation of Mars. This incredible achievement was illustrated during Campus Party in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht on 26 May, where two of Professor Eiben’s robots demonstrated robot mating and the first robot baby was unveiled. “This means that in addition to developing their brains by learning, robots can now develop their bodies through evolution. Because robot parents select suitable mating partners with certain desirable properties, successive generations can improve their physical form and behaviour, adjusting these to their environment and the task they have to perform,” it says in the press release by VU Amsterdam. “This makes them suitable for locations where the circumstances are unknown in advance, such as mines in deep seas or other planets.” Mr Eiben and a group of scientists from other universities have previously established a system architecture that consists of a “Birth Clinic”, a “Nursery”, and an “Arena” where robots live, work, and reproduce. Following a year and a half development period, Mr Eiben and his team at the VU succeeded in implementing a complete life cycle. They were able to complete a proof-of-concept and created physical robots that have their own “DNA” and can produce children via a 3D-printer. Professor Eiben said that during reproduction the features of the parents are randomly recombined, including the software (the brain) as well as the hardware (the body). He said that after “birth” the newborn robot undergoes a learning process; if it passes muster it becomes an adult and can become a parent itself. “Evolution is a great designer. The Evolution of Things is an emerging new technology that exploits the power of selection and reproduction to breed robot designs that are hard to obtain by traditional approaches,” Mr Eiben stated. “Robots that evolve can adapt to their environment and cope with unforeseen situations. The bodies, brains, and behaviours are continually tested by the environment and the useful traits are amplified in future generations. This technology opens new perspectives for robotics, artificial intelligence, space research, and even biology.” Australian Manufacturing

Seven automotive supply chain companies receive government funding to diversify into new markets The Andrews Labor Government has announced $112,000 million in funding to help seven automotive supply chain businesses across Melbourne identify new opportunities and target markets ahead of the closure of automotive manufacturing in Victoria. Image credit: www.business.gov.au The funding was awarded through the Government’s Automotive Supply Chain Transition Program (ASCTP), which is part of the $46.5 million Automotive Transition Plan. Fund recipients include Bayswater-based Composite Materials Engineering, Venture Campbellfield Pty Ltd (Campbellfield), Venture DMG (Keysborough), Boge Elastmetall Australia Pty Ltd (Dingley), Roehlen Industries Pty Ltd (Mordialloc), Dolphin Products Pty Ltd (Heidelberg West) and Entegro Group Pty Ltd (Brooklyn). Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan said that under the ASCTP, eligible supply chain companies can receive assistance valued at $16,000 to develop a transition plan. He said businesses can then apply for funding of up to $50,000 to implement the key transition activities identified in their plan. “The Andrews Labor Government is supporting businesses, workers, and communities hardest hit by the closure of automotive manufacturing in Victoria. Automotive supply chain companies will receive support to develop transition plans,” Mr Noonan said. “This funding will provide tailored case management services to assist automotive supply chain businesses to diversify into new markets.” According to the Minister, funding is also available for business capability development, including assistance with management skills, sales and marketing strategies, financial management, new product development and marketing opportunities. Automotive supply chain companies looking to apply for ASTCP assistance, or specialist companies seeking to deliver transition projects for the program, can do so at: http://ift.tt/1RHEYR0 or call Business Victoria on 13 22 15. Australian Manufacturing

Australian PMI: Manufacturing expands for eleventh straight month in May The Australian PMI® has expanded for an eleventh straight month in May – the longest unbroken period of growth since September 2006 – despite falling 2.4 points to 51.0. Image credit: aigroup.com.au According to Ai Group’s report, six of the seven activity sub-indexes expanded in May, with the employment sub-index down 3.4 points to 45.6. As in April, five of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded. Food, beverages & tobacco went down 8.8 points to 65.3 and wood & paper products went up 1.9 points to 67.7, while petroleum & chemicals grew by 5.4 points to 59.9. Printing & recorded media was up 4.1 points, but is still in below the 50 points level that separates expansion from contraction and now stands at 49.7. Machinery & equipment (up 2.8 points to 50.6) both stabilised, while metal products (up 0.2 points to 44.1) and textiles, clothing & other manufacturing (down 3.9 points to 47.1) dropped into contraction in May. The input prices sub-index expanded by 5.9 points in May to 63.2, whereas wages growth strengthened again, rising 3.9 points to 61.3. The manufacturing selling prices sub-index climbed 5.5 points and is now in expansionary territory at 50.6. “The Australian PMI® consolidates almost a year of expansion and continues the longest unbroken period of growth for the Australian PMI® since September 2006. Australian manufacturing is recovering in 2016 in response to the lower dollar, but it is also rebalancing in response to changes in global production and consumption trends,” said Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox. “We are seeing an increasing focus on consumable goods such as food, groceries and health products as well as building materials for the construction industry. We are still seeing contraction, however, in the heavy industrials categories and especially in metals and some types of machinery and equipment manufacturing such as automotive production. On balance, the positives are outweighing the negatives at present.” Australian Manufacturing

Santos’ GLNG project hits another key milestone with first LNG production from Train 2 Leading oil and gas producer Santos announced that its second GLNG train on Curtis Island near Gladstone in Queensland has started producing LNG. Image credit: Santos Limited Australia/YouTube (screenshot) LNG production from train 1 commenced in September 2015, and the company has since produced over two million tonnes of LNG and shipped 32 cargoes. Santos Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Gallagher said the first LNG production from train 2 was “another milestone” for GLNG and marked the successful delivery of the two-train project. “GLNG train 2 start-up adds to Santos’ LNG portfolio, which also includes the Darwin LNG and PNG LNG projects,” Mr Gallagher said. Santos has a 30% interest in GLNG. Other co-venturers include PETRONAS (27.5%), Total (27.5%) and KOGAS (15%). Australian Manufacturing