Feature

The Australian government announced in late February a $310 million acquisition of nuclear submarine components from the United Kingdom. The payment will support the manufacture of nuclear-powered submarines to be built in Osborne, South Australia. The investment follows a larger GBP 2.4 billion Australian contribution to expand Rolls-Royce Submarines' production capacity.

Energy is no longer just a cost centre for manufacturers – it is fast becoming a strategic lever for efficiency, resilience and growth.

Melbourne-based metal fabricator Aston Precision grew from a spare bedroom to an established industry player in just three years.

Australian manufacturers are poised for unprecedented access to US and UK defence markets under the AUKUS partnership, presenting long-term contracts, deeper supply chain integration, and industrial growth. 

For more than six decades, Good Design Australia has celebrated the power of design to shape innovation, industry, and everyday life. Its flagship program, the Australian Good Design Awards, recognises projects that show how thoughtful design can enhance products, services, systems, and communities.

Manufacturing has entered a new phase in its digital transformation, with Industrial AI moving beyond pilot programs into core operational systems. 

Energy price volatility has become a structural feature of modern electricity markets rather than a temporary disruption. For energy-intensive manufacturers and large commercial operators, fluctuating wholesale prices are reshaping how energy costs are managed, making reactive approaches increasingly inadequate.

As manufacturing processes become more complex and competitive pressures intensify, companies are increasingly turning to structured experimentation and advanced analytics to optimise production, reduce waste and accelerate innovation.

Quantum computing has long been framed as a future technology challenge, but growing investment from governments and industry is beginning to shift the conversation toward its economic and operational implications for industrial sectors. 

Electricity price volatility is reshaping the cost base of Australian manufacturing, challenging long-held assumptions that energy can be treated as a stable operational input.