News

Australian manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups can now apply for a new $3.25 million funding program aimed at helping businesses adopt additive manufacturing to improve productivity, strengthen supply chains and accelerate innovation, according to the Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC).

Australia's manufacturing sector is expected to remain under pressure from the ongoing global energy crisis, even if tensions in the Middle East ease soon, according to the Australian Industry Group, which says the effects on inflation, investment and business activity are likely to persist for months.

A new national initiative has been launched to help Australian small and medium-sized food and beverage manufacturers adopt more sustainable packaging and processing solutions while reducing food loss and waste, according to End Food Waste Australia.

Alcoa has announced an agreement to acquire South32’s interests in a portfolio of bauxite, alumina and aluminium operations for an upfront consideration of approximately US$4.1 billion, in a transaction the company says will expand its global upstream aluminium business and strengthen its production footprint.

The Queensland Government has announced that Vecco Group has been secured as the foundation customer for the Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) in Townsville following the completion of major construction, marking a milestone for the state's critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing sector.

Southern Launch has secured $25 million in Series A funding to expand its spaceport infrastructure, increase its workforce and grow launch, re-entry and range services, with the company saying the investment will strengthen Australia's manufacturing and sovereign space capabilities.

Siemens and IFS have announced a strategic partnership aimed at helping manufacturers connect engineering, production and asset management data through industrial artificial intelligence (AI), with the companies saying the collaboration is intended to improve productivity and optimise production assets across the product lifecycle.

Sparc Technologies has announced the launch of SparcES™, a new graphene additive range for electrostatic discharge (ESD) and conductive coatings, targeting applications used in data centres, semiconductor facilities and electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants.

Crusader Caravans has been recognised by Caravan Industry Victoria (CIV) as the most awarded manufacturer in the history of the organisation's Hall of Fame and Industry Awards, following four Manufacturer of the Year wins over the past six years.

Oracle has announced new artificial intelligence-powered capabilities for its Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM) platform, including four new Fusion Agentic Applications designed to help organisations improve manufacturing efficiency, strengthen supply chain performance, and enhance inventory management.