Forge Photonics Signs Navigation Systems Deal with Mission Systems for Subsea Drones
Canberra‑based Forge Photonics has inked a deal with Sydney defence firm Mission Systems to equip its undersea drones with fibre‑optic gyroscope navigation modules. The technology, spun out of Australian National University research on gravitational‑wave detection, delivers GPS‑free, low‑detectability positioning using lasers, fibre cables and advanced algorithms. Forge aims to slash navigation costs for autonomous platforms across defence, maritime, automotive and agricultural sectors. The agreement marks a milestone in commercialising home‑grown inertial navigation for both military and civilian markets.
Lockheed Martin Australia Explores Manufacturing-Backed Sustainment Model for HIMARS Fleet
Lockheed Martin Australia announced a partnership with Rheinmetall Defence Australia to develop a domestic sustainment model for the expanding HIMARS fleet. The two firms will assess existing manufacturing facilities in Queensland and South Australia to provide through‑life support, spare‑parts logistics,...
True Protein Automates Manufacturing Processes with NetSuite
Sydney‑based wellness brand True Protein has upgraded its operations by implementing Oracle NetSuite’s AI‑powered cloud ERP. The new system replaces spreadsheets and siloed tools, automating finance, inventory, manufacturing, warehousing and sales functions. NetSuite’s deployment, managed by Fusion5, has cut the...
Albanese Highlights Manufacturing in Speech on Food and Beverage Sector
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told food and beverage leaders in Melbourne that Australian manufacturing is vital for the sector’s quality and resilience. He warned that higher fuel costs and global supply‑chain disruptions are straining producers. The government will boost domestic...
Monash University Research Highlights Safer, Smarter Human-Robot Teamwork in Manufacturing
Monash University researchers published a review in the International Journal of Production Research showing that better prediction of human behaviour by robots can make manufacturing safer, more adaptive and efficient as Industry 5.0 evolves. The study compares mechanism‑based, data‑driven and hybrid...
Cirrus360 Introduces New Automation System to Help Small Meat Processors
Cirrus360 unveiled Edgware, a 5G‑enabled automation platform for small and medium‑sized meat processors, at the 2026 International Livestock Congress in Houston. Developed with Rail19 and Texas A&M’s meat‑science faculty, the system fuses edge sensors, cloud analytics, and real‑time incident reporting...
Manufacturing Boost as Vorwerk Relocates Australasian HQ to Victoria
Global home‑technology firm Vorwerk announced the relocation of its Australasian headquarters from Perth to Melbourne, consolidating operations and positioning leadership closer to its largest customer base. The move is expected to generate 55 new jobs and leverages Victoria’s robust manufacturing,...
Boral Names Matt McKenzie as New CEO
Australian building‑materials group Boral Limited has appointed its chief operating officer, Matt McKenzie, as chief executive effective 1 April 2026, succeeding Vik Bansal who will join the SGH board. McKenzie brings operational leadership experience from Cleanaway, Oracle Utilities and GE, and has...
Manufacturing Gains Momentum with Industrial AI as IFS Reports Growing Adoption
IFS reported a 23% year‑on‑year rise in annual recurring revenue and a 30% jump in cloud revenue for FY2025, underscoring rapid adoption of its Industrial AI platform. The technology has moved from pilot projects to core operational systems across manufacturing,...
Nationwide Push Highlights Homegrown Manufacturing with ‘Made Right Here’
Australian Made has rolled out the “Made Right Here” campaign to showcase domestic manufacturing across the nation. Launched in January at Capral Aluminium’s Smithfield plant, the initiative features the green‑and‑gold kangaroo logo in animated scenes covering sectors from construction to...
Opella Healthcare Launches Manufacturing Electrification Project Backed by $1.94M in Federal Funding
Opella Healthcare has launched a manufacturing electrification project at its North Brisbane plant, backed by a $1.94 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The initiative replaces gas‑fired dehumidification with heat‑pump technology, aiming to cut roughly 1,200 tonnes of CO₂ each...
Australia Moves to Support Onshore Fuel Production Amid Market Pressures
The Australian Government is revising its Fuel Security Services Payment to keep the 1.8 cents‑per‑litre cap while changing the trigger that releases subsidies, aiming to better match current market conditions. The move supports the Viva refinery in Geelong and Ampol’s Brisbane...
Hazer Signs Graphite Offtake LOI to Support Low-Emissions Steel Manufacturing
Hazer Group has signed a non‑binding memorandum of understanding and graphite offtake letter of intent with Green Steel WA Collie Pty Ltd for up to 85,000 tonnes of graphite over ten years. The graphite will be used as a recarburiser...
BioCina Launches Manufacturing Program for Patrys’ Injectable Delirium Therapy
BioCina has launched a comprehensive Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) program for Patrys Ltd’s injectable formulation RLS-2201, a proprietary quetiapine product aimed at treating acute delirium in intensive‑care patients. The manufacturing effort is based in BioCina’s sterile facility in Perth...
RMIT Team Develops Smart Bandage that Heals, Monitors Wounds
Researchers at RMIT University have created a smart wound dressing that monitors pH changes and releases therapeutic nanozymes. The hydrogel embeds carbon‑dot nanoparticles that change colour to signal infection and can be triggered manually or automatically to deliver treatment. The...
Navigating Energy Price Volatility with Predictive Intelligence
GridBeyond’s FlexPilot platform shifts energy‑intensive manufacturers from reactive demand‑response tactics to predictive intelligence that blends real‑time operational data with forward price forecasts. The solution lets plants simulate schedule adjustments, inventory builds and asset controls before market spikes hit, reducing exposure...
NSW Pours $20M Into Manufacturing and High-Tech Startups
The New South Wales government has unveiled a $20 million Emerging Technologies Commercialisation Fund to accelerate high‑tech startups and strengthen local manufacturing. The first round, opening on 6 March, allocates $7 million in repayable grants to firms with early evidence ready to scale....
$200M Energy Fund to Power North West Queensland Development
The Queensland Government has launched a $200 million North West Energy Fund to accelerate affordable, reliable and sustainable power in the North West Minerals Province. The fund will back fast‑tracked local generation and storage projects, working with more than 20 private‑sector...
Minitab Acquisition Highlights Growing Role of Experimentation in Modern Manufacturing
Minitab announced the acquisition of Effex, an advanced experimental design platform, to strengthen its manufacturing analytics suite. Effex adds a large library of proprietary designs, optimal algorithms and AI‑assisted DOE capabilities, enabling engineers to run smaller, faster experiments. The integration...
Why Bills of Materials Are Now a Boardroom Issue
Bills of materials (BOMs) are moving from back‑office checklists to boardroom priorities for Australian asset‑intensive firms. Accurate, integrated BOMs link design, procurement, production and maintenance, turning them into a single source of truth. When well‑maintained, BOMs enable proactive spare‑part planning,...
Metal Logic Moves to Scale Clean Steel Manufacturing with Pilbara Site Deal
Metal Logic, a Melbourne‑based low‑carbon steel platform, has secured roughly 1,000 hectares of tenements in Western Australia’s Pilbara region to host its first industrial‑scale modular clean‑steel smelting hub. The project targets an initial capacity of one million tonnes per annum,...
Australian Made: GME Unveils Next-Gen XRS Connect Radio Platform
GME has launched the next‑generation XRS Connect UHF CB radio platform, adding two models – the XRS‑335C Super Compact and the XRS‑375C Heavy Duty Compact. Both devices deliver 5‑watt output, IP67‑rated speaker microphones, Bluetooth, GPS and noise‑reduction technology, and integrate...
The Battery Show Asia Celebrates Women Leading Energy Transition, Manufacturing Innovation
At its Hong Kong ceremony, The Battery Show Asia introduced the Women Leaders in Energy Awards, honoring sixteen women across battery technology, EV manufacturing, and clean‑energy infrastructure. Eight received the Energy Changemaker Award for established impact, while another eight earned...
Industry-Backed TAFE Degree Aims to Grow Skills Across Manufacturing, Automation Sectors
TAFE Queensland has introduced an Associate Degree in Applied Technologies, a higher‑education qualification designed to upskill workers in manufacturing, automation and digital technologies. The program was co‑created with industry leaders through the Queensland Future Skills Partnership, led by BHP Mitsubishi...
Australia’s $2.1B Battery Recycling Sector Pushes for National Stewardship Framework
Australia’s battery recycling industry contributes about $2.1 billion annually and supports nearly 20 000 jobs across 45 facilities. The Battery Stewardship Council projects the sector could grow to $6.9 billion and 34 600 jobs by 2050, highlighting its strategic role in domestic critical‑minerals supply....
Food Manufacturing Industry to Meet in Melbourne Under Foodpro–AIFST Partnership
Foodpro 2026 will partner with the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) for a dual‑track event in Melbourne from 26‑29 July 2026. The four‑day expo will host more than 400 exhibitors alongside the AIFST26 conference, which runs 27‑28...
Manufacturing Resilience: Australian Firms Post Steady Growth in 2025 – Report
Australian manufacturers ended 2025 with solid performance, posting 5.1% annualised sales growth and maintaining a 38.47% profit margin. Companies reduced average stock on hand to A$233,763 while purchase order values rose 22%, indicating a shift toward just‑in‑time replenishment. Lead times...
Gov’t Grants Target Australian Manufacturing, AI and Industry Growth
The Australian Government announced a $66 million Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC‑P) grant round, funding 27 projects across manufacturing, artificial intelligence and other sectors. WV Technologies secured a $2.2 million grant for its Aboriginal‑led Global Cyber Innovation project, leveraging CSIRO AI to...
Chemical Manufacturing Drives Growth in US Manufacturing Sector, Census Bureau Reports
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 Economic Census shows chemical manufacturing expanded while the broader manufacturing sector contracted. Establishments in the chemical subsector rose 10.2% to 14,961 and shipment values jumped 22.4% to $901 billion between 2017 and 2022. Growth was anchored...
Visy Launches New Tasmanian Packaging Hub for Food and Farming Sectors
Visy has inaugurated an 8,500‑square‑metre packaging hub in Devonport, Tasmania, to supply cardboard solutions to the state’s food, beverage and agricultural producers. The facility, opened by Minister Julie Collins, aims to bolster local manufacturing capacity and create jobs within an...
DroneShield Launches EU Manufacturing Line to Scale Counter-UAS Systems
DroneShield has opened its first European Union manufacturing line to produce counter‑UAS systems, with deliveries slated for mid‑2026. The move partners with an established EU contract manufacturer to handle turnkey assembly, PCB production, precision machining and testing. It aligns with...
Construction Underway on Kwinana Clean Energy Research Hub
Australia’s Future Energy Exports Cooperative Research Centre has begun construction on the first stage of the Kwinana Energy Transformation Hub (KETH) in Western Australia. Western Projects will build the R&D building, designed by Ferguson Architects, with work starting in September...
Cisco Survey: Infrastructure Gaps Stall AI Adoption in Manufacturing
Cisco’s 2026 State of Industrial AI report, based on 350+ manufacturing leaders across 19 countries, reveals that infrastructure shortfalls are throttling AI rollout in factories. While 96% view reliable wireless connectivity as essential, 56% cite frequent outages that disrupt operations....
Renewable Fuels Summit Kicks Off with $80M Funding Boost
Australia's Renewable Fuels Summit opened with an $80 million government funding boost for industrial decarbonisation and the announcement of the country's first agricultural renewable gas plant. Analysts estimate the nation has enough feedstock to sustain a $10 billion‑a‑year renewable fuels sector, potentially...
Engineers Australia Underscores Engineering Role in Updated Infrastructure Priority List
Engineers Australia has welcomed Infrastructure Australia’s updated Infrastructure Priority List, which outlines five critical sectors—high‑productivity freight networks, port capacity, high‑capacity urban transport, secure sustainable water, and a net‑zero clean‑energy economy. The list is designed to steer federal and state investment...
SPEE3D 3D Printing Restores ‘Deadlined’ US Army Vehicle in Hours
SPEE3D’s deployable Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit (EMU) used cold‑spray additive manufacturing to design, print, heat‑treat and machine a replacement battle‑lock handle for a US Army combat support vehicle in under 10 hours, restoring the vehicle within a 24‑hour field exercise. The...
Manufacturing Leaders Convene as Queensland Plots Industry Growth
The Queensland Manufacturing Advisory Council (QMAC) convened its first meeting of the year, bringing together industry leaders and government officials to shape the state’s manufacturing future. Discussions centered on the $79.1 million Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grants Program, innovation, advanced technology, and...
Australia–India Research Advances Greener Steel Manufacturing Through Agricultural Waste Trial
CSIRO and the Indian Institute of Science successfully trialed rice husk pellets as a partial coal substitute in steelmaking gasifiers at Jindal Steel’s Odisha plant. The world‑first test blended 5‑10% biomass‑derived syngas, delivering steady performance. Researchers estimate scaling the approach...
Orora Reports First Year of Reduced Emissions at Gawler Glass Manufacturing Site
Orora has completed the first year of operation for its G3 oxy‑fuel glass furnace at the Gawler plant in South Australia. The $130 million upgrade, funded in part by a $12.5 million government grant, has cut natural‑gas use by 32% and eliminated...
3D-Printed Padding System Aims to Improve Safety and Quality of EOD Helmets
A 3D‑printed lattice padding system for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) helmets is being developed by rapid product manufacturing GmbH (rpm) in partnership with amsight. The additively manufactured padding replaces conventional foam, allowing stiffness and damping to be tuned for different...
Dairy Manufacturing Prices Show Cautious Recovery Despite Global Oversupply, Rabobank Says
Rabobank’s Q1 Global Dairy Quarterly reports a modest rebound in dairy manufacturing prices, driven primarily by Australian and New Zealand products. Despite the rally, global milk supply remains abundant, with production growth projected to slow to just 0.2% in 2026 after...
Australian Manufacturing Sees Productivity Boost From Asset Upgrades, CommBank Reports
Commonwealth Bank of Australia reports that 87.6% of firms that upgraded vehicles, machinery or technology saw productivity gains of more than 10%, with larger companies achieving 20‑50% improvements. Asset‑finance volumes rose 20% year‑on‑year in December 2025, led by manufacturing equipment...
Manufacturing First: Surfboard Fins Made From Recycled Wind Turbine Blades Launch in Australia
ACCIONA and Australian surf‑fin maker Bolero Surf have launched the world’s first commercially available surfboard fins made from recycled wind‑turbine blades. The fins, unveiled at the 2026 Aussie Boardriders Battle, are produced locally under the Turbine Made initiative, which converts...
From Cost Exposure to Cost Control: Using Energy Flexibility to Protect Margins
Australian manufacturers are facing heightened margin pressure as wholesale electricity prices swing dramatically within hours. GridBeyond’s FlexPilot framework proposes turning energy from a volatile cost into a controllable variable by integrating seven‑day price forecasts, machine‑learning optimisation, and digital‑twin simulations into...
NSW Backs $70M Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project to Support Moree Farms
The New South Wales government has approved a $70 million green hydrogen and ammonia project near Moree, with $45.2 million of state funding. The joint venture between Hiringa Energy and Sundown Pastoral will generate about 4,500 tonnes of ammonia each year to serve...
$53M Grant to Support Development of Critical Metals Refining Industry
The Australian Government has committed $53 million through the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program to launch the Critical Metals for Critical Industries (CMCI) CRC. The initiative brings together 62 industry and research partners to develop domestic refining processes for critical metals...
Advanced Vaccine Manufacturing in Australia to Supply Canada with 15 Million Pandemic Doses
Australian biotech firm CSL Seqirus has secured a contract with Canada’s Public Health Agency to deliver up to 15 million doses of a cell‑based, adjuvanted pandemic influenza vaccine if the WHO declares a pandemic. The doses will be manufactured at CSL...
Program Launched to Recycle Used Clear Aligners Across Australia and New Zealand
Angelalign Technology has launched a recycling program for used clear aligners in partnership with TerraCycle, covering dental and orthodontic practices across Australia and New Zealand. The initiative uses TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box system to collect multi‑layered plastic aligners, which are...
Government, Industry Launch Network to Help Australian Exporters Diversify
The Australian Government and industry groups launched the Trade Diversification Network (TDN) on 4 March as part of the $50 million Accessing New Markets Initiative. The network brings together 40 national peak bodies to provide coordinated market‑intelligence, trade services and sector‑specific support...
Child-Safety Focus Drives New Washing Machine Design Standard Ahead of 2026 Deadline
Standards Australia amended AS/NZS 60335.2.7 to mandate a dual‑action start mechanism for washing machines sold in Australia and New Zealand from July 2026. The change, driven by child‑safety incidents such as the 2021 Christchurch tragedy, requires two distinct user inputs before a cycle...
