Industry Update Jun/Jul 2023 - Issue 132

When Melt Ventures’ manager Trent Bagnall was looking around for a new startup market to invest in, he says he was shocked to discover there were no funds devoted to the early stage advanced manufacturing space.

“There are a few grant organisations around, but in terms of private venture funds there’s zero.”

Previously, as founder of Slingshot Accelerator, Bagnall had primarily invested in ‘software as a service’ companies, but says the market was saturated and becoming overvalued.

“There are currently 106 early stage funds in Australia - and 103 of them

by Margie Smithurst

are dedicated to software companies. So that just shows you the dearth of funding available for an advanced manufacturing company in Australia today.”

Bagnall’s fund had already begun investing in early stage advanced manufacturing companies - or companies that “make things”, he says.

About a year ago, Bagnall got serious about the idea and set up Melt Ventures, where investing in ‘hardware’ is the guiding principle. Bagnall believes Melt Ventures is the country’s first and so far only, venture capital company fully focused on startups in the advanced manufacturing space.

Foodpro back after six-year hiatus

Australia’s longest-running food manufacturing industry event returns in July with hundreds of exhibitors and is open for registrations.

With a 50 year history, the show will run from 23-26 July 2023 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

continues on page 22 continues on page 32

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Book review ‘Callan Park: The Jewel of the West’, Volume 1

Ahistory of Callan Park from 1788 to 1960, this first volume takes readers on a journey of discovery of facts and manoeuvres involving even the CIA. Author Edward Moxon, who spent 20 years working at Callan Park in several roles, divulges much that was previously unpublished.

In time, dramatic changes did finally happen: there was a paradigm shift from mothering to encouraging independence.Yet the government’s predominant focus, through its bureaucrats, had been on costs, structure, and process. Others had different ideas.

The change came through unlikely people: a female psychiatrist and her friends, two young nurses, a psychopathic doctor, a patient’s brother, a few buck-passing bureaucrats, a newspaper, and eventually a Royal Commission.

There were lies and empire builders, political gameplay and deals, hatchet people and scapegoats.

There were sexual favours. One doctor proudly claimed that there were three things necessary for a happy life, “…to eat in style, to drive in style and to

f… in style.”

Spies gathered information for personal gain and to write headlines for newspapers.

Sadly, Callan Park is littered with the refuse of dedicated staff who succumbed to suicide, alcoholism, PTSD, depression, and family breakdown — written off as collateral damage.

Treatments for psychiatric conditions are continually changing but not necessarily due to scientific advances. A popular treatment in the 1920s was isolation, a purgative in the 1940s and ‘50s, brain surgery, psychotropic drugs and LSD in the 1950s and 60s. The stage was set to usher in a revolution in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems and to experience the worst of political intervention. Volume two explores these two concepts.

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I’ve been to countless manufacturing expos in my time in the industry, but the Australian Manufacturing Week expo in May in Melbourne stands out as one of the best I’ve seen in decades.

Walking in the door to set up Industry Update Media’s stand just before the expo opened on day one, I had a feeling it would be big, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Almost 350 companies from Australia and overseas filled the huge halls of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre to showcase their manufacturing solutions.

With record-breaking numbers of visitors – the highest in the event’s 24 year history – the expo’s seven zones were filled with robots, state-of-the-art laser cutting and water-jet machines, and the latest in additive printing technology.

AMTIL, which organised the event, deserves huge credit, and it was pleasing to see hundreds of school students visit, potentially priming the next generations for a career in advanced manufacturing.

Next door, Industry Update also set up a stand at Electronex, which ran alongside AMW for two days, and was an event we also media partnered with. They too had record-breaking visitors.

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Editor Margie Smithurst

Industry Update focuses on two more significant shows in this edition.

After a six year hiatus, Foodpro is back in Melbourne from July 23 to 26. One of the major exhibitions for the food and beverage industry, for the past 50 years, Foodpro has brought together food producers, distributors and manufacturers.

Expect to encounter global innovations, cutting-edge technology and international specialist suppliers, and hear from subject matter experts on the latest in food technology and processing.

Again, Industry Update will be there, and covering it.

For those also in the sector, note that Fine Food Australia comes to Sydney’s ICC from 11-14 September.

We also feature CeMAT Australia, which organisers are touting as the biggest one yet. From July 25 - 27 at Sydney’s Olympic Park, it’s an excellent opportunity to see first hand the latest range of solutions and technology in logistics, warehousing, robotics and automation.

One of the strengths of Industry

Update magazine is its commitment to a diversity of manufacturing and associated sectors over its many editions.

This one covers a broad range: from investors finally focusing on manufacturing startups (p1); to the challenges of soft plastics recycling (p62); to automation considerations for SMEs (p68), with questions like, at what point is it cost effective to introduce robots?

Recycling, energy and waste management continue to be a focus for Australian innovation.

Responding to the recent waste tyre export ban, Molycop has collaborated with UNSW, Crawford Boots and the AMGC to use old tyres and boots in its steel-making process (p65).

Brisbane engineering consultancy, Hatch, has released a report pushing for the construction industry to use more green concrete, saying if it were substituted for half the traditional concrete used, it could save 17 million tonnes of our yearly 500 million tonnes of carbon emissions (p64).

Queensland, buoyed by the Olympics

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and its $62 billion Energy And Jobs Plan, is quickly becoming a manufacturing magnet.

It continues its record as a hub for biomedical innovation, with Vaxxas opening its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Brisbane for its needle-free patch vaccine technology (p30). The company intends to base its global headquarters there as well.

2023 continues to deliver powerhouse expos for the manufacturing sector. For logistics, robotics and automation industries, our CeMAT Australia section (starting p36) previews the show, which takes place in July in Sydney. This year, after community feedback, there will be a new ‘Workforce Hub’ section for those interested in working in the sector or acquiring new skills.

And with the food and beverage industry making up the bulk of Australian manufacturing, we preview some of the exhibitors at Foodpro (starting p44), which takes place in July in Melbourne. Expert speakers will outline the latest in next-generation innovation and trends, with a new Product Innovation stage this year.

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Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic

Husic: green shoots for advanced manufacturing

The Australian government’s plan to invest in and rebuild our proud manufacturing industry is now just over a year old.

Green shoots are evident, particularly in advanced manufacturing.

The sector accounts for around half of Australia’s $100 billion plus annual manufacturing output and is one of the fastest-growing export sectors.

Our progress towards a strong, vibrant and innovative manufacturing base is also evident among the industry managers, owners and investors I meet in my day-to-day work.

They are confident and optimistic about the future.

We expect the National Reconstruction Fund – a key aspect of our ‘A Future Made in Australia’ policy to be operating soon.

The fund will provide the opportunity for loans, equity investment and guarantees across seven priority areas.

One of these is value-add in the

agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food, and fibre sectors, where we’ve earmarked $500 million in funding support.

Advanced manufacturing will be supported by $1 billion allocated to it within the National Reconstruction Fund.

Another way we are revitalising industry is through the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) – an industry-led, not-for-profit established through our Industry Growth Centres Initiative.

In the meantime, we have been advancing other initiatives across government to ensure we can capitalise on emerging opportunities.

One of these is quantum science and technology – a field where Australia’s research and commercialisation capabilities are among the world’s best.

Updated market projections by CSIRO have shown that quantum technology is forecast to reach $6 billion and generate more than 19,000 jobs in Australia by 2045.

Between 2017 and 2021, Australia

captured a 3.6 per cent share of global venture capital for quantum, so there is a solid basis for growth.

Our institutions are collaborating with industry partners to translate their discoveries into practical applications in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, aerospace, defence and biotechnology, to name but some.

The government has launched Australia’s first National Quantum Strategy so we make good on our competitive advantages.

This will set our long-term vision of how we capitalise on the opportunities now before us by:

• Reaffirming our commitment to quantum technologies and building a sustainable, world-leading quantum economy

• Identifying the areas we need to focus on to support industry growth and capability, and

• Guiding the development of industry-relevant applications of quantum technology

Australia also has international collaborations and partnerships in place that will create or boost opportunities for Australia quantum businesses.

The Quad agreement with the US, Japan, and India, for example, will accelerate quantum investment and capability.

And our May Budget included investment of $101m to support the responsible development of Australia’s quantum and artificial intelligence industries.

Support for critical technologies is also high on the government’s agenda.

In 2022, we announced a review of the List of Critical Technologies in the National Interest to better capture the opportunities while managing the risks of those current and emerging technologies that will help us reach our long-term economic, social, and environmental objectives.

Artificial Intelligence, robotics and clean energy generation and storage are

just some of the areas that Australia must prioritise to ensure we are ready for the industries of the future.

The updated list identifies seven key enabling technology fields. The inclusion of clean energy generation and storage technologies recognises not just the imperative to transition to a low-carbon economy but the huge economic opportunities this transition will create.

Australia continues to advance important photovoltaic and renewable energy storage technologies, and we’re a leader in integrating renewables into the grid.

With our strengths in mining and mineral processing, Australia is well on the way to creating new clean energyrelated industries with significant export potential.

Accompanying the 2023 Critical Technologies List is a Critical Technologies Statement that will set out the government’s commitment to the seven key enabling technology fields.

The statement will provide a national strategy and common vision and ensure all stakeholders are working together and across the research, investment, talent attraction and international collaboration sectors.

The advent of digital technologies offers us a historic opportunity to transition our manufacturing to an advanced level.

The Australian government believes in this opportunity for Australia, and we will back innovative and forward-looking manufacturers to lead the way.

We also want to support start-ups and SMEs looking to commercialise their ideas.

The new $392 million Industry Growth Program we announced in the May Budget will enable emerging business to become the big employers of the future.

It’s another of the many steps we are taking to ensure we have a thriving advanced manufacturing sector able to deliver future economic prosperity for all Australians.

Don’t lose momentum in the space race

Australia has the smarts, the skills, and the geography to be a world leader in the space sector.

But as other countries are spending big on space it feels like we are falling further behind and losing momentum.

We probably all remember that iconic moment when JFK addressed Rice University in the hot Texan air of September 1962.

In his Boston twang he boomed, “we choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

The pursuit of industrial endeavours

new frontier, a new chapter of Australia’s successful economic story.

The Coalition’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy locked in space as a key priority for Australian manufacturing and noted it was an area of huge economic potential for Australian businesses. It estimated the future space industry would continue its upward trajectory and would be worth US$1 trillion.

Australia’s space industry has the capacity to not only be a pillar of advanced manufacturing, it can also ignite productivity across our economy.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Industry Sussan Ley

agriculture, so collaborations between our farmers and the space sector are a big opportunity if we are able to realise it.

But we also know space is also not just about driving productivity and economic growth.

Bushfire mitigation

Space technology can help equip Australian emergency services with better understanding of fuel loads across our unique Australian bushland. That means our emergency services and land management agencies can make better decisions to deal with fuel

range of actions to help Australia respond better to bushfires through leveraging space. Industry has a key role and a lot to offer the government in this effort.

It almost goes without saying that space technology is critical for Australia’s national security and defence.

The Coalition’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update and the 2020 Force Structure Plan shifted space into a higher gear across Australia’s defence establishment. It resulted in the creation of Defence Space Command in January 2022.

The recently released Defence Strategic Review evolved the work we did in government on space. What is now clear is there is a bipartisan commitment to space as a keystone defence and national security industry.

Space is no longer an aspirational effort for Australia. The Australian space industry is a key part of the next chapter of our economic story. It holds the potential to unlock productivity and new advanced manufacturing jobs. Space technology is already helping us mitigate Australia’s unrelenting natural environment and it is also now a fundamental part of our national security.

in space holds great symbolic value. It is a demonstration of humanity’s capacity to innovate, to dream, to build and to reach for the stars.

Growing the space sector presents us with so much more than a worthy human endeavour. A strong, stable and growing space industry is not just an inspiration, in the 21st century economy it is a necessity.

Because the space industry is more than just rocket ships, it is more than launch pads and satellites.

Australia’s space industry can be a

Space and agriculture

The application of space technology is a new avenue to help boost agricultural productivity – space technology can help with weather forecasting, crop monitoring, precision agriculture, irrigation management, automation and pest control.

That means with the right partnerships, Australian farmers can drive more production across their operations through smarter use of data and more precise decision making.

Australia already leads the world in

loads and help to mitigate the impacts of severe bushfire events before they occur.

As we see other countries such as Canada face increasingly severe bushfire events, Australia has the opportunity to take our world-leading firefighting knowledge and combine it with innovation in our space sector to help other countries tackle the challenge this poses.

In response to our devastating Black Summer of Bush Fires, we launched the Bushfire Earth Observation Taskforce. The report it authored recommended a

But space is a rapidly evolving sector, and all governments have to be prepared to move fast and run with industry, not vacate the field.

Space is not an explicit priority of the National Reconstruction Fund, and it should be.

With every day of delay, and funding cuts to space projects we fall further behind the next exciting frontier.

Now is not the time to turn off the taps on space, it’s time to fire the boosters and back Australia’s space industry to soar above the rest.

Solar satellite (stock image)

Great manufacturing expectations

The CommBank Manufacturing Insights report reveals that nearly three quarters (72%) of manufacturers expect to increase production levels in the next year, and the same number plan to increase capital expenditure. Still more — 74% — forecast increased profits in the coming year.

Most have an optimistic short-term outlook for business conditions which the report says is likely buoyed by a stronger-than-expected financial performance in the past year. Seventy per cent reported profit growth in the past year, compared to just 52% last year. They are experiencing challenges facing the industry, with 75% expecting increases in operating costs and 92% saying lingering supply chain issues are holding back capacity or growth – and they say this is impacting cash flow.

Jerry Macey, CBA Executive Manager Consumer Diversified Industries, said Australian manufacturers had a strong track record of rising to meet disruption challenges by adapting operational performance and investment to the environment.

“We share the broad-based optimism of the manufacturing sector and we are here to support their growth aspirations,” Mr Macey said. “Manufacturers aren’t ignoring challenges but rather are ramping up their investment to become leaner, stronger and more productive.

“Most are navigating rising costs, inflationary pressures and supply chain issues, which often combine to constrain

cash flows. When viewed alongside talent shortages, this is driving innovation to achieve greater efficiencies and boost capacity to support an uplift in production.”

Tech is the priority

The highest business priority for manufacturers in the year ahead is investing in new technology, with 87% expecting to increase expenditure. It’s even higher in regional locations, where 99% plan to invest more.

Other key business priorities in the next year include adapting processes to drive greater efficiency and productivity, improving quality and increasing capacity.

Tech to be invested in includes process controls (32% ), followed by implementing more cloud-based applications (28% ), plus supply chain and logistics and customer experience (27% ).

Many manufacturers are also turning to emerging technology to drive efficiencies and customer use. The fastest-growing areas of adoption in the next two years are expected to be next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (31% ), autonomous systems and equipment (31% ) and artificial intelligence (30% ).

Mr Macey said the research shows that by 2025 many innovative technologies, from 3D printing to blockchain and digital twins, will be commonplace in manufacturing.

“Given data is powering many of these solutions, greater cyber security vigilance is required. The most widespread process to mitigate cyber threats is a rigorous access and password policy, and that’s only in place among 36% of manufacturers.

“Fewer manufacturers regularly update their systems and software (25%) or conduct regular training for their teams (27% ), which are cornerstone activities, often recommended by cyber experts.”

Sustainability a pillar

Manufacturers are turning to sustainability measures for a positive impact and stronger business outcomes. Eightyeight per cent say sustainable manufacturing is important to their business strategy. Of those, 36% consider it essential.

Sustainability is driving initiatives across the environmental, social and governance spectrum with 78% of manufacturers setting an emissions reduction target, up significantly from 45% last year. More than half of manufacturers say they have already attained it or are on track (57%).

“Manufacturers understand they can have a positive impact by focusing on sustainability initiatives while achieving better business outcomes, from competitiveness to financial performance. This is manifesting in a range of programs, from operational waste and carbon reduction to heightened diversity and

improved governance processes,” said Mr Macey.

“There is a strong correlation between the manufacturers targeting growth in the year ahead and those adopting sustainability initiatives. It reiterates the links between sustainable practices and adaptability, resilience, and performance.”

CommBank Manufacturing Insights is an exclusive, wide-ranging analysis of Australian manufacturers. This edition examines how manufacturers are navigating the industry’s emerging challenges and opportunities with a focus on trends in business performance, inflation and supply chain management, digital transformation, and sustainable manufacturing.

The research is based on an online quantitative survey of 300 key decision-makers in manufacturing during January 2023, and was conducted by ACA Research on behalf of the Commonwealth Bank.

Most Australian manufacturers have great expectations for higher production volumes backed by higher capital spends although they face ongoing challenges, according to the 2023 CommBank Manufacturing Insights Report.

Ampcontrol buys Androck to back expansion in renewables

Rutherford, NSW, and has capabilities in machining, fabrication, hydraulics, and electrical repairs. The company conducts equipment services and overhauls, including continuous miners, shuttle cars, and multi-bolters.

Darren Rockley, Androck Managing Director and owner, has always believed in keeping manufacturing jobs within Australia.

“With a workforce of 65 people, I’m excited to see how Androck product offerings and skilled people can support Ampcontrol, its customers and the wider industry to help make net zero a reality,” said Rockley.

orders during the acquisition period. The existing product and service offerings from Androck will remain unchanged and form a part of Ampcontrol’s offering. Androck has 60 staff, five purpose-built workshops located in Rutherford, NSW, and capabilities in machining, fabrication, hydraulics, and electrical repairs.

Electrical engineering company Ampcontrol has bought Hunterbased Androck Engineering & Mining (Androck) to back Ampcontrol’s plans for growth and expansion in renewable energy manufacturing for a low-carbon economy.

Since it began in 2006 as a specialised component overhauling facility, Androck has grown into a substantial supply and manufacture operation which includes engineering and re-engineering to solve issues in the underground mining sector.

Rod Henderson, Ampcontrol Managing Director and CEO believes there is great opportunity for industry decarbonisation in the new AmpcontrolAndrock combination.

“Androck’s extensive mechanical and machining expertise, capability, and manufacturing operations will enable Ampcontrol to further accelerate development of our energy and electromotive solutions at scale to support industry decarbonisation,” said Henderson.

Androck has five workshops in

“Knowing Androck is going to the ‘good home’ of Ampcontrol leaves me confident there will be a smooth transition of our business operations for our customers [which] will see our manufacturing remain onshore.”

Mr Rockley will remain in the business to support the integration of Androck into the Ampcontrol business and focus on strategic growth opportunities.

Ampcontrol and Androck signed a Share Purchase Agreement in May, with the acquisition transaction expected be completed soon afterwards.

There will be no immediate changes to current trading, workforce, operations, branding, or customer contracts and

The purchase of Androck is the first by Ampcontrol since it was fully owned by investment house Washington H. Soul Pattinson in 2022. Founded in Newcastle NSW in 1968, Ampcontrol is a privately owned electrical engineering company leading advanced global manufacturing of award-winning innovations, products and service to the resources, infrastructure and energy sectors. It now has more than 950 employees across 30 operations worldwide.

Androck Managing Director and owner Darren Rockley (left) with Rod Henderson Ampcontrol Managing Director and CEO

Visy in Brissy: recycling 39,000 tonnes a year

of becoming a zero-waste society.

Visy Executive Chairman Anthony Pratt said the upgrade is a part of Visy’s commitment to invest $2 billion over the next decade - $700 million of that in Queensland - to reduce landfill, cut emissions and create green collar manufacturing jobs.

“Recycling is an important weapon against climate change. We’re not just manufacturers, we’re in the landfill avoidance business,” said Pratt.

rather than going to landfill.

This technology processes mixed paper from the hundreds of thousands of kerbside bins across Queensland, recycling it back into 100% recycled packaging. It is expected that up to an additional 39,000 tonnes of material will be diverted from landfill each year.

“It will remove 39,000 tonnes of material each year – equivalent to 20 kilos for every Queensland household,” said Premier the Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Recycling titan Visy was joined at the end of May by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce a $48 million upgrade to its recycling facility on Gibson Island by the Port of Brisbane.

At election time, the state government had committed to make a $16 million investment from its Queensland Jobs Fund to help Visy realise its upgrade plans and help achieve Queensland’s 2050 vision

The project created about one hundred jobs during construction and, since the announcement at the end of May, has established 11 new, green collar, recycling and manufacturing jobs on site to add to the site’s workforce of more than 200 strong workforce.

The upgrade includes a new stateof-the-art optical paper-sorting plant and an upgrade to the embedded energy facility, where waste fuels its power

Overall, Visy is investing $700 million on expanding its recycling and remanufacturing operations across Queensland, including a new $500 million glass container recycling and manufacturing facility in Yatala, and a new $150 million corrugated box factory at Hemmant.

The 100% recycled paper will be manufactured back into corrugated boxes for Queensland farmers, food and beverage companies, and more at the new Hemmant facility, which is set to open next month and support over 100 ongoing jobs.

Anthony Pratt, Visy Executive Chairman shows Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk around the upgraded recycling plant

Apollo Motorhomes streamlines production with 3D printing

Apollo Motorhome Holidays, a leading manufacturer of luxury recreational vehicles (RVs) and caravans, has announced a partnership with Markforged, industry leader in industrial 3D printing solutions.

By integrating Markforged 3D printers into its manufacturing process, Apollo says it is taking manufacturing to the next level in the caravan industry, and can now get industrial-grade new parts in hours, not weeks.

Australian owned and operated, Apollo has been at the forefront of the RV industry, offering high-quality, luxury motorhomes, campervans and caravans to customers around the world.

Markforged 3D printers are designed to produce functional, high-strength parts using a range of materials,

including carbon fibre, stainless steel, and onyx.

With the ability to create custom parts quickly and easily, Apollo says it can solve supply chain issues, and reduce lead times and costs while maintaining its high standards of quality.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Markforged,” said Edney Ferreira, Engineering Manager of Apollo.

“Their 3D printing technology is cutting edge and will allow us to create high-quality, custom parts that are essential to the motorhomes, campervans and caravans we produce.

“The addition of Markforged 3D printers to our manufacturing process will streamline our production and provide us with the ability to create custom designs quickly and efficiently.”

Game-changing for caravan manufacturers

To overcome material shortages that added delays to production, Apollo purchased the X7 carbon fibre printer, which prints small components and connectors.

The X7 enables engineers and designers to fundamentally improve manufacturing operations at speed.

Over time, Apollo found more uses for the printer, including new tools they could make and iterate to make the process of building RVs easier and faster.

Apollo is now also able to quickly

print miniatures of caravan chassis and motorhome cabinetry to show the concepts before starting the final stages of design, and can also test lean concepts in an assembly line.

In future Apollo plans to utilise the miniatures to simulate concepts for training new assembly workers as well as to print spare parts on demand for its rental business.

Markforged 3D printers have already been implemented in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, and defence.

By incorporating this technology into the caravan industry, Apollo is leading the way in innovation and efficiency.

Markforged showcased its industrial 3D printers, including the biggest one, the FX20, at Australian Manufacturing Week in May, where it was the sponsor of the Additive Manufacturing Zone.

CSIRO outlines threats to food security and how to beat them

Australia’s national science agency has announced our food systems must change now to be sustainable.

The CSIRO’s report Reshaping Australian Food Systems has charted the food pipeline from production to consumption and waste management. It found food systems to be under pressure on myriad fronts such as changing climate, increasing demand, supply chain and workforce disruptions, rising costs and nutrition-related public health concerns.

The report maps how Australia can secure a more sustainable, productive, and resilient future for its food, environment, and people by 2050.

Minimising food waste and better access to healthy diets are among five significant opportunities prioritised by the report which had input from more than 120 stakeholders across the country.

Kirsten Rose, the CSIRO’s Executive Director, Future Industries, said decision-makers should look to the report as a roadmap and an important resource for protecting food security and public health.

“Australia’s food systems currently support an estimated 70 million people [including] through our export markets — so it’s critical those systems are robust enough to meet future needs,” Rose said.

“This roadmap represents a collective approach to tackling some of the biggest

challenges facing the security and health of our food.”

The roadmap identified five areas of opportunities, each with their own 2030 targets and 2050 goals:

• Enabling equitable access to healthy and sustainable diets

• Minimising waste and improving circularity

• Facilitating Australia’s transition to net zero emissions

• Aligning resilience with socio-economic and environmental sustainability

• Increasing value and productivity

CSIRO’s Director of Agriculture and Food Dr Michael Robertson said the roadmap was a broad look at food systems and how they interact with wider societal systems.

“Recent climate extremes, the Covid19 pandemic, and geopolitical uncertainties show that we need to prepare our food systems for a shifting risk landscape in our interdependent world,” Dr Robertson said.

“Addressing these challenges and redirecting our food systems towards greater sustainability and resilience will help us protect our food security into the future.”

Paul Denny, Assistant Secretary for food policy, Department of Agriculture,

Fisheries and Forestry, said the document will be an important resource for building sustainable food systems for the future.

“The roadmap will shape thinking about food systems and assist stakeholders along the entire food value chain to understand how those systems can be made healthier, more equitable and more sustainable,” Mr Denny said.

Foodbank Australia General Manager Sarah Pennell said it was timely to have a guiding document to support equity in food systems right across Australia.

“We know that food insecurity is a growing challenge in Australia and there needs to be a ‘whole of systems’ approach

to efficiently and effectively addressing the immediate impacts at the same time as providing solutions for the root causes,” Ms Pennell said.

“Foodbank has really welcomed the opportunity to input into this roadmap because it supports and guides a collaborative approach to better delivering food security for the most vulnerable in our community.”

Delivering skills for workers, manufacturing and the economy

The federal government has delivered three more Jobs and Skills Councils — for manufacturing, transport and logistics, and mining and automotive sectors — to help address workforce challenges.

Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) are industry-owned and led organisations which bring together employers and unions to work in partnership with governments and the education and training sectors to solve the workforce and skills challenges now faced by industry. JSCs will partner with Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) to align workforce planning for their sectors by combining industry-specific intelligence from the JSCs with forecasting from JSA.

The just-announced JSCs are:

• Manufacturing JSC: The new JSC to be known as Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance will enable modern manufacturing and associated industries to get workers with the right skills to ensure manufacturing continues to grow through advanced manufacturing and innovation.

• Transport and Logistics JSC: Industry Skills Australia will bring together

employer and union leaders from the transport and logistics industries to support planning for Australia’s core supply

chain sectors.

• Mining and Automotive JSC: The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance

will work closely with employers and unions to address workforce and skills gaps for industries critical to Australia’s economic and environmental future. The mining and automotive sectors contribute significantly to Australia’s economic prosperity and include industries and occupations that will help achieve our net-zero transformation.

Sharon Robertson CEO Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance said Australian manufacturing is experiencing a period of renewed opportunities.

“As organisations seek to capitalise on future growth, they need a workforce with the right skills to make it happen. We are looking forward to being on the journey with them and providing workforce development solutions.”

“If the collaboration we have seen from governments, unions, employers and training providers while we were establishing the Manufacturing [Industry Skills] Alliance is anything to go by, then we are well placed to make a tangible difference to industry and its workforce,” she said.

Download the roadmap, Reshaping Australian Food Systems

(From left) Sharon Robertson, CEO Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance, the Hon Brendan O’Connor, Minister for Skills and Training and Graeme Russell, Chair Manufacturing Industry Skills Alliance.

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How to achieve the priorities set out by the new Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy

by Marie Kinsella, CEO of the IEC Group

According to Safe Work Australia, 70% of fatalities and 61% of serious workers’ compensation claims occur in the agriculture, construction, transport, manufacturing, healthcare, social assistance and public administration and safety sectors.

These fatalities and injuries are preventable, through the proper work health and safety protocols. The new 10-year Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) Strategy, released in February, helps to guide employers and employees towards the goal of preventing work-related deaths, injuries and illness.

Importantly, it also tackles the misconception that health and safety protocols slow productivity – there’s growing evidence that they actually boost productivity and job satisfaction.

Five WHS priorities

The new strategy identifies several priority actions:

1. Preventing fatalities, injuries and illness: These are most commonly caused by vehicle incidents, being hit by moving objects, slips and falls from a height.

2. Improving mental health for workers: An increasing proportion of serious workplace health claims are attributed to mental health

conditions, which arise because of occupational violence, harassment or bullying, and work pressure. Unfortunately, there remains a general lack of awareness around these hazards.

3. Strengthening the health and safety of the country’s vulnerable workers: All workers should feel empowered with the right knowledge, support and skills to achieve safety and wellbeing at work.

4. Harnessing data and research: Collect and record data, which you can use to identify trends or weak points in your business’s safety strategy. Digital tools help to automate the process.

5. Creating a strong health and safety culture through strong leadership: Invest in the training and skills development for workplace leaders.

We’re here to help

We want to help Australian employers in achieving compliance and make it easier to get to grips with the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy, so this is why it was a key theme at our recent Workplace Health & Safety Show Brisbane.

For our upcoming Sydney show, I am also pleased to announce that

we have secured a strong line-up of speakers to address a range of topics, including experts from SafeWork NSW, ContractorSAFE, Safety Innovation Academy, Black Dog Institute — and more!

Register FREE today to attend two days of interactive seminars

The Workplace Health and Safety Show will take place in Sydney from 20

to 21 September 2023, at the Sydney Showground. The comprehensive seminar program covers the latest in regulatory amendments, technology developments and safety trends.

Workplace Health and Safety Show

whsshow.com.au/sydney

Queensland enshrines first code for silica dust

ensuring the health and safety of people at work.

While the local construction and building industry has been quick to understand and adopt preventative measures to mitigate the risks associated with RCS exposure, there is still work to be done.

businesses that have a large number of legislative and regulatory obligations to fulfil. Many of these small businesses don’t have dedicated professionals within their workforce to ensure compliance,” he says.

This is where Master Builders Queensland – representing building and construction in the region – fills the gap.

“We support the industry with education to improve safety outcomes for workers which is why we felt that the Work Health and Safety Show was a great opportunity to reach our members and other companies and individuals interested in safety in construction,” says Dearling.

Three ways to reduce RCS risks

Effective from May 2023 in Queensland, Australia’s first silica dust Code of Practice sets out how to manage the risks of exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) which can cause often fatal silicosis and cancers.

The new code provides guidance on how persons managing a business or business activity can safely manage RCS and comply with their general duty of

According to Craig Dearling, General Manager Workforce Services, Master Builders Queensland, its members generally care and take active steps to ensure health and safety at work.

“There are challenges in the context of an industry made up of so many small

Dearling explains that employers can put the following three practical measures into practice, to mitigate the risk of exposure to RCS:

1. Refer closely to Appendix 4 of the new Code of Practice, which contains a ‘controls table’ outlining what controls should be used for a range of different tasks. Dearling says this is a handy resource for specific advice, for example it explains when respiratory protective equipment or health monitoring of workers is required.

2. Familiarise yourself with the available information on high-risk products, identify potential hazards, and implement appropriate and effective controls to mitigate risks.

3. If you are unsure about the RCS hazards, the risks, and how to mitigate them, call in professional health and safety advisors, like those at Master Builders, before performing the work. Master Builders offers training on silica awareness for anyone working with concrete, tiles, block, stone and other materials that potentially expose them to RCS. Master Builders’ advisors also consult on the hazards and risks in any building or construction environment, and how to control them.

“Master Builders offers training on silica awareness for anyone working with concrete, tiles, block, stone and other materials”

Craig Dearling, GM Workforce Services, Master Builders Queensland

Why aren’t women staying in STEM careers?

by Margie

For women in STEM it seems like it’s two steps forward, three steps back.

On the one hand, according to a recent report, the recruitment programs to get more girls and women into STEM have been successful, and STEM is no longer seen as “nerdy” or “unpopular”.

However, when women start work in their STEM careers, there’s evidence they quickly become disillusioned and a staggering few remain in the field.

In 2020, women made up 37% of university enrolments in STEM courses — a 24% increase from five years before. Not parity, but not bad.

But only one in 10 women who have STEM qualifications work in STEMrelated jobs, according to the Australian Academy of Science. So that’s 9 out of 10 opting not to work in the field.

Unsurprisingly, the number of women in the skilled STEM workforce sits at a low 16%.

A recent study by the South Australian Academy for Gender Equity in STEM, released by the University of South Australia, has set out to find out why women aren’t thriving once in STEM careers.

“We see a drop-off in the five years after university or postgraduate study,” lead report author Dr Deborah Devis told Industry Update

“Women are going into STEM jobs, and they’re realising the workplace culture is unsupportive or even hostile to them and it’s not worth it, and then they’re going somewhere else that’s either STEMadjacent, or completely different.”

‘Hostile’ workplace

The definition of a ‘hostile’ workplace is broad, says Dr Devis, whose study used think tanks to canvass 75 South Australian professionals and students (women, men, trans and non-binary) working in or interested in STEM.

“Some women said they experienced overt sexual harassment, which is very hostile, then others worked in places that claimed to be inclusive of women but

the women were still asked to do tasks associated with ‘women’s skills’ - ie, they were told they had to volunteer to do something like organise the Christmas party at the end of the year.

“That may not seem overtly hostile, but it makes the women feel their skills aren’t as highly regarded as men.”

Management is just baby-sitting

Many women also have the added burden of home care or childcare, says Dr Devis, which puts a higher cognitive load on them.

“So if they don’t get a break from their own brain, that can lead to burnout. And if a workplace causes that, they’ll leave. Men usually don’t have the same care roles and they place their value more at work than at home,” says Dr Devis.

When it comes to the under-representation of women in senior management or leadership roles, one think tank participant’s answer was telling.

“[Management] is just babysitting, and I already have children.”

was the one managing the lab, doing the safety compliance etc on top of my job, but that was because I was a woman and considered better at it than the men, who were just doing their normal jobs without the extra work.”

“That said, the extra burden of ‘organisation’ that women experience isn’t limited to STEM fields,” says Dr Devis.

Flexibility not just money

“One of the more interesting findings was how desirable non-financial incentives were to women – as long as they were also compensated financially,” says Dr Devis.

The study also found that entrenched and pervasive attitudes continue to associate STEM careers with men and not women; and that workplaces still have unconscious biases around women’s skill sets, particularly mothers. ‘

“We joke about being asked to make the coffee, but the women aren’t being asked to do that anymore,” says Dr Devis.

“However, they do get asked to clean the coffee machine, or clean the office kitchen.”

“But realistically, unconscious biases mean women are heavily underestimated – they are treated as though they aren’t ‘logical’ enough for this, or too ‘fragile’ for that – so women are more likely to miss out on opportunities like promotions or recognition.

“Beyond this, when a woman makes a mistake, it can reflect on all women, and that’s a huge burden to carry. Unconscious bias can feel as though it has no impact, but in reality it is an invisible, insidious worm that compromises women’s participation in the STEM workplace.”

As well, a disproportionate amount of volunteering is requested of women, says Dr Devis, which adds a burden to women who already feel they’re having to work harder to prove themselves in STEM fields.

Or as Dr Devis puts it: “Women in authority have to work harder to make people trust they’re giving them the right instructions, so why add that cognitive load and pressure?”

A STEM graduate herself with a PhD in genetics, Dr Devis was unsurprised by the study’s findings.

She describes herself and her friends

Women were more likely to make horizontal transfers between companies (or into management) if their new position allowed them greater flexibility, more holidays, opportunities to engage in outreach, or even just more respect.

“This was surprising to me because we talk a lot about the gender pay gap but fixing that isn’t sufficient to retain women,” Dr Devis continues.

“As humans, we live in a complex society with complex lives, and there is no one solution to gender inequity. Just like in any sports team, we require multiple tweaks that target specific pressure points to actually win the league.

“That’s why we detailed twelve solutions to gender inequity in the workplace,” says Dr Devis.

as the 9 in 10 women who’ve left STEM.

“It was pretty clear in the middle of my PhD that the lifestyle that would come with a really competitive field like genetics would mean I’d have to completely compromise my outside life. And I couldn’t do that without a ‘wife’.”

“I could see that the only way to get to professorship was to be a woman without children, or have a wife managing my life. And that if I wanted to start a family, I’d have to compromise my career growth.”

“Even when I was a PhD student I

Some of these solutions included more workplace flexibility, mentoring opportunities for all genders, non-financial incentives for leadership, and training for leaders to adopt gender-responsive budgeting and data analysis.

“All the solutions offered by our think tanks were made with men in mind, too. The solutions targeted unsupportive workplace cultures, which directly benefits men as well as other genders,” Dr Devis explains.

“It was very unsurprising to me how many of the men we spoke to also wanted to adopt workplace flexibility that allowed them more family time.”

Smithurst

“We see a drop-off in the five years after university or postgraduate study.”

“We talk a lot about the gender pay gap but fixing that isn’t sufficient to retain women.”

RESEARCH & COLLABORATION

A new era of training manufacturers

Anew Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (AMCOE) in Melbourne’s north will build a future workforce and upskill existing workers to strengthen innovation and the increasingly technology-driven, value-adding manufacturing sector.

The $3.2m centre at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Heidelberg campus was opened by the Hon. Gayle Tierney MP, Minister for Training and Skills and Minister for Higher Education, on 22 May.

Supported by a $1.42m grant from the Victorian Government, AMCOE will elevate engineering training at TAFE to meet the needs of the fast-changing and expanding $30 billion Victorian manufacturing industry and its 260,000-plus employees.

With applications ranging from aviation to biotechnology to construction, and using technologies such as robotics and 3D printing, advanced manufacturing is critical to a competitive manufacturing sector.

The first AMCOE students enrolled in the updated Certificate III in

‘Engineering — Mechanical Trade’ have begun training which will include hands-on computer-aided design, CNC machines and high-resolution 3D printers. The latest curriculum has been informed by AMCOE’s industry partners to ensure its graduates can meet realworld challenges and opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

At the opening, Chief Executive of Melbourne Polytechnic Frances Coppolillo said Melbourne Polytechnic has been augmenting Victoria’s manufacturing industry with a skilled workforce for more than a century.

“This targeted investment in advanced manufacturing coupled with our footprint in Melbourne’s north means we are well placed to support the transformation of this industry, and build capability and skills for the future,” Coppolillo said.

“The strength of our programs is attributable to great teachers and a curriculum that keeps pace with a rapidly changing world. This is made possible through the strength of our industry

partners and employer networks.

“We look forward to working with industry partners to train and support the next generation of the advanced manufacturing workforce.”

The new centre will help address an

industry need for more engineering tradespeople identified in the Victorian Skills Plan. The Victorian government has changed TAFE fees so that more than 70 courses are now free.

Creating resilient infrastructure with ARC’s new hub

The Australian Research Council’s Research Hub for Resilient and Intelligent Infrastructure Systems (RIIS), was officially launched at the end of April by ARC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Johnson.

Problems in the urban, energy, and resource sectors are all in the RIIS Hub’s sights and it will connect government, industry, and the community to solve them.

Led by the University of NSW, the RIIS Research Hub will work across numerous research priorities under the ARC’s Industrial Transformation Research Program – advanced manufacturing, cyber security, mining equipment and technology, and oil, gas and energy resources.

The ARC is investing $4.9 million over five years in the new hub, supported by $20 million in funding and in-kind support from UNSW and other university and industry partners.

“This investment enables strong and practical collaboration between top researchers and industry partners,” Dr Johnson said.

“It will benefit Australia by finding clever ways to make our infrastructure more resilient.”

The new hub’s work to transform advanced manufacturing, service and infrastructure engineering is based on five themes:

1. Ubiquitous sensing, intelligent and adaptive systems

2. Data collection, security and integration

3. Modelling, simulations and prognostics

4. Infrastructure health monitoring and predictive maintenance

5. Spatial data, infrastructures, digital twin and decision support

The RIIS Hub and industry will collaborate in the following ways:

• Engage industry, government and research leaders, and infrastructure stakeholders to unlock scientific roadblocks and deliver foundational skills to co-develop and implement integrated science-based practical solutions for monitoring, engineering, and management of existing and future urban, resources and energy

infrastructure.

• Upskill industry partners and train a legacy of skilled engineering practitioners and researchers uniquely equipped to face the challenges in science and engineering necessary to create resilient and adaptive infrastructure systems to achieve safe, sustainable, competitive, and productive development.

• Disseminate discoveries and technological advances, and facilitate adoption and commercialisation, through engagement with partner organisations, peak bodies, businesses, stakeholders and broader engineering and scientific communities.

ARC works on sustainable technologies for real-time performance analysis and life-management of Australia’s critical infrastructure that will contribute to the nation’s prosperity and well-being.

In this collaboration, the University of NSW has partnered with the University of Melbourne, Queensland University of Technology, Western Sydney University, and 13 industry partners including Spatial Vision, Linke & Linke Surveys, Azure Mining Technology, South East Water, Ports Australia and Hyquality Construction.

Minister for Training and Skills and the Minister for Higher Education, the Hon. Gayle Tierney MP, cuts the ribbon — opening the new Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Polytechnic, Heidelberg.

“I’m sure we’ll see others emerge because it’s an obvious sector to take advantage of for investors… But particularly in the early stage, we’re the only ones that are dedicated to this space. Shocking when you think about it.”

Melt has closed on its first $10 million in funding with an EOFY target of $20 million, which it wants to see go to about 20 companies as an equity investor.

“We invest between about $100,000 and $1 million dollars into each company, and we aim to get a million dollars into each company.”

Melt is currently working with three start-ups: MGA Thermal, Allegro Energy, and Endua, a hydrogen generation and storage technology maker.

MGA Thermal

Based in Newcastle, MGA Thermal makes blocks, or bricks, that each store about a kilowatt of thermal heat generated by renewables.

MGA blocks can be stacked like modular bricks, and are able to store millions of kilowatt hours of energy in a cheaper, safer and longer-lasting way compared to other dispatchable solutions.

producing chemicals or food or cement, you need heat as an input, and a lot of that heat currently gets generated by gas.”

“What MGA Thermal was able to do is basically take cheap, renewable electricity during the day, store that as heat in these blocks for a very extended period of time, and then supply that heat to manufacturing processes in a much cheaper way than paying for gas, and in a renewable, zero emissions way.”

continued from front page

Make things? There’s now dedicated startup investor funding

“The blocks are also useful for storing heat, and then using that heat to generate steam and electricity, so there is also potential for retrofitting existing coal fired power stations, particularly smaller coal fired power stations, with these blocks as well.

“MGA’s challenge is simply, how many bricks can they make? It’s not dependent on the grid, it’s not dependent on solar rollout and wind generation, and permits or regulations, it’s simply how many blocks can MGA Thermal generate?”

“They’ve just recently built their first large-scale pilot battery as well, a thermal battery. So it’s pretty exciting times for those guys.”

Investing in regional Australia

With state and federal government investment targeting advanced manufacturing, clean technology and critical mineral innovations, Bagnall says there’s good alignment between investors and governments.

“I’ve got a very strong thesis that Australia’s ‘right to play’ isn’t so much in fintech but it is in energy and cleantech for the reasons that Australia’s got that skill set already – particularly in regional Australia.

“That’s where the mining and defence companies are, as well as our logistics companies, the agricultural companies – all those skill sets are definitely there in the regions.

“If you’re building a large-scale renewable project, the centre of Sydney is not probably the best place to do it. So that’s why we’re excited about it as a regional player.”

Making sure they’re near those opportunities is why Melt Ventures has offices in both the Lower and Upper Hunter in NSW, near MGA Thermal.

“The Hunter is the home of energy transition in Australia – you’ve got all the large power stations closing down there, you’ve just had BHP Mt Arthur, pretty much the world’s largest thermal coal mine, close. So there’s a lot of pressure on that community, but there’s also a lot of opportunity there as well.”

Manufacturing and net zero

Bagnall says the shift in focus to renewables and cleantech will see many more startups emerge in the space, who will want to build on the existing knowledge Australia has in the energy sector.

“If you think about Net Zero and the 2050 challenge, that’s actually going to be all carried out by Australian manufacturers – not software.

“It’s going to be companies that build things, like the MGA Thermals and Enduas, that are going to do the heavy lifting. How we support them in terms of a skilled workforce is probably going to be the biggest challenge.”

Bagnall expects Melt’s first 10 to 20 company investments will be made within the next two years, after which they’ll raise more capital, but he says the sector will need more.

“I think there’s going to be a huge pipeline of these companies that are going to need support, driven by the tailwinds of domestic manufacturing, reshoring, and things like the National Reconstruction Fund and the net zero challenge.

A stack of 1,000 blocks — about the size of a small car — stores enough energy to power more than 60 homes for 24 hours.

But its application as a cheaper, breakthrough clean energy storage for industrial purposes has huge global applications, says Bagnall.

“You’ve got about 25% of the world’s total final energy consumption being used as industrial heat for industrial processes, so that means that whether you’re

“Melt Ventures is happy to get that money in to start, but there’s got to be a lot of heavy lifting from a number of institutions to help these companies really grow and scale.

“Often they’re going to need large scale capital, because they turn into infrastructure players when you think about it.

“MGA Thermal is building batteries, so that’s infrastructure, and banks love funding that sort of infrastructure.

“We need to make sure we stay in front of what’s becoming a very competitive global market in clean energy and clean energy technologies.”

For now, Melt Ventures looks like a pioneer.

“There’s not a lot of capital in this space, which is as amazing to me as it is to everyone else. It’s a really, really exciting space to be in.”

“MGA’s challenge is simply, how many bricks can they make?”

“The Hunter is the home of energy transition in Australia... there’s a lot of pressure... but there’s also a lot of opportunity there as well.”

“If you think about net zero and the 2050 challenge, that’s actually going to be all carried out by Australian manufacturers”

Trent Bagnall, Manager Melt Ventures

Thermal’s founders, Alexander Post and Erich Kisi with their thermal bricks

Thrive: unlocking growth opportunities in the manufacturing industry

by John Spender, Director, William Buck

After focussing on your strategy and planning, your business will be revitalised and primed for growth. From government support packages to future financing, expansion, and marketing, William Buck has created a list of crucial areas to help manufacturers stay ahead of the curve and thrive.

Take advantage of the support available

First and foremost, it's important to take advantage of the support available. Many federal and state government support

packages are still active, providing a range of opportunities for manufacturers to access funding and grants specific to their industry.

Do your research (or speak to an advisor in the know) to ensure that you're not missing out on any opportunities.

Future financing

Future financing is another key area to focus on. The events of the last two to three years have likely impacted your financing needs.

It's important to conduct forecast

planning and worst-case scenario planning to ensure that your business is protected. This includes looking into additional shortterm funding options, if necessary.

Expansion opportunities

Mergers and Acquisition (M&A) opportunities are remaining high. Despite 2023’s slow M&A activity, it is still above recent averages in 2022.

We expect the aggregate value of M&A transactions in Australia to decrease, largely due to current economic uncertainty and increased interest rates.

As the cost of debt increases, the number of ‘mega deals’ with a value of $250 million-plus should decline, contributing to the anticipated reduction in aggregate value. However, transaction volumes are anticipated to remain high, specifically within the SME space that includes transactions up to $50m.

This may be a prime opportunity for SME manufacturers to take advantage of this market environment. It’s important to conduct thorough due diligence and seek comprehensive accounting and legal advice before making any purchase agreements or contracts.

Invest in marketing

Finally, investing in marketing is crucial to staying competitive in the current

In your lifetime, you will spend: hours handling emails hours in Zoom meetings hours making coffee 45,000 27,000 2,550

Why not spend:

1hour focusing on your business? William Buck Hour

business environment.

Recent years have seen disruptions to traditional face-to-face marketing methods, such as trade shows and showrooms. While it may be tempting to put a hold on marketing strategies, it's important to redirect your business's investment towards an online presence.

Seeking advice from a digital agency on how to maximise SEO, digital advertising campaigns, and social media involvement will help you stay present with existing and future customers.

With this final edition of our ‘Revive, Review, Refocus, and Thrive’ series, we hope manufacturers have gained valuable insights and practical strategies to position their businesses for success.

For help developing a business strategy or for a review of your operations contact the experts at William Buck at 02 8263 4000

STRATEGIC PLANNING IN JUST ONE HOUR

The William Buck Hour is designed to help middle-market businesses assess their current position, realign thinking and maximise their business’s potential. In just one hour, we’ll guide you through a detailed discussion structured around a range of key fundamentals. Following the session, our advisors will conduct an analysis of your business using commercial insights, professional experience and best practice standards to develop a prioritised action plan for your business.

The end result is a fresh perspective and a focused strategy to help you move forward.

William Buck Hour

This is the final part of William Buck Accountants and Advisors’ Revive, Review, Refocus and Thrive’ series where they share expert insights and practical strategies that manufacturing leaders can employ to position their businesses for success in the coming months and beyond.

William Buck williambuck.com

BUSINESS, FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

“The trade is certainly more than just a paintbrush, as it was once.”

“Just as cities grow as the population expands, there’s more of a need for getting people from A to B. And businesses need to be advertising and drawing customers.”

AW Signs, he says, is busier than ever

There aren’t many businesses on the Kurnell peninsula near Cronulla in Sydney. Formerly the site of a sewage treatment works, it’s now home to a desalination plant, and is a quiet, growing beach village with cafes overlooking the industrial cranes of Port Botany.

But after 30 years in nearby Caringbah, AW Signs’ Managing Director Grant Olufson and his business partner Scott O’Donnell needed to expand their premises, and Kurnell turned out to be the best option.

They approached St.George’s manufacturing team relationship director Adam Dowling, with whom they had a longstanding relationship, to get funding for the move and a new purpose-built fitout for their growing sign manufacturing business.

“We basically uprooted everything from our previous place of operation and set it all up here,” Olufson tells Industry Update on our visit to the site.

“We have fabrication capabilities, spray painting capabilities, dust-free environments for digital and graphics production, and also logistical access for containers.”

As a result of the bigger space and St.George funding, AW Signs has been able to expand the range and volume of products it offers its customers.

The company hopes that one product in particular could be a new frontier not just for signs, but architectural features, artworks and even building cladding.

statutory signage, high resolution artworks, images on buildings, or even control panels.

“We think for specifiers and for architects, this is a new opportunity for them to be able to bring their ideas to life in high resolution print that keeps the detail.”

and Jennaya Suddick, AW Signs’ Head of Projects and Design is seeing an increased demand in her area of the business.

“Demand is on the rise and our design and job management responsibilities are critical. Such demands call for exceptionally skilled professionals. Interestingly, a significant portion of our office team hail from the construction industry. They bring a valuable blend of practical knowledge and an outstanding work ethic. It’s been harder for the production team though.”

Olufson says despite signmaking now

Meet EnduraloxTM

On the upper floor of the new factory is a state-of-the-art high-resolution aluminium printer, which will be the keystone in the company’s new offering, EnduraloxTM EnduraloxTM involves custom printing into aluminium. It’s not a new idea, but in this case, the company says their end-toend sourcing and production processes produce far better results than what they’ve seen locally or in their research internationally, according to AW Signs’ product development adviser Paul Ridoutt.

“It is ultra-high resolution printing into purpose-engineered anodised aluminium, which is then naturally sealed under a sapphire-hard, ceramic-type layer.”

The ‘sapphire-hard, ceramic surface’, according to the company, is highly resistant to the rigours of a harsh Australian environment. Having a sealed non-porous surface means they’re graffiti, fire and scratch proof.

With this ultra-high resolution print, the applications could be as numerous as they are creative, says Ridoutt, ranging from feature walls to directory maps,

The ‘forgotten trade’

While signs are ubiquitous and critical to moving people around in modern life, their purpose is almost existential, muses Olufson.

“We solve people’s problems. Those problems may be operational, they may be identification, they may be guidance in terms of getting people around. But it’s something people take for granted.

“I see sign-making as a real forgotten trade in the whole field of trades because signs aren’t part of the structure of the building, but they’re a crucial element of the functioning of any building or environment, whether it be a hospital, roads, a university campus, a school, train station or stadium.

being a hybrid trade, with elements of carpentry, electrics, welding, graphic design and even landscaping, staffing can be a challenge at times, and they see apprentices leave for other trades.

“But what we find is a lot of people end up back in sign-making.”

Focusing now firmly on innovation and growth, the future signs, so to speak, look good for the company, which can hopefully attract more people to the dynamic trade.

In this ‘forgotten trade’, one business is expanding and innovating

by Margie Smithurst

St.George stgeorge.com.au

(L-R) St.George’s Adam Dowling, Grant Olufson, Paul Ridoutt, Scott O’Donnell at the new Kurnell premises

Grant Olufson and Jennaya Suddick with the Enduralox printer

“The ‘sapphire-hard, ceramic surface’ is highly resistant to the rigours of a harsh Australian environment”

“We solve people’s problems. Those problems may be operational, they may be identification, they may be guidance in terms of getting people around.”

BUSINESS, FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

PharmaCare banks its brand acquisitions on a strong relationship

Acquire them small, grow them big: that’s the philosophy behind the success of Australian healthcare brand PharmaCare.

“Our principal DNA is not to just bolt-on acquisitions as you’d find many companies doing but to turn those acquisitions into successful turnaround businesses in their own right,” PharmaCare CFO Anthony Robertson told Industry Update

“We either acquire brands that are dwindling and going backwards, but have some brand heritage in the marketplace, or we acquire brands from small owners who have got it to the position that they can get it to, but have not the funds or the desire to take the business to the next level.”

“So our growth comes from our ability to organically grow the acquired brands as opposed to simply having bought the brand, if that makes sense.”

The approach has served the company well and seen it grow from single digit revenue in the mid 1990s, to $700 million today. With the likely acquisition of Blackmores by Japanese giant Kirin, PharmaCare will be the only Australian owned healthcare brand with “a more than 5% share of the market”, says Glenn Cochran, the company’s CEO.

Started by former Faberge marketer Toby Browne and his pharmacist wife in the mid 1980s, PharmaCare began with vitamin E creams and personal care products such as shampoo. In the early 1990s, the business shifted up a gear after buying the Nelson Laboratories pharmaceutical business, containing a range of OTC brands such as KP 24, Wart-Off and Invite E.

PharmaCare’s big leap forward followed with the 2000 acquisition of Nature’s Way, when it turned what was then a vitamin market minnow into a market leading brand. Several Australian acquisitions were completed over the course of the next decade.

International brand acquisitions followed in the late 2000’s, and the

company is now approaching 50-50 in terms of Australia / overseas revenue, and has offices around the world.

St.George’s support in tough times

But PharmaCare wasn’t always considered a sure bet by the big banks, especially during the early years.

In 1998, Robertson says one of the big 4 banks decided they were too much of a risk for their $20,000 bank overdraft.

“They withdrew that overdraft, which put us in a bit of financial difficulty.”

But St.George took them on, and “we’ve never looked back,” said Robertson, of the nearing 30 year relationship.

by Margie Smithurst

Industry shudders

The Pan Pharmaceutical event has been burned into Robertson’s brain.

“It was Monday the 28th of April 2003. The TGA put a voluntary recall notice on Pan Pharmaceuticals, which was a healthcare manufacturer at the time, to withdraw products from the market within 12 months. And as it turned out, voluntary didn’t mean voluntary, it was an instruction to do so …Basically they said everything that had

of another acquisition – of the Maseur brand, a therapeutic sandal business.

“We’d done all of our due diligence and were ready to close, and thankfully St.George supported us through that.They lent us the money, and that liquidity from buying that brand helped us recover.”

Manufacturing moves

PharmaCare has since branched out into manufacturing their own vitamins and supplements.

In 2017, PharmaCare bought a third party’s south-west Sydney manufacturing plant which had been making their products, and now runs the manufacturing side of the business themselves.

The business focuses on making the softer pastille or ‘gummies’ style supplements, and they’ve since bought another site and opened more lines in the first plant to keep up with growing demand for the more easily consumable format.

Again, mostly funded with the help of St.George.

Matt Kelly says PharmaCare founder Toby Browne once said to him, “it’s the company behind the brands that everybody knows.

“I now think of us as the bank behind the brands that everybody knows”.

“You’re starting to believe your own press, Matt,” laughs Robertson.

PharmaCare decided to shift all its business to the bank – and it has stayed that way ever since, with St.George funding all PharmaCare’s acquisitions from then on.

“That big 4 bank has tried four or five times to get our business back since then,” says Robertson.

St.George’s Matt Kelly has had a personal connection with PharmaCare for 27 years, almost as long as the bank has.

“We’ve always backed the management of businesses, and PharmaCare’s always had market leading management in this sector.

“The true test of that was the Pan Pharmaceutical recall,” said Kelly.

ever been made by Pan over the prior 12 months was to be withdrawn.

“1600 products were removed from shelves straight after that recall notice was sent out, and the whole industry was affected because there wasn’t enough capacity anywhere else to cover that level of recall.

“Essentially… for a long period of time, about five or six months, there was a massive shortage of supply within the market here.

“We lost about 80 products out of that 1600, and… we effectively lost 45% of our revenue for that period.”

The situation was compounded because PharmaCare was in the throes

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness for the information to your own circumstances and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice. © St.George Bank - A Division of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL & Australian credit licence 233714.

“Our growth comes from our ability to organically grow the acquired brands as opposed to simply having bought the brand.”

“We’ve always backed the management of businesses, and PharmaCare’s always had market leading management in this sector.”

St.George Bank stgeorge.com.au

Freshly bottled pastille-style supplements on the PharmaCare production line

PharmaCare CFO Anthony Robertson with CEO Glenn Cochran in the company’s warehouse

Save money on imported goods

The Customs Division within the Australian Border Force (ABF) is keen to draw local manufacturers’ attention to ways the ABF can help minimise costs on importing large plant or manufacturing lines. ‘Forward planning can reap benefits’ is the ABF’s tip in this article.

The ABF sees smooth and uninterrupted flow of cargo or ‘trade facilitation’ as critical to Australian businesses and a healthy economy.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that the ABF gives free advice on tariffs. By supplying international and domestic ‘tariff classifications’ relating to all goods, ABF guidance aims to enable Australian importers to make decisions in advance.

tariff concession can be made.

Be fully informed Know before committing. Obtain a private and binding ruling on your intended goods, and use this information to ascertain duty liability and the possibility of reducing it to zero by using or creating a tariff concession order to apply to the goods.

tariff concessions orders will find their application is facilitated by the tariff advice system. The tariff concession scheme is also a free-of-charge scheme aimed at assisting Australian importers to self-service in dealings with the Australian Government.

To avoid disappointment, and the potential for needless charges on your imported goods, apply for advice early and investigate the tariff concession scheme well in advance of shipping.

Links to the advice system

Many machines and manufacturing lines still attract customs duty. This is either because they are not covered by free trade agreements or there’s a local manufacturer of the machines which is protected by a tariff so consequently no

Please remember that this free service provided by the ABF guides and advises new applicants as to what supporting documents are needed for accurate and timely advice. Regular applicants and their intermediaries are encouraged to connect to the Integrated Cargo System (ICS), thus gaining visibility into the progress of advice.

Businesses applying for potential new

The advice system aims to deliver advice in 30 days. Our experience shows that most contracts are signed up to 18 months before delivery to Australia.

From the Australian Border Force website at: www.abf.gov.au, click on ‘Importing, exporting and manufacturing’, then ‘Tariff classification’. Finally, select “Tariff Advice System’ and refer to the relevant instructions, guidelines, hyperlinks and other content there.

Australian

Border Force abf.gov.au

“Be fully informed. Know before committing.”

“To avoid disappointment, and the potential for needless charges … apply for advice early.”

“The advice system aims to deliver advice in 30 days.”

Shifting gear: a marketing call to action

by Jake Cush, marketing consultant, I.M.A. B2B Marketing

then into the future?

Constantly speaking to customers and the market allows businesses to drive sustainable growth by responding to changes, identifying opportunities and avoid losing market share to competitors. Brands need an understanding of:

• Market and customer attitudes towards the category

• Current behaviours

• Appeal of the B2B brands’ offer

• Problems the product category could solve for you / value add

• Pain points / what is not working

• Anticipating resistance / hesitancy towards adoption

A force for change - insights for B2B marketing

The fallout from the global pandemic has triggered a global reset. As economies rebuild, and continuing supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty affect business, one thing is clear — B2B businesses and their marketing teams need to rediscover the fundamentals of marketing and the rigour of first getting the strategy right before picking up the tactical tools.

The emphasis must be about focussing on the strategic process and this means committing to the research and insights, building a segmented map of the market, developing a strong, clear and distinct brand positioning, and making decisions on targets to focus on to achieve sustainable business growth.

Sometimes this means avoiding the distraction of the latest shiny digital toy or vanity metric, which more often than not gets in the way of adding serious strategic value to the organisation.

As we approach the new financial year, what are the big shifts needed for a rocksolid marketing strategy?

Focusing

B2B brands

The starting point of solid marketing planning is understanding what’s working and what’s not.

Research from McKinsey points to the pandemic having profoundly changed the way B2B customers transact – with a new generation of procurement leaders who have grown up buying online for increasingly complex personal needs, and are beginning to wonder whether buying online also makes sense for business.

Challenges and opportunities

So, what are your customers thinking? How do they want to transact now, and

Using a combination of desk and in-market research is critical to get a deep and 360º understanding of the brand, B2B customers and its competitors. This is used to identify the brand’s current perceived strengths and weaknesses and also recommendations and opportunities for future development.

Segmentation – painting a complete picture of the market

Building a robust segmentation is about identifying the total addressable market and dividing it into B2B customer groups with similar sets of identifiable characteristics.

For each of the key segments it is important to do an exercise around:

• understanding the total potential market size

• building a database of key accounts and

• conducting analysis by segment to look at the opportunities and ‘headroom’ for sales

A strong segmentation is formed in the research phase and takes into consideration what’s important to each subset, purchase criteria and customer journey. Once in place, decisions can be made about which target customer groups to invest in.

Ruthless targeting

Time to make tough decisions: If ‘Segmentation’ is about building a complete view of the market, then the ‘Targeting’ phase is about making strategic decisions around which B2B customer group to invest in and pursue, and more importantly – which ones not to target.

The importance of focus: In his

Harvard Business Review article, What is Strategy?, Michael Porter says that the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. Ideally, you would narrow the choices down to one or two B2B customer groups from the segmentation. Showing restraint is incredibly important. This new financial year, select two or three objectives that are truly measurable. Focus on moving the needle on one segment – based on new research, new positioning, new materials and new execution. Measure the results through annual brand tracking and then feed this data back into the annual B2B marketing planning cycle to inform the plans and execution for the following year. Keep it simple.

Positioning – crystalise and double down

What is ‘Positioning’ in B2B marketing?

We’ve all heard phrases such as brand essence, mission, value proposition, positioning, tagline or brand idea. It does not matter what you call it, whatever term you use to describe ‘Positioning’ –in its simplest form it’s simply wanting our customers to know we exist and the customer recalling 2 or 3 things about our brand. That’s ’Positioning’.

If you were to throw seven balls up in the air and the customer caught one or two of them – what would you want those key takeaways to be?

Where to start?

To formulate and crystalise your brand’s positioning, start by focusing on the

three Cs:

• Customers – your customer portraits or buyer personas already developed in the research phase

• Competitor – constant market research, find out who else is in the customer’s consideration set and why

• Company - Can you deliver against a position?

Moving the dial this financial year

We know growth primarily comes from gaining new customers, as opposed to simply driving increased loyalty. But to enable customer growth it’s critical that marketing foundations are rock solid. It is about going back to the fundamentals and resetting the approach– diagnosis, segmentation, targeting and positioning for a more robust marketing approach this financial year.

*Jake Cush is a consultant at I.M.A – The B2B Marketing Consultancy. He provides advice around growing market share, research, insights and corrective action, go to market strategies and execution and growing brand awareness. He has delivered strategic programs and marketing solutions for the likes of Westfield, BOC Gas, Case IH and Siniat through to midsized manufacturing businesses and tech start-ups.

Jake Cush, marketing consultant, I.M.A. B2B Marketing

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Vaxxas opens patch vaccine manufacturing site in Brisbane

Biotechnology company Vaxxas, in partnership with the Queensland government, has opened its needle-free vaccine patch manufacturing facility in Brisbane, where it will also base its global headquarters.

The 5,500m² Vaxxas Biomedical Facility is a first-of-its-kind manufacturing site designed to support the scale-up of Vaxxas’ needle-free vaccine technology platform, the high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP), for late-stage clinical trials and first commercial products.

Vaxxas says their proprietary HD-MAP technology, which is only at investigation stage, has the potential to improve vaccination by creating vaccine products that are easy to use and can be stable at room temperature, reducing the complexities and costs associated with

refrigerated distribution required for many existing vaccines.

Vaxxas Chief Executive Officer David Hoey said the facility’s opening marked a significant milestone for the biotech company, which was founded in 2011 on research from The University of Queensland.

“The Vaxxas Biomedical Facility will firmly position Australia at the forefront of vaccine technology innovation, thanks to the support of the Queensland state and Australian federal governments.

“The site will significantly increase our manufacturing capacity, creating new local and skilled jobs, while enabling Vaxxas to progress through late-stage clinical trials that will bring our first commercial vaccine products to the market,” said Hoey.

“With several completed and successful human clinical trials involving more than 500 participants; ongoing Australian Phase I clinical studies for Covid-19 and seasonal influenza; and other vaccine studies targeting pandemic influenza funded by the United States government and a measles-rubella study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, expected to start in 2024, Vaxxas’ vaccine patch technology platform is advancing rapidly toward commercialisation.”

The Vaxxas facility is expected to support up to 200 local, skilled jobs and produce millions of vaccine patches per year once fully operational, contributing to Queensland’s local economy.

The Queensland government provided funding and operational support to Vaxxas in developing the site, and additional funding was provided by the federal government through its Modern

Manufacturing Initiative to support the installation of specialised manufacturing infrastructure.

“This world-renowned technology has the potential to play a vital role in pandemic preparedness because it allows vaccines to be deployed quickly and easily to our communities,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Dr Steven Miles.

“Queensland is going from strength to strength as the place to work and invest in science, and Vaxxas is a fantastic example of a home-grown biotech success story that we need to retain here in Queensland,” he said.

In-line refractometers ideal for honey

Sensors and transmitters are fundamental measuring instruments in many industries.

An in-line process refractometer is a revolutionary sensor for concentration and brix measurement in liquid. It provides manufacturers with a simple solution to quality control in industries such as honey.

The honey bee and honey processing industry is critical to Australian agriculture, and food and beverage industries. And one tenth of all honey made in Australia is exported overseas, according to Department of Agriculture figures. Concentration is a key factor in determining the taste and quality of honey. Manufacturers usually have an employee taking samples to be dropped into a handheld refractometer for measuring concentration. That is a time-honoured and traditional method but it’s likely t be affected by external factors such as temperature and, of course, people doing the testing. So the accuracy of test results will vary.

An in-line process refractometer is designed for manufacturers to gain all measuring data from the pipelines while avoiding errors and extraneous effects on the test result. The refractometer uses a man-made sapphire to measure the refractive index and uses that data

calculate concentration in real-time.

The result can be shown on a local monitor and sent to a management system in real time and by several communication methods. Key features of this product are high accuracy and real-time monitoring. Both are also important

elements for determining the taste and quality of honey.

The device can be installed on the storage or processing tank or pipework. All connection types and sizes can be customised to fit with what is available onsite. In some cases, a manual or automatic washing device is required when dealing with high particle content solutions.

The in-line process refractometer provides manufacturers with a simple solution to control the quality of honey. It can also save labour and maintenance cost in their process. This device can is also applicable to work with any IOT system for production line management. It is a revolutionary instrument in an era of automated production.

(L-R) Councillor for Hamilton David McLachlan, Queensland Deputy Premier Dr Steven Miles, Vaxxas CEO David Hoey, Vaxxas Chair Paul Kelly opening the Vaxxas Biomedical Facility

Queensland Deputy Premier Dr Steven Miles with Vaxxas researcher.

The traditional hand-held refractometer is exposed to error and extraneous effects.

Public-private partnership backs hydrogen engineering

In what the Queensland government believes is Australia’s biggest investment in green hydrogen so far, almost $117 million has been allocated by the Queensland and federal governments and a consortium to fund the frontend engineering design for the Central Queensland Hydrogen (CQ-H2) project at Gladstone.

When completed, the engineering design will bring the project closer to a final decision, expected late next year. Green hydrogen can decarbonise manufacturing, heavy haulage, shipping, aviation and other industries. The project will be powered by renewable energy and is expected to produce 200 tonnes of hydrogen a day by 2028, rising up to 800 tonnes a day by 2031. That is equivalent to fuelling more than double Australia’s fleet of heavy vehicles. The hydrogen needs to be liquified or converted to ammonia for export and potentially local industry offtake.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will provide $20 million in funding, $15 million will be from the Palaszczuk Government and the remainder $81.8 million from consortium partners which are passionate about green hydrogen. These consortium

partners are: Iwatani Corporation (Japan), Kansai Electric Power Company (Japan), Marubeni Corporation(Japan), Keppel Infrastructure (Singapore) and Queensland’s publicly owned Stanwell Corporation.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said projects such as this are critical to scaling up Australia’s green hydrogen industry.

“The government is committed to making Australia a global hydrogen leader. Projects like the CQ-H2 Project could lead the way in exporting renewable hydrogen to the international market.

“Japan, Korea and China are three of our largest trading partners and have all made clear commitments to increase the use of hydrogen, with a focus on establishing international supply chains for imports,” said Minister Bowen.

Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk said the international partnership highlights Queensland’s position as a global hydrogen heavyweight.

“Because of the investments we’re making, the Queensland economy will reap the benefits of the global clean energy transition, while ensuring Queensland has more and cheaper,

cleaner renewable energy to power our businesses and homes,” she said.

Developing a green hydrogen export industry in Gladstone will create significant economic opportunities for Queensland: the project is expected to create almost 9,000 jobs and over $17.2 billion in hydrogen exports in its 30-year life.

“The Palaszczuk Government is working hard to drive the state’s hydrogen industry forward, to create highly skilled jobs, especially in regional Queensland.

“That’s why, through the Treasury’s Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund, we invested $15 million into this stage of the project.”

The Queensland government believes the public-private partnership in the CQ-H2 project is within the top 10 hydrogen projects in the world that are at a similar stage of development.

The project will complement other planned investments in a renewable hydrogen industry in the Gladstone region, including the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Hydrogen Hubs program.

Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said it was the largest green hydrogen investment of its kind in the nation’s history.

“It is … an endorsement of the Palaszczuk Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan,” he said.

Michael O’Rourke, CEO of government-owned energy generator and provider a Stanwell Corporation said the project could create thousands of jobs and deliver billions of dollars in economic benefit.

“We are proud to be leading the CQ-H2 project with our partners, which demonstrates our commitment to driving the development of Queensland’s hydrogen industry and other new technologies.

“... the international partnership highlights Queensland’s position as a global hydrogen heavyweight.”

Life sciences and biotech centre goes ahead in Brisbane

Brisbane City Council has given the green light for Silverstone Developments’ purpose-built centre comprising laboratories for life sciences, research and medical technology as well as biomanufacturing and education accommodation in Queensland’s largest health precinct, Herston.

Silverstone Managing Director Troy Daffy said the company’s strategy is to increase the availability of high-quality laboratory and biomanufacturing space in strategic locations for life sciences and biotech companies.

“Brisbane Advanced Research Centre is in a prime location with direct access to the Herston Health Precinct, a key drawcard for organisations looking to leverage off one of the largest integrated precincts in Australia. Tenants will have an opportunity to realise huge synergies with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Queensland’s largest tertiary referral, research and teaching hospital,” said Troy.

The Centre will have a standard 2,884m2 floor plate and seven storeys and will include specialist design requirements such as additional plant and services infrastructure, fire systems, industrial loading capacity, hospital-sized lifts and large floor-tofloor heights.

Herston Health Precinct is a leader in health, innovation, education, research, training and clinical care and is a collaborative community home to more than 30 health facilities, medical research institutes, universities, and organisations. The precinct is also home to 13,000

clinical and non-clinical staff, scientists, researchers and students, working together to deliver excellence in health.

The approved facility is located only three kilometres from the CBD and is near start-up communities and creative hubs which help to make up the city’s innovation ecosystem.

The design includes base-building engineering solutions that consider the sensitivity and stability requirements of these spaces, such as infrastructure to reduce vibration and smart controls for laboratory isolation.

Public transport is available in the immediate area, with the RBWH bus station 300 metres away and the new Cross River Rail Exhibition station to be operational ahead of the proposed facility. Neighbouring the site is Silverstone’s recently completed 354-bay commercial car park.

The Brisbane Advanced Research Centre will also include state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities, a wellness room, ground floor café, and 118 car parking bays to enhance the tenant and staff experience.

Silverstone believes the technologically advanced facilities will cater and adapt to ever-changing demands of breakthrough scientific research in medical technology, life sciences, and educational applications. Silverstone

Artist’s impression of the new Advanced Research Centre to go ahead in Herston Health Precinct, Brisbane

proud Australian manufacturer of diverse bespoke metal products for 68 years.

Arnott’s biscuit-packing robots keep going with igus technology

By Margie Smithurst

Packing Arnott’s Assorted Biscuits is a complicated affair. Each packet contains different types of biscuits, which need to be taken off separate conveyor lines and loaded into a special position in their packets.

In 2013, Arnotts automated the process at their factory in Virginia in Brisbane. In their Assorted section, eight large robots with two accompanying smaller robots do the job. Basically, multiple robots put different biscuits into the same packet.

“No other company I know of picks up a small number of biscuits like that and puts them in trays,” Arnotts Electrical Co-ordinator Trevor Onion told Industry Update.

“The robots do everything from palletising, to de-palletising to picking biscuits up.”

To keep the robots working 24 hours a day, five to six days a week, Arnotts fitted them with igus cables and energy chain cable protectors from Treotham.

A Triflex-R® multi access e-chain is attached to the large robots, protecting the cables which feed them their programming information. The ‘R’ stands for ‘round’ – it works on a ball and socket joint and can move in any direction, giving it the right flexibility for the variety of moves the robot has to make.

The three-dimensional energy chain Triflex-R (TRE, TRC, TRL) has been specifically developed for demanding multi-axis robots.. High tensile force absorption and high flexibility allow a twisting of approximately plus or minus 10° per chain link in the longitudinal axis. Compared to a cable protective hose, the three-dimensional triflex R chain offers a defined bend radius, which enormously increases the service life of the cables and hoses.

“As the robot grabs an empty tray of biscuits and then pivots, that whole length of Triflex rotates and moves fluidly with the robot,” says Danny Fitzsimmons, Treotham’s Queensland branch manager.

Arnott’s Trevor Onion says the company went to Treotham because igus products provide the most robust cable management systems that can match the extreme workload of the robots.

“Because the cables are protected they don’t get damaged. And the cable protector we use lasts forever. It does a lot of work, and is easy to use — if it does come apart it’s all modular — so if one piece gets caught and snaps, it’s really easy to pull apart and clip back together again.”

Onion says Arnotts is constantly looking at ways to make its production line more efficient, and it has teams of people whose job is to do ‘proactive maintenance’.

“Their job is to look at what might break next, and how to stop it breaking.

In the same cell as the robots, Treotham’s igus energy chains move backwards and forwards constantly, with chain-flex cables housed within them, working in conjunction with a linear actuator to move the biscuits along in the next stage of the packaging process.

“If something breaks in one of those 16 robot packing cells, there’s a good chance it’ll happen in others.“

Treotham’s Fitzsimmons says igus products stand out because they are low maintenance and long lasting.

“From a maintenance perspective, for a company like Arnotts, what’s the downtime of a robot worth? It could be thousands of dollars.

“Using igus products means Trevor can stay at his desk doing more important things than constantly fixing problems.”

Treotham

treotham.com.au

“igus products provide the most robust cable management systems that can match the extreme workload of the robots.”

“What’s the downtime of a robot worth? It could be thousands of dollars.”

Arnott’s Assorted Biscuits packing cells, Brisbane

Robot packing Arnott’s biscuits using Triflex-R cable protector

energy chain at Arnott’s Brisbane factory

What’s new at CeMAT Australia?

Registrations are now open for CeMAT Australia 2023, and there are some great additions to the event this year. Here are just a few of the new initiatives that will make it the biggest CeMAT held in Australia.

Industrial transformation

On Thursday, 27 July at CeMAT Australia 2023, the entire Knowledge Theatre program will be dedicated to Industrial Transformation, focusing on the latest in technology, thought leadership and best practice throughout the materials handling, intralogistics, supply chain management and logistics sectors.

Industrial Transformation represents a coordinated and proactive approach to using digital technologies to make step-change improvements in industrial operations. It’s being driven by Industry 4.0, the ever-growing impact of AI and many other shifts in technology shaping the sector.

From digital twins to AI and machine learning, energy management and the road to carbon neutrality, Industry 4.0 represents a realm of possibilities for ambitious manufacturers.

Australian Forklift Champs

CeMAT Australia is teaming up with official sponsor Hyundai Forklifts Australia and media partner Forkliftaction to present the inaugural Australian Forklift Championships, where the best of the best in Aussie forklift drivers will compete in a national competition of materials handling excellence, demonstrating masterful driving, unflinching concentration, and game determination.

Held on the floor at CeMAT Australia 2023, the finalists will compete for amazing prizes and the honour of becoming the first ever Australian Forklift Champion, with the winner lifting the Bill Henman Trophy and garnering industry publicity. Whether you’re there to enjoy the excitement as a spectator or as a competitor, the Australian Forklift Championships are sure to be an exciting addition to CeMAT Australia this year.

Executive breakfast with keynote Paul Graham

Join us for a special breakfast keynote session by Paul Graham, Chair, Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds (HHTS) and Group CEO and Managing Director, Australia Post, taking place on Day 3 of CeMAT Australia 2023. As an industry-leading professional with a great passion for workplace mental health and wellbeing within the transport, warehousing and logistics sector, Paul will be speaking on the topic of: The Importance of Mental Health in Employee Engagement and Productivity.

Amongst the ongoing technological revolution, we must not lose sight of innovation in creating psychologically safe workplaces where employees can thrive.

This is particularly the case within the transport, warehousing, and logistics sector, where the very nature of work and work environments creates unique challenges.

Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds is an industry-led response to our sector being rated 19 out of 19 in Australia’s largest survey for workplace mental health and wellbeing. HHTS is producing and sharing industry-led resources which raise awareness, build capacity and assist businesses to build more supportive workplaces. This is not only good for employees in the sector, but it is also assisting in creating more engaged and productive businesses.

Register now for Paul Graham’s breakfast session and your opportunity to enjoy Australia’s leading trade show for intralogistics, robotics and automation, warehousing, supply chain management and materials handling.

Workforce Hub

At the Workforce Hub, located throughout CeMAT Australia 2023, we will be promoting workforce and employment conversations and connections. Partnering with exhibitors and speakers to offer those looking to enter or grow within the industry the opportunity to interact with employers and thought leaders, this will be a chance for young professionals to kickstart their careers, and for businesses searching for new blood to connect with the talented future of the materials handling, intralogistics, supply chain management and logistics sectors.

There will be signage on display from the many different exhibitors opting-in to the Hub, offering visitors considering a career in Intralogistics, Robotics and Automation, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management and Materials Handling industries the chance to approach potential employers on the show floor and have enlightening, career-based conversations.

For these aspiring professionals, there is also the opportunity to win a dedicated and personalised one-on-one careers session with Ian Eker, APAC Director for the world’s largest pure-play recruiter in industrial automation and robotics, Proactive Global. Tell us, in 300 words or less, why you should be the lucky person selected for this potentially career-defining conversation with Ian.

There will also be social media competitions held in the lead-up to, and throughout the event, with prizes that will be of major interest to those looking to take advantage of the new Workforce Hub.

CeMAT

Deep learning is the future of efficiency

Machines are learning to think. Deep learning is a machine learning technique, which SICK transfers to its sensors, offering customers greater productivity and flexibility.

SICK’s current deep learning projects are mostly focused in optical quality inspection. In logistics automation, deep learning cameras can automatically detect, verify, classify and localise “trained” objects or features by analysing the taught-in image base. For example, they can check whether any flats are present in the sorter trays, optimising sorter cell assignment and increasing throughput. They detect strapping bands on parcels − even white bands on white parcels. This improves quality control in the automatic packaging process and makes sure that transported objects are analysed. If packages are dented or damaged, or if the material properties of the parcel need to be determined, SICK sensors can intelligently capture and evaluate structures or features during live operation. They ensure that the next steps in the sorting process are initiated. This feature is unique in this form and until now the task could only be performed with the human eye. The aim of all SICK projects is to apply deep learning to improve processes and

increase plant effectiveness.

Top

specialists,

complex algorithms, high computing power

The demand is not for a universal solution. Rather, the focus is on a solution tailored to a specific case. Although modern 2D and 3D cameras are becoming ever faster and more powerful, their performance is currently restricted by traditional image processing algorithms. To assess different applications and conditions, SICK’s deep learning experts work closely with the client’s process and quality experts. Their unique process expertise forms the basis of simulation training and the heart of subsequent deep learning algorithms in the sensor.

A complex network architecture processes the enormous quantity of information. Despite this, the time needed to train a deep learning network comes to little more than a few hours. Deep learning networks can also be retrained and adapted to new conditions. For big data pools and neuronal network training, SICK uses powerful independent, internal processing and IT systems. The deep learning algorithms generated are placed on the sensor locally via the cloud, making them fail-safe and directly available on an intelligent camera.

There’s still a long time to go before machines truly reign supreme, yet even today, deep learning is achieving impressive results and offers many benefits. The essential work, however, is still being done by humans. Only time will tell how many companies and industries will decide to fuel their growth by stepping up their investment in this digital

technology. Be a part of the revolution − with new projects, with SICK.

Combilift launches the new Combi-CB70E at Hanover show

Leading forklift manufacturer Combilift launched another new model truck in May at Ligna, the international timber and woodworking show, in Hanover.

The new Combi-CB70E is a further addition to Combilift’s range of electric models which offers powerful performance, extensive battery life and unrivalled ergonomics.

This model, in the vibrant Combi-green livery first seen on the recently launched Combi-CUBE product, boasts the distinction of being the shortest 7t capacity counterbalance truck on the market whilst also benefiting from multidirectional ability, enabling the versatile space saving handling of both long and bulky loads.

Design features incorporated into the high-capacity Combi-CB70E, such as its large super-elastic tyres and compact wheelbase, make it ideally suited for the operational demands of the timber industry.

With a 7,000kg/15,500lb lift capacity, this model benefits from an impressively small footprint as well as exceptional manoeuvrability meaning that it can easily move bulky loads of timber around in confined spaces.

Occupational health and safety requirements mean that the welfare of the workforce has become ever more important over the years. Drivers of industrial vehicles,

who are often required to spend extensive periods in their workstations, quite rightly expect the highest levels of comfort and safety.

Combilift’s designers have therefore gone to great lengths to ensure that the latest generation of models are kitted out with top quality components that ensure sophisticated ergonomics for a stressfree in-cab environment. Features in the spacious cab include generous glazing for excellent all-round visibility, the tilting steering column, hydraulic steering and the Grammer MSG65 seat.

What sets the Combi-CB70E apart from other forklifts is its gas strut suspension cab, which uses components such as those found in large scale industrial machinery with cab suspension. Combined with the super-elastic tyres this guarantees the smoothest of rides over uneven or less than perfect ground conditions such as those typically experienced in lumber yards.

Combilift’s newly developed Auto Swivel Seat was also premiered at the Ligna show. This optional feature automatically engages and swivels the seat and armrest 15° to the right or left to accord with the direction of travel selected by the operator - reducing driver strain, particularly when travelling in reverse. (Patent Pending Application No. 2305983.5)

The truck also features Combilift’s

internationally patented and Red Dot awarded independent electric traction which provides all front and rear drive wheels with 100% traction control. This negates the need for differential lock on slippery surfaces and significantly reduces long load momentum twisting when travelling sideways. Each electric drive incorporates parking and regenerative dynamic braking for power efficiency. Rollout access for major electrical components also simplifies maintenance tasks.

This mix of next-gen performance, extensive battery life and exceptional ergonomics combined with all the advantages of the Combi-CB range, makes this the most powerful compact electric multidirectional forklift to date.

Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar said: “The increased capacities that we are offering in our electric range will answer the demand for ever more powerful products which at the same time help companies to achieve their aims for more sustainable operations. We chose Ligna as the platform for launching the Combi-CB70E due to its innate suitability for customers in the timber sector, but we are confident that this model will be a popular addition to our portfolio for many other industry applications.”

Combilift will be at stand E39 at CeMAT Australia, and will be displaying machines

from their Aisle Master articulated-reach truck range, pedestrian range and a Combilift-CB, which is their bestselling multi-directional counterbalance forklift.

Combilift combilift.com

DIGITAL WAREHOUSING: SENSOR SOLUTIONS FOR RETAIL AND WAREHOUSING

A big challenge that all have to overcome is efficient omni-channel logistics. Warehouses which have primarily supplied retail stores with pallet shipments up to now have since turned into fulfillment centers, thereby taking over all order processing. These centers can send e-commerce orders directly to customers, process online sales, deliver goods for store pick-up and also assume the complete material planning for stores. This makes the ordering process much more complex. Connected logistics are a prerequisite for Industry 4.0. Every sensor, every machine, and every human involved can communicate with and among one another at any time.

www.sick.com/au/en/retail-and-warehousing

AutoStore to demo vending machine and grid solutions at CeMAT 2023

AutoStore, the global cube storage pioneer, will exhibit at CeMAT in Sydney for the first time to showcase an innovative grid and vending machine systems, complete with specialised robots. The company has an established presence in Australia and its sights are now set on expansion into New Zealand.

As the platform for the future of warehouses, CeMAT attracts the country’s leading technology and service providers which means that AutoStore will be in good company.

“There has been keen interest in AutoStore in the Asia Pacific (APAC) market. We have sold 115 systems to date and have our sights set on opening an assembly factory in Thailand to ensure shorter lead times for local customers,” explains Jason Wu, local Business Development Manager.

“CeMAT presents us with the perfect opportunity to further demonstrate the benefits of our automated cube storage solutions.

“There is still a lot of education to be done around automated cube storage in the market and we look forward to engaging with businesses who want to redefine order fulfilment as we know it.”

On show from AutoStore

Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to get up and close with AutoStore’s Grid and its Vending Machine solution – designed to simplify warehousing automation.

The grid will include two signature workstations, also known as ‘ports’ – the ConveyorPort on the grid with CarouselPort furniture at the side.

• The ConveyorPort is a workstation in its simplest form, where bins are dropped on a conveyor and transferred to an opening outside of the grid. Smart covering and sensors ensure operator safety.

• The CarouselPort is designed to work

with the operator, in harmony with robots to ensure the next bin is always ready. The workstation operates with three rotating arms, each holding one bin tray. Two arms are positioned in the back of the port for robots to place or retrieve bins. The third arm is in the front position for picker access to

maximise CarouselPort’s efficiency, usability, and safety while lowering operating costs.

• The Vending Machine solution includes various robots and chargers, as well as a dummy display unit, and a grid structure with 60 bins. CeMAT visitors will observe the solution in action.

where space is limited,” says Wu.

This cube storage grid forms the foundation of the company’s automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS).

Stock items are stored in the grid, and AutoStore robots travel across the grid at speed, retrieving items from specified bins and delivering them to a pick-up point.

“Our ASRS can handle up to 650 bin presentations per hour, around the clock, enabling efficiency and productivity. It negates the need for warehouse workers to traverse the warehouse, engaging in monotonous and repetitive work. It’s a great solution for businesses facing staff shortages,” says Wu.

He also points out that the company’s robots are designed with energy efficiency in mind.

“Our R5 Series robot uses less energy than a typical vacuum cleaner and runs for about 20 hours before needing to recharge.

These robots use regenerative technology, making the AutoStore system among the few such systems which run on solar power,” adds Wu.

The AutoStore system can be programmed to track inventory levels and it automatically notifies operators of impending low stock. This facilitates just-in-time processing, where inventory shortages and wastage are minimised.

“AutoStore’s grid offering resolves many of the challenges facing warehouse operators, enabling enhanced efficiency and productivity, as well as cost savings,” says Wu.

the goods inside the bin. The carousel movement ensures continuous operation at any warehouse. The latest design, CarouselPort 4.0, has a redesigned safety cover that slides freely in all directions, and a new safety box with additional emergency stop options. These enhancements

The enhanced capabilities of automated cube storage systems

Amongst its many benefits, cube storage is modular, making it easily scalable and flexible.

“Best of all, it provides four times the storage capacity within the same footprint, making it ideal for applications

AutoStore will be at Stand A20, at CeMAT at The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park, from 25 to 27 July 2023, to view its demo grid system.

CarouselPort as part of Medium Demo Grid

Leading by Example with AutoStore™

As a leading technology company itself, Leader Computers wanted to upgrade its warehouse with automation that would increase business efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, as well as make better use of the available warehouse space.

The AutoStore solution implemented by Dematic streamlines picking, packing, and replenishment operations, reduces storage footprint, and allows room for future growth. And, most importantly, Leader Computers is now delivering an enhanced level of service to thousands of its managed service providers and IT resellers, nationwide.

Learn more at dematic.com/leader-computers

Pioneering work coming out of the UTS Tech Lab

CeMAT Australia is partnering with the UTS Tech Lab to offer tours of its facilities.

The UTS Tech Lab is a collaborative research facility for large-scale engineering infrastructure and specialist laboratories dedicated to communications, sensor development and computer sciences, including data analytics and AI.

Offering industry partners access to experts, labs and specialist equipment, funding opportunities, student talent and office space in the expanding precinct in Botany, Sydney, the UTS Tech Lab supports an innovative ecosystem that partners start-ups, SMEs and large multinationals with academic or technical teams.

A special, limited number tour offer for CeMAT visitors is available now. To register, go to the QR code below. Here are a few examples of the pioneering work already being undertaken in the lab.

HyperQ: virtual swashplate technology for faster helicopters

A mechanical system that enables pilots to control the movement of a helicopter’s main rotor blades, most swashplates use technology from the 1950s, constraining the blades to a limited set of motions and

limiting the top speed of helicopters. In this research project HyperQ proposed updating swashplate technology to allow more freedom of movement, enlisting the UTS Tech Lab to understand the feasibility and potential of their designs.

The UTS Tech Lab team investigated new blade motions in simulations that could potentially allow for a speed increase of 50 knots or even faster. The results directly supported a successful HyperQ patent application and have begun a push towards faster helicopters, a game-changer for many industries, including emergency services and military operations.

Sydney Water: intelligent robotics for condition assessment of concrete sewers

Water and wastewater piping in Australia is long enough to circle the globe more than six times, and Sydney Water spends an estimated $40 million rehabilitating sewers, relying on manual inspection to identify damages or areas of concern. Staff currently need to enter the sewers to visually inspect the pipes, and repairs are both a costly undertaking and disruptive to the community. The industry research project is to find Sydney Water a safe, reliable method of detecting defects before the situation

becomes critical.

To solve this, the UTS Tech Lab team developed a robotic system used to enter the sewer through a manhole, before expanding to the diameter of the pipe. Equipped with laser sensing and profiling technologies, the system detects the parameters for pipe performance. The work of the team on this project was recognised with a National Research Innovation Reward presented at the Australian Water Association’s 2020 Australian Water Awards.

Ausgrid: infrastructural health assessment using AI

To improve asset management of Ausgrid’s 5 million timber utility poles through a screening process that uses non-destructive testing techniques, this research involved improving on the standard visual and sounding methods for assessing pole integrity.

To do this, the UTS Tech Lab team developed a screening prototype consisting of sensor array and AI technology. The idea of the prototype was that one person with a device would only take a few minutes to assess an entire pole and collect and upload field data to the cloud.

The concept eventually led to two tools being developed – a screening tool to determine whether a pole should be replaced (currently deployed) and a tool for identifying damage location, type and severity (under further development).

Nanjing University: integrated directional sound reproduction with parametric array loudspeakers

This project aims to create new arrays of loudspeakers that will generate high-quality sound in precisely targeted directions for use in mobile phones and other applications. The challenge involves the difficulty in generating audio sound in a specific direction in the low frequency range. This is very difficult to overcome when developing new parametric array loudspeakers.

The UTS Tech Lab team is using an anechoic chamber (a room designed to completely absorb the reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves) to investigate the directional performance and efficiency of parametric array speakers. They aim to design a new device with superior performance in generating high-quality, precisely targeted sound.

Whether your main aim is to make the warehouse run as efficiently as possible or your responsibility falls across the entire supply chain, register now for CeMAT Australia 2023 on at The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park and experience the range of solutions and technology setting the standards and future direction of logistics and warehousing in the Asia Pacific.

Slimstock streamlines Teka’s inventory

T

Slimstock’s Slim4 platform oversees planning activities for over 160,000 SKUs across all Teka locations.

The partnership with Slimstock has seen Teka’s turnover increase by 33% in just over a year, and a significant reduction in global ‘stockouts’ by 69% – and 80% for A-items.

With a presence in 116 countries and 23 factories across Europe, America, and Asia, Teka serves more than 100 million customers globally. The size of the network means the management team requires maximum visibility of data to make quick decisions.

“Before Slim4, we managed the stock with a lot of will but with few means,” says Leopoldo Ojembarrena, SCM Global Planning at Teka.

“We had a tool for our local Spanish market. However, the other 32 subsidiaries had nothing in place.”

“It was vital to implement a single planning tool that could unify all our

eka Group, a household appliances, taps, and PC items maker, relies on inventory optimiser Slimstock to streamline operations across its headquarters and 32 subsidiaries.processes across the headquarters and subsidiaries. This is why we turned to Slimstock,” said Ojembarrena.

The partnership began in 2018 Teka Group decided to implement Slim4.

With 30 different enterprise resource planning systems, integrating all the data into one system was a major challenge. However, in just over a year, all systems were successfully integrated.

Responsive decision-making

Ojembarrena highlights Slim4’s role in providing easy access to strategic information, enabling responsive decision-making.

He emphasised that decisions used to take a week to be made but with Slim4 now managing inventory, decisions are made on a day-to-day basis.

Teka now has a real-time understanding of the subsidiarys’ operations, enabling decisions to be made without limiting the autonomy the branches need.

Optimised phase in, phase out

One of Teka’s main goals is to streamline its product phase-in/phase-out process. Slim4 plays a fundamental role in this.

2

Amazing performance, extensive battery life and unrivalled ergonomics combined with all the advantages of the Combi-CB range make the CB70E the most powerful, compact multidirectional forklift yet.

The new COMBi-CB70E electric forklift is the most compact 7,000kg counterbalance truck on the market. Multidirectional ability enables the handling of both long and bulky loads, maximising the safety, storage & efficiency of your logistics.

Contact

“We are improving our process for adding and removing articles from our assortment. With Slim4, we are better positioned to manage product life-cycles.

“In fact, we are already using Slim4 to build forecasts for new products and we believe our forecast accuracy will increase significantly”.

Slimstock is a global leader in inventory optimisation for industries such as e-commerce, retail, and manufacturing.

timber 70E 214x139 Chris.indd 1 22/06/2023 13:33:20

Industry Update Issue 132 Jun/Jul 2023 | 43 industryupdate.com.au

Slimstock slimstock.com

Foodpro back after six-year hiatus

Key zones

Machines, technologies, products and processes will be showcased in the following zones:

Processing and packaging

See vital manufacturing operations in action in this, the biggest zone.

Ingredients

Dedicated to suppliers and distributors, these exhibitors sample and source ingredients from across the world.

Food science and technology

Testing, analysis and compliance services which offer science-based and technology-driven solutions.

Plant equipment

Climate control, drainage, compressors, security systems and more.

Packaging materials

Valuable solutions for bespoke line requirements, specific transport and storage needs and sustainability criteria.

Logistics and handling

This zone is the place to connect with logistics experts and test advances in supply chain technology and equipment.

IT and digital factories

This is a new zone for Foodpro where businesses focus on IOT, smart sensors, app developments and more.

Government and business services

This zone will connect visitors with essential business services including recruitment, insurance, accounting and other.

Foodpro Product Manager Felicity

Parker says the industry is abuzz with anticipation.

“We will be the first Australian event in the international calendar to showcase the latest developments in food manufacturing. The floor will be jampacked with suppliers plus there’s a host of fantastic events and presentations.”

Four-day education program

The daily education program at the Product Innovation Stage sponsored by Wiley, and the Schneider Electric Smart Food Lounge, will cover topics including:

• Hygienic Design and Operational Excellence for the Food Industry

• Novel Ingredient Development from Upcycling

• Intellectual Property Relating to Product Innovation in the Food Sector

• Harnessing Digital Disruption to Transform Supply Chain

• Addressing Market Demand for Food and Beverage Insights

• PIDA Awards and WorldStar Packaging Award Winners.

Network at The Lume

The Foodpro Celebration at THE LUME, sponsored by Contech, new and exciting 360-degree premium experience for all. Visitors and exhibitors can network and celebrate and enjoy an immersive sensory experience — where the walls come alive as light ripples across every surface

with curated tastes, aromas and a choreographed soundtrack. Tickets are limited and available to purchase now.

AIFST 2023 Convention

As the only national independent voice and network for Australia’s food industry, the Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology (AIFST) will host its annual convention during Foodpro. The organisation champions a robust, innovative science-based Australian food industry to meet future needs. The AIFST is also hosting a networking function after the first day of the convention for delegates to connect with peers and colleagues over drinks and canapes.

Delegate tickets can be purchased directly with the AIFST.

“According to a recent Foodpro survey, more than 60% of businesses are looking to make capital expenditure investments in areas such as equipment and technology over the following 12 months,” says Parker. “With food and beverage processing being Australia’s largest manufacturing area, we’re proud to be putting on an event that contributes so much to our manufacturing industry and future.”

Foodpro foodproexh.com

New smart food technologies and product innovations: speakers at Foodpro 2023

Food and beverage topic experts and representatives from leading companies will unpack exciting next-generation solutions, product innovations, trends and technologies in an all-new double program line-up at this year’s Foodpro 2023 event. Presentations will take place over four days from July 23-26 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

New to Foodpro 2023, the Product Innovation Stage sponsored by Wiley will showcase the latest product developments to support the evolving food

manufacturing industry. Located in the Plant Equipment Zone, speakers will cover topics such as connected packaging, digitalisation and functional ingredients. Also featured for the first time at Foodpro 2023, the Schneider Electric Smart Food Lounge, will host drop-in presentations focused on the theme of smart food, encompassing efficiency and sustainability of the food manufacturing supply chain. This area will cover trends, technologies and solutions to support compliance and traceability whilst reducing waste and inefficiencies.

Speakers - Product Innovation Stage sponsored by Wiley foodproexh.com/whats-on/product-innovation-stage

Foodpro Product Manager, Felicity Parker, said the presentations were invaluable for visitors and exhibitors to learn about what’s driving the industry currently and into the future.

“Foodpro is always more than just a chance for suppliers to exhibit,” she said. “We’re pleased that this year to offer a range of new features with opportunities for learning and discovery including our dedicated presentation areas.”

In addition to the new stages, association partner, the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), will be hosting two

training courses at Foodpro on Monday, 24 July centred around the fast-growing Flexible Packaging segment and Active and Intelligent Packaging.

The Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology will also be hosting their annual convention during the four days of Foodpro.

The theme for AIFST 23, ‘The Science of Food – Security and Sustainability’, will speak to the challenges and exciting opportunities ahead for the agri-food industry and the important role food science and technology will play.

Speakers - Smart Food Lounge sponsored by Schneider Electric foodproexh.com/whats-on/smart-food-lounge

Foodpro is on 23-26 July 2023, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. continued from front page

Fit more in the cold store with a Combi-WR

Pedestrian stacker and automated racking maximise space.

Warehouse space does not come cheap, but for companies that store frozen and chilled products, the costs per square foot are even higher compared to ambient facilities.

Maximising capacity should therefore be a priority in the existing footprint as well as in new builds, and this is exactly what Jordan International Transport set out to do with the design of its new purpose-built storage facility in Moy, Northern Ireland.

From there the company transports frozen and chilled fish and seafood to all of Ireland, and several countries around the world including mainland Europe.

Growth was a major driver for the decision to build the warehouse and switch to a new system, which aimed to maximise space and achieve greater output.

In the initial planning stages, Storage and Distribution Manager Barry McIlvanna spoke to materials handling specialist Combilift to identify the most suitable equipment to combine with an automated racking system provided by Sperrin Metal.

The Combilift Combi-WR pedestrian stacker was the solution that enabled

substantially more pallets to be stored in a greatly condensed area while reducing working aisle widths.

A further consideration was to improve the ratio of stored products and the amount of space needed to access them.

“The freezer system has to work just as hard to cool the relatively unproductive areas set aside for access. With standard racking and conventional forklifts such as the counterbalance and pallet trucks we were previously using, only about half of the space could be used for storage.

“With the new system, this has risen to 85% so our freezer circuit can operate much more efficiently and therefore more cost effectively,” McIlvanna explained.

In common with all of Combilift’s pedestrian trucks, the Combi-WR features a unique, patented and award winning multi-position tiller arm which enables the operator to remain at the side of the unit rather than the rear.

“The operator’s position with this pedestrian version allows a greater level of control over the products when moving them around and as you have full visibility of the loads, the forks and the surroundings, it’s safer for operators and other staff nearby, particularly when

working in our narrow aisles and tight spaces,” said McIlvanna.

As well as enabling an almost doubling of pallet density, the performance of the electric powered stacker, even in the demanding cold store environment, has been exemplary according to McIlvanna.

“It’s perfect for our setup. Working at -18 degrees over a few hours it never misses a beat. We were initially concerned whether a truck could work equally effectively in such cold temperatures compared to normal conditions, but the team at Combilift had all the right specifications and solutions.”

“Quick accessibility to products, adhering to deadlines and guaranteeing a high level of service have kept us at the top of our game for over 25 years,” sums up McIlvanna.

“We believe being the best means using the best equipment available – and that’s what we have with the Combi-WR.

“I am sure that any future growth will involve more of Combilift’s products.” Combilift

Barry McIlvanna from Jordan International Transport in their coldstore

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FOODPRO Hawkins Watts expands with cutting-edge lab and large warehouse

With innovation back on the cards for many food, drink and supplement manufacturers, Hawkins Watts Australia says it is more equipped than ever before to deliver creative ingredients solutions.

More than six months ago, Hawkins Watts moved into spacious new premises in Mulgrave, Victoria.

The company’s new laboratories are equipped with cutting-edge technical equipment, including a UV-vis spectrophotometer, 3-1 combi oven, 2 stage homogenisers, water activity measurement capabilities, ultra-turrax disperser and a canning machine to name a few.

Along with the extensive innovation laboratory capabilities, the new premises also include a modern 300m2 warehouse.

“Our investment in the new facilities will allow us to offer more flexibility and valuable end-to-end solutions for our customers, as well as onsite warehousing for some of our dangerous goods and other ingredients,” says Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Hawkins Watts Australia.

“The food, beverage and supplement industries are complex and exciting, and we’re thrilled to be leading the charge in delivering innovative solutions. Our technical sales managers and application technologists love brainstorming

solutions for our customers’ problems in the lab, so investing in the best technical laboratory equipment for our new premises was an easy decision.”

Hawkins Watts Australia has supplied creative ingredients solutions to the food and beverage industry for over 21 years, but with health a growing focus for many businesses, the team is now leveraging its expertise and technical capabilities to help customers bring new wellbeing-focused concepts to life.

This new pathway for Hawkins Watts Australia is targeted at both functional food manufacturers as well as customers in the complementary medicines market.

“With a combined 50 years’ experience in the complementary medicines industry, the new health and nutrition team at Hawkins Watts Australia are well placed to help our customers in developing functional foods and complementary medicine solutions that feature consumer-compelling ingredients and claims,” says Michael

Evans, Technical and Innovation Manager (Health and Nutrition).

The company’s growing portfolio of health and nutrition ingredients, sourced from leading global suppliers, will complement their offerings of Texture, Flavour, and Colour ingredients supported by industry expertise.

Hawkins Watts Australia will also refresh its branding, reflecting its investment in new premises, technical and warehousing capabilities, and expansion into the health and nutrition space.

The company’s new look will be on display in July at their Foodpro stand (D15), where Korean inspired street food will be on offer.

Hawkins Watts hawkinswatts.com

Introducing the SECUMAX 148: the ultimate eco-friendly safety knife

Anew safety knife featuring cutting-edge innovation and unparalleled safety will be on display at Foodpro 2023.

By using recycled materials, the SECUMAX 148 from Martor is not only designed to protect users but also the environment, making it the ideal choice for the eco-conscious consumer.

The SECUMAX 148 is testament to Martor’s commitment to sustainability without compromising performance. Its body is crafted from a minimum of 80% high-quality, durable recycled plastic. This eco-friendly approach means it offers the benefits of a premium safety knife with a reduced carbon footprint.

The SECUMAX 148’s innovative design takes safety and precision to the next level. Its concealed blade ensures that users never have to worry about accidental cuts or injuries while working with the knife.

This unique feature makes it perfect for cutting various materials such as cardboard, plastic straps, film, and tape, while keeping users and their products safe.

One of the standout features of the SECUMAX 148 is its ergonomic grip, which allows for comfortable and secure handling during prolonged use. The carefully designed contours of the handle provide a natural fit for the hand, ensuring that users have full control over the cutting process. This thoughtful design minimises the risk of hand strain and fatigue, allowing users to work efficiently and comfortably throughout the day.

In addition to its outstanding safety features and eco-friendly design, the SECUMAX 148 is a versatile tool that is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Whether it’s needed for work in a warehouse, retail store, or office, this safety knife is the perfect addition to the workplace. Its compact size and

lightweight design make it easy to transport and store, ensuring that it is a reliable cutting tool whenever it is needed.

The SECUMAX 148 safety knife is an innovative and environmentally conscious cutting solution that delivers unrivalled safety, durability, and performance. Its unique combination of recycled materials, ergonomic design, and advanced safety features make it an essential tool for anyone who values

both personal safety and environmental sustainability.

Martor will be exhibiting at Foodpro stand J34

Martor Knives martoraustralia.com.au

Protect your product: Eriez magnetic separators on show at Foodpro

Many manufacturers today invest thousands, if not millions of dollars into magnetic separation and metal detection equipment to reduce the risk of metal contamination in their final product.

The need to make sure product purity is maintained on product lines has never been greater.

Long before their product reaches the customer, manufacturers are fighting a constant battle to detect and eliminate foreign objects or ferrous and non-ferrous metals like nails, rust, scale, erosion debris, discarded screws, and nuts and bolts.

Being able to eliminate metal fragments also helps to prevent damage to expensive processing machinery, and stops unscheduled downtime and significant repair costs.

Eriez magnetic separators are designed to draw out large as well as very fine and weak magnetic metal debris at critical points along a production line.

These separators come in different magnetic strengths and styles to suit specific applications.

Test your magnets

All magnets should be periodically tested to confirm that strength is consistent and to ensure compliance with current international food safety standards.

Eriez conducts audits for all types of food manufacturing operations across Australia and New Zealand, using procedures and documentation recommended by HACCP International.

Following a successful audit, certificates of compliance are issued for company records.

Eriez can even audit other manufacturer’s magnetic separation equipment, evaluate their effectiveness and offer recommendations to improve separation performance.

Eriez will check the physical condition of the magnet, its strength, application and address any safety concerns.

Eriez specialists will compare the magnet’s current state with previous audits or the OEM specifications to confirm that performance is still as per the original specification.

More importantly, Eriez can provide

recommendations and advice with respect to the Food Safety Industry Standards.

Eriez magnet pull tests

Pull tests are an essential quality control tool used to monitor magnet strength to ensure optimum performance, so take advantage of Eriez’s magnet pull tests. Regular magnet tests will help you identify any concerns and will help to maintain your process integrity. This due diligence is intended to ensure that

your product will comply with HACCP International Food Safety Standards. Eriez will be exhibiting at Foodpro in Melbourne from 23-26 July.

Visit Stand L31 for recommendations and advice for your specific operation.

Eriez eriez.com.au

Demonstration of a magnet audit

Tetra Pak® Food Processor – the ideal industrial chef

Afood processor capable of storing up to 800 recipes is exhibiting at Foodpro 2023. The Tetra Pak® Food Processor V, which achieves efficient processing of low- to high-viscous, and smooth to particulate products, is capable of performing all core food preparation tasks to the highest standard.

It supports a wide product range, from volume products to high-quality artisan-style foods. Applications include ready meals, soups and broths, fruit preparations, jams and marmalades, traditional and international dishes, tomato sauces and confectionery.

Thanks to gentle heating, cooling and agitation, Tetra Pak® Food Processor can handle the broadest variety of products. During production, users can monitor and control all necessary production parameters to ensure the desired result every time.

Tetra Pak® Food Processor V series comes in a vessel size from 250L to 6000L and is modularised to easily adapt to needs and wishes.

The unit preserves particle integrity and ensures even ingredient distribution throughout the product, guaranteeing the correct mix and the perfect texture every time.

The modular, highly flexible format is built to emulate kitchen conditions. Primarily designed for batch production, it is also suitable for continuous systems if desired.

The closed format safeguards operator and meets best-in-class hygiene standards.

At the unit’s core is a double-shaft agitator that acts as the chef’s spoon, gently stirring the mix for perfect results. Counter-rotating double shafts reach all vessel areas to deliver a homogenous blend regardless of viscosity.

Tetra Pak® Food Processor V is highly automated to ensure full production repeatability. The integrated control system provides full oversight of time, temperature, viscosity and other key parameters. This limits batch to batch variation and ensures consistency day in and day out.

Automation features also enable traceability throughout the production chain, minimising the amount of product involved should a recall be necessary, and also supporting ingredient bag tracing.

For customers, Tetra Pak® Food Processor V offers a route to higher process reliability, longer uptime and elevated efficiency including lower product waste.

Tetra Pak is exhibiting at Foodpro stand H38

Hygienic foot load cell at Foodpro

The Laumas FLC1000M12A3A compression load cells, manufactured from stainless-steel and designed to mount under the legs of food equipment which need to be weighed down, will be on display at Foodpro 2023.

The Hygienic Foot Load Cell from ADM Instrument Engineering can be used under tanks, vessels, conveyors, hoppers and other machinery.

It complies with 3A sanitary standards and can withstand the rigors of a washdown environment with water jets and harsh chemicals.

The 3A sanitary standards are a set of criteria and guidelines developed by the 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) organisation.

These standards ensure that equipment, such as pumps, valves, fittings, and other components, meet the necessary hygiene and sanitary requirements for food processing.

The certification verifies that the equipment meets stringent standards for design, fabrication, and cleaning, and is safe for use in food processing facilities.

The Laumas FLC1000M12A3A has a measuring range of 1000kg and an electrical output of 2.0 mV/V ±0.1%. Other models are available with measurement ranges of up to 20 tonnes.

For electrical connection, the device is supplied with an M12 connector plus 5 metres of cable.

The IP69K IP rating indicates the ability of these load cells to withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets and complete protection against dust ingress. This is particularly important in food and beverage applications due to the stringent hygiene and cleanliness requirements in these industries.

ADM Instrument Engineering will be exhibiting at Foodpro stand P52

Tetra Pak ® tetrapak.com

New wastewater pumps lower maintenance time and costs at Qld piggery

BettaPork Piggery in Biloela has been breeding pigs for over 30 years. A mid-size enterprise, the piggery raises the animals and then sells them.

As part of the piggery’s recycling philosophy, all pig waste is collected and broken down before being used as fertiliser on the grounds and turned into biogas to power the farm.

“We collect the pig waste in what we call sump pits,” explained Paul Brosnan, BettaPork Piggery’s owner and director.

“The effluent is then pumped from the sump up to a holding dam. It then moves progressively through a series of processes before the effluent is eventually ready to be pumped into biogas holding tanks to collect the biogas.”

The problem

To move the pig waste from the sump to the holding tanks, the piggery was using a few different types of pumps including submersibles.

Located in the effluent pit, and needing a chain and lifting device to raise to the surface, these pumps were proving increasingly inefficient and costly to maintain.

“After we bought the submersible pumps, we quickly discovered that they

have a very fine tolerance.

“The suction inlet / impeller started to block continuously and the pumps would run dry, making the internals of the pump wear and need replacing on a regular basis.”

The solution

Brosnan started to search for a more efficient solution.

He happened to work closely with a local business which used a number of Gorman Rupp pumps in their processes, and highly recommended the brand.

Brosnan contacted Hydro Innovations, the authorised Australian distributor for Gorman-Rupp pumps, for a solution to issues he had with the current pumps he had been using.

“Having purchased and used a series of pumps including submersible ones in the past, we didn’t want to spend any more money on pumps that could not do the job.

“So, it was great coming across a supplier who was happy to stand by their product and prove it was the right pump for the job,” said Brosnan.

After reviewing the piggery’s requirements, Hydro Innovations suggested that the piggery install a Gorman-Rupp

T6A60S-B wastewater pump fitted with a 7.5kW motor — a packaged unit that would provide both the flow and the pressure that was needed.

Garry Grant, General Manager of Hydro Innovations, says the Gorman-Rupp T6A60S-B is a rugged and reliable self-priming centrifugal solids-handling pump.

Very easy to maintain, he says the pump is capable of handling a 3” solid [so it will pump a cricket ball] as well as stringy materials. In addition, if any choking does occur, the pump can be easily and quickly unclogged via the light-weight removable cover plate.

The design of the pump also allows users to adjust the clearance externally [in minutes] to ensure optimum performance without having to remove the pump from the system or open it.

For major services, the removable rotating assembly can be replaced by simply loosening four bolts from the drive end of the pump, eliminating the need to disturb the pump casing or piping.

The results

According to Brosnan, “within a few months of having the pump installed at the piggery we knew that it was capable.

It moves more liquid than the previous pump and it’s extremely easy to maintain, which for me, is the major bonus.

“The open impeller design makes it very simple to remove any blockages. You only have to loosen two bolts to get inside the pump and clear it, which only takes 15 minutes.”

“And of course, an added bonus is that we no longer have to waste money purchasing constant number of parts due to breakdowns,” he added.

Brosnan was so impressed with the performance of the Gorman-Rupp T6A60S-B that he purchased a second pump and is now considering a third.

Hydro Innovations provide a wide range of quality pumps to meet the requirements of many applications within the food and beverage industry. Hydro Innovations will be at Foodpro at stand U28

Chicken plant cuts odours with safe aeration technology

Achicken processing plant in Queensland had a challenge – it needed aeration to reduce odours associated with its wastewater treatment system.

The plant had a large 350,000-litre tank with in-flows exceeding four megalitres per day.

The owners also wanted a system that was easy to maintain and safe for operators.

Engineers at the plant selected a venturi-aeration system that consisted of two EchoStorm (6”) venturi-aerators, powered by two Gorman-Rupp pump model V6A60-B pumps with a combined discharge rate of 140 litres per second.

The Gorman-Rupp pumps draw the wastewater from the tank and discharge it at pressure into the venturi-aerators.

Air is drawn into the aerator at a ratio 2.2 times the pump flow, where it is

mixed with the wastewater.

Water is then discharged back into the tank, where ‘hydraulic sheer’ facilitates the release of soluble gasses and volatiles from the water, which is now saturated with dissolved oxygen.

The discharge ports of the two aerators were set up tangential to the side wall to induce a ‘spin’ to the contents of the tank, causing solids to migrate to the centre where the pump suction lines were positioned.

In this way, large solids are collected and smashed through the pump and aerator, reducing their size and making them more available for biological reaction.

The plant has found the system very easy to access for monitoring and maintenance because it is located outside the tank (not in it or on it).

As a result, no lifting apparatus is needed to access equipment, and there

is no ‘working over water’ or ‘working at heights’ to contend with or write up on risk assessment documents.

The Hydro Innovations Regional Manager for South Australia visited the plant and noted everything had been installed and was functioning perfectly.

A spokesperson from the plant said they had no problems at all with the system.

Smaller projects are possible with the use of smaller venturi-aerators, which are available in 50mm, 80mm, 100mm

and 150mm sizes.

Larger projects are approached by using multiples of the larger unit, sometimes using a dedicated large pump to ‘drive’ two, three or even four venturi-aerators.

Hydro Innovations hydroinnovations.com.au

Bega Cheese upgrades wastewater system with new aerator

surface-mounted technologies.

Hydro Innovations was able to provide information indicating that, with the use of the right pump, oxygen transfer efficiency for Venturi Aeration units can be as high or higher than 1.86 kg O2/ kWh, making them at least as efficient as surface (floating) technologies.

The aerated lagoon contained 45 ML of effluent, with in-flows from 80–120 ML per year. This required a 150 mm Venturi Aeration unit, which was paired with a Gorman-Rupp V6A60-B self-priming pump, with a hydraulic efficiency of 70%.

Bega Cheese Environmental Manager for Northern Victoria

Sean Trebley was given the task of upgrading the wastewater aeration system at Bega’s Strathmerton Plant.

The existing wastewater system consisted of a dissolved air floatation (DAF) unit, which flowed into an aerated lagoon. The resulting effluent was stored in two non-aerated lagoons during winter, with irrigation occurring in summer. Aerators reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater as well as odours in the aerated and downstream non-aerated lagoons. Bega had an ageing

system of surface aerators in the aerated lagoon, consisting of two 22 kW units and six 8 kW units, but generally only one or two of these units were operated at any time.

Over several years, the ageing surface aerators had progressively failed. Repairs involved the deployment of cranes and/or boats to gain access — an expensive process that had resulted in damage to the dam liner. Eventually it became uneconomical to keep repairing the aerators.

Bega decided to look for a solution that was safer for operators and easier to maintain. Trebley contacted Hydro Innovations to discuss the use of the company’s

bank-mounted Venturi Aeration system.

This solution is mounted on the banks of lagoons, using a self-priming pump to draw water from the lagoon. The unit draws in atmospheric air using the Venturi effect, mixes it with the water being pumped, and discharges it back into the lagoon, charged with dissolved oxygen.

Trebley and his team liked the idea of bank mounting because it gave operators easy access to equipment for monitoring and/or repair, making it safer and more cost-effective to maintain.

Bega’s only concern was whether the units were as efficient as

Since installation, operators have observed a continued increase in the dissolved oxygen level and have seen COD fall by 50%, even though the higher level of mixing was re-suspending settled solids, which became more bioavailable to colony-forming units.

Trebley and the Bega Cheese crew are happy with the ever-increasing levels of dissolved oxygen, the reduction in COD and their odour-free lagoon. The wastewater and maintenance teams are also pleased that monitoring and maintenance can be done safely, without the use of cranes, boats or winches.

Hydro Innovations hydroinnovations.com.au

Get a Great Wrap

An innovative pallet wrap from Melbourne-based material science company, Great Wrap, will be on display at Foodpro 2023.

Their latest innovation, Compostable Pallet Wrap, is made with food waste and a mix of compostable biopolymers and is the world’s most sustainable load containment method — designed to keep your pallet load secure.

Its high performance is just what businesses are used to, helping the user decarbonise their business as they wrap. The wrap comes in a number of variations including Hand Pallet Wrap and Machine Pallet Wrap.

Great Wrap is a Melbourne-based material science company, on a mission to end the reliance on plastic pallet wrap. In 2019, the company saw a materials revolution happening around them.

Everything was changing rapidly: energy, transport, and agriculture, yet plastic stayed the same. They knew the technology existed to put an end to plastic waste, but there weren’t any products available on the market for them to use. That’s when Great Wrap was born.

The company invented the products they knew the world was missing so they could dump plastic once and for all. They are driven by impact, fuelled by demand, and have a 10-year vision for a world where plastic doesn’t exist.

Great Wrap will be exhibiting at Foodpro at stand P51

Great Wrap greatwrap.com.au

Storage innovation doesn’t always mean using the latest technology

People might think innovation requires the latest novelties, however, many businesses have storage that is so backward they need the innovation of a 45 year old tried-andtested solution.

For decades now, Australian businesses from the top down (the Top End down to the Australian Antarctic Territory) have been shifting to three-dimensional storage to replace their pre-existing two-dimensional storage.

For those readers scratching their heads, a few definitions at this point might be helpful.

Two-dimensional storage for spare parts is when you have a series of shelves.

This is generally a solution that requires no thought, no planning, and no care, but often results in a system that doesn’t suit what needs to be stored, or results in running out of space very quickly.

Three-dimensional storage is when storage is configured in terms of volume, rather than just across the 2D face of a row of shelving.

This means that storage locations are created of the correct width, depth and height to suit the item being stored. This obviously dramatically cuts down on wasted space, maintains better order and cleanliness, and is much faster to pick.

The simplest method to achieve this is through robust drawers with adjustable internal partitions and dividers. ‘Robust drawers’ are a BAC Systems speciality, and an Australian Design Award winning drawer range manufactured completely in Australia.

BAC Systems provides businesses with high-density drawer storage solutions that often save them more than two-thirds of the floor space that their inventory was otherwise using.

BAC’s internal drawer partitioning is adjustable so drawer layouts can always be quickly adapted to changes in inventory. Drawers come in a range of different heights, offering choice in all three dimensions.

With a BAC Drawer Storage solution, properly designed by the BAC Technical Sales Team, each part can be placed in a unique storage location of an appropriate size that is easy to find and access on demand.

Customers can now option their enclosures with Thermobreak© Thermal insulation which is an all-in-one closed-cell physically cross-linked polyolefin foam that is manufactured in compliance to ASTM C1427 Standard.

To further enhance heat

customers have the option to also add external vandal resistant sun shields to the doors, sides and the top of an enclosure. These shields reduce the amount of direct sunlight on an enclosure while allowing air to move between the enclosure skin and shield.

Available in various sizes from 12RU to 45RU, in either freestanding or wall-mounted. Also mild steel, Stainless steel and aluminium variants.

The S280 range is designed to be strong and robust in any situation. All cabinets are continuously welded and finished to the highest standard.

MFB have taken their industrial range of IP66 rated 19” rack mount enclosures to the next level by introducing new options for external heat protection on the S280 range.

HANDLING, WAREHOUSING & STORAGE

Train jack system on time for Perth metro

A robust jack system

To complete the jack system, Vector Lifting sought gearboxes from its longtime supplier, Bonfiglioli.

“We have developed a good relationship with Bonfiglioli because we believe in their product – it is robust and reliable. Bonfiglioli’s short lead time and rapid manufacture of custom gearboxes is ideal. They always offer us very good product and technical support, and understand the pressures of our business,” says Capelli.

wide torque range and high efficiency in a compact and durable design,” says Whalley.

“This enables smooth, easy handling of goods, even under the most demanding conditions.”

comprehensive customer support offering, which benefits Vector Lifting customers.

This is a prolific partnership, with plans underway for further collaborative projects.

Vector Lifting and Bonfiglioli collaborated last year on a 15-month installation for the Perth Transport Authority (PTA), successfully delivering a high-performance lifting solution to deadlines.

The PTA had introduced a new fleet of trains and opened a new maintenance facility in Perth which needed 24 lifting jacks to be installed for the Perth Metro Network. Vector Lifting was awarded the tender for the supply and installation of a turnkey jack system, which elevates the train body off the track so the chassis and wheel set can be inspected, repaired, or exchanged.

“This is a new train with new requirements,” says Clinton Capelli, Mechanical Engineer, Vector Lifting.

“Our jacks are synchronised and run through a controlled system to lift all 24 jacks at the same time, same speed and to the right height.”

“One of the reasons we were selected for this project – besides the fact that this is a highly specialised application – is that we are a local specialist manufacturer and are competitively priced,” adds Capelli.

Bonfiglioli supplied Vector Lifting with 24 A Series helical gearboxes in one consignment, ensuring that Vector Lifting would meet PTA deadlines in spite of the pandemic’s challenges.

“Bonfiglioli offer local stock and assembly and, for large orders which may require an import, they achieve a quick turnaround because of their wide international footprint and manufacturing set-ups,” says Capelli.

Fred Whalley, Bonfiglioli’s State Sales Manager, says the A Series is suited to the jack system design so it required minimal adaption.

“The helical bevel gear units offer a

DB Schenker awarded integrated logistics contract from Albemarle for lithium project

DB Schenker has been awarded the contract to provide comprehensive project construction freight forwarding and logistics services to Albemarle’s Kemerton Lithium Expansion Project (KEP) in Western Australia.

The engineering contractor will be Hatch Australia.

The Kemerton Lithium Expansion Project is DB Schenker’s first foray into the rapidly growing battery metals mining industry globally.

Lithium is a key ingredient in batteries to support global decarbonization efforts, offering a long-lasting and

efficient alternative to traditional fuel sources such as gasoline, and having applications in electric vehicles.

The Kemerton plant is located approximately 150 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia. Near the Port of Bunbury, it is close to one of the world’s largest hard rock lithium deposits – the Greenbushes mine.

The work will be supported by the DB Schenker Project Control Tower office located in Perth, in conjunction with the company’s global network of project offices that specialise in and are accustomed to the unique logistics service requirements of the industry.

“We have a large local stock holding but in the case of larger orders we can bring them in from Italy in a very short time”.

A formidable partnership

Vector Lifting and Bonfiglioli have collaborated for 22 years.

“Vector’s is a tried-and-tested model – they always order the right product for the application,” says Whalley about the Australian job crane specialist.

“They boast a professional engineering team which is well-versed in the principles of mechanical engineering. We enjoy working with them”.

The pairing with Bonfiglioli has benefited Vector Lifting in return.

“Customers chose our products because we collaborate with Bonfiglioli and other suppliers which help us deliver a good product that can stand the test of time,” adds Capelli.

“We feel that Bonfiglioli mirrors what is important to us in their own company ethos and how they interact with customers. It’s important to us to deal with like-minded people. Bonfiglioli also helps us support our product”.

He points to the gearbox supplier’s

One is the roll-out of specialised winches (fitted with Bonfiglioli gearboxes) across several West Australian mines, to provide functional and safety enhancements.

“We are also in the process of designing specialised lifting equipment for other international rail operators,” concludes Capelli.

Vector Lifting is an Australian manufacturer of a variety of jib cranes (one of a limited number of specialists worldwide), offering custom design consultancy as well as after sales support.

Bonfiglioli bonfiglioli.com

“We have a proven track record of working safely and efficiently, even on the most remote sites and mega projects in the world,” says Frank Vogel, VP Global Projects & Industry Solutions APAC.

This award will also provide exciting new local employment development

and opportunities for DB Schenker in Western Australia.

DB Schenker dbschenker.com

“One of the reasons... we were selected is that we are a local specialist manufacturer and are competitively priced”

“In the case of larger orders we can bring them in from Italy in a very short time”

Fred Whalley, Bonfiglioli’s State Sales Manager

A-series train jack

Albemarle’s Kemertun Lithium Expansion Project

HANDLING, WAREHOUSING & STORAGE

Warehouse productivity gains beyond the forklift

by Michael Wiesenegg, Director

Forklifts are vital for keeping products moving in today’s supply chains, but they are not the only important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to overall warehouse productivity and efficiency.

Crown continues to work closely with companies to help them identify opportunities to enhance the efficiency and productivity of their forklift fleets. At the same time, there may be improvement opportunities associated with other warehouse equipment that are equally impactful. Often, these opportunities are nonconsecutive, meaning they can be addressed in no particular order. Sometimes they are or may seem unique to the equipment itself, but there are times when changes in processes or the warehouse equipment itself can affect how forklifts perform.

The following are eight steps warehouse managers can take to help enhance warehouse productivity and efficiency beyond the forklift.

1. Benchmark your storage ratio and determine where you can make improvements, to give your forklift operators enough room to manoeuvre comfortably and efficiently without wasting available space or damaging product, racking or equipment. Ensure rack aisles are wide enough for the types of forklifts used and the type of product stored. It is also important to ensure the aisles remain free of clutter and debris. Consult with your forklift provider for recommendations on how best to benchmark your storage ratio.

2. Design an efficient warehouse racking layout that meets the needs of your operations. Determining factors can include storage ratio, available floor and vertical space, docking locations, throughput and the type of forklifts used. Choose your racking based on the type of storage you need (e.g., narrow aisle, high-density, bulk storage). Also, if your warehouse is in an area of potential seismic activity, a code-compliant racking design may affect aisles and overall spacing.

3. Review pick methods and procedures to recover valuable storage space and increase use of space. VLMs (Vertical Lift Modules) are enclosed, vertical automated storage and retrieval systems that use trays to store objects and can be a great way to save space and bring products to the operator to increase picks. The trays are automatically retrieved and delivered to a window for picking. They come in various heights and widths to fit a variety of applications and they are an especially good fit for manufacturing environments.

4. Take steps to protect your racking from costly damage caused by impacts. Damaged racking is not only a potential safety issue, but it may also impede operators from quickly moving loads in and out of racks. Column protection, such as steel units that wrap around the base of the upright column and are anchored to

the concrete with wedge, bolt or screw fasteners, can help alleviate costly damage. End-of-aisle protection, such as a heavy guard at the end of the aisle where additional traffic occurs, can isolate and help reduce the effects of impacts on racking structures.

5. Be smart about rack label locations to save operator time and wear and tear. Improper label placement can make them difficult to read and scan and may even result in damage or loss that can bring operations to a halt when the rack location cannot be confirmed. A common location for the label is on the beam directly under the pallet. This can require the operator of a turret truck, with an entire cab that raises and lowers, to first stop at the label height to scan before moving up to the rack height to access the pallet. In this case, affixing labels to the upright would allow for easier scanning and more productive pallet movements. Since some uprights have punched holes, you may need to use magnetic labels or label holders to ensure they are secure.

6. Prominently display aisle signage to alert operators quickly to potential safety hazards or provide directional assistance. Make sure you put signs in well-lit and visible locations but out of the path of travel. Periodically inspect signage locations to ensure signs are still present and nothing has been placed in a way that blocks them from view. A more flexible and secure solution may involve mounting projectors on the ceiling that project messages on the warehouse floor.

7. Strategically locate charging stations to ensure easy and efficient access throughout the shift. This is especially important for lithium-ion powered forklifts so they can be opportunely charged to increase runtime. Ideal locations are near breakrooms and dock areas. Charging station locations should be considered when designing the warehouse layout and racking to ensure optimal use of the space and adequate access throughout the facility.

8. Update training programs to reflect changes in your operations, including those listed above. For instance, if you change your rack layout or labelling, be sure warehouse employees are trained on the affected processes or workflow.

Taking one or more of these steps can not only help enhance warehouse performance and safety, it can also help build on the efficiency gains already achieved. Contact a Crown Warehouse Solutions specialist to explore the steps you can take beyond the forklift to achieve productivity gains. Crown Equipment crown.com

of Branch and Dealer Sales, Crown Equipment

40,000 electromagnets use a lot of power

There is a safe, sustainable alternative to using so much power to move heavy steel objects: permanent electromagnetic systems.

The steel industry worldwide is using more than 40,000 electromagnets for lifting applications. Most of these are based on a principle developed in the nineteenth century so are inefficient by today’s energy-conscious expectations. Normal electromagnets use a significant amount of energy, heat up with use, and lose strength as they become hot.

The first electromagnetic generator was devised in 1830 and they’ve been used ever since because of their convenience and viability for lifting and moving steel without damaging it.

The entire worldwide annual production of steel — about 1.2 billion tonnes — all has to be handled and moved through processes. These include loading and unloading, rolling, forging, heat treatment, sand blasting, cutting, stamping, welding and more. Steel is transported by trucks, trains and ships that are loaded and unloaded by cranes, many of which are equipped with magnets.

It has been calculated that about 40,000 electromagnets are now used

worldwide for lifting steel loads. Assuming an average power of 15 kW each, it is possible to estimate an energy consumption in the vicinity of 2 billion kWh.

All this energy is needed because with a normal electromagnet, power must be applied during the entire period of the lift. These magnets also therefore require back-up safety systems such as batteries to maintain their load in the event of power outages. Not only this, but electromagnets are also bulky and heavy.

That is why steel handlers the world over are turning enthusiastically to the use of permanent electromagnetic systems and, with more than 40 years of innovation, Mag-Autoblok-Tecnomagnete leads the way in this technology.

In permanent electromagnetic system, an electric coil energises and de-energises permanent magnet elements which then do the lifting. The electrical energising impulse activates the magnets for lifting and a de-energising impulse deactivates them after the lift is complete and run only for a few seconds. The systems are safe, energy-efficient, are not affected by power outage and require no power back-up. Most systems are effectively ‘plug and play’.

Mag-Autoblok-Tecnomagnete permanent electromagnetic lifting systems are available in Australia from Serpent & Dove — Applied Magnetics for all kinds of steel shapes and sizes and all the way up to 40 tonnes or even more in some situations.

International Pty Ltd is a fully Australian owned family business, with over 55 years experience in supplying specialty doors. Our focus is climate control and high speed security door solutions, and flexible PVC door products. With Australia wide service and export to over 10 countries, our experienced approach ensures the best design solution for any application.

HANDLING, WAREHOUSING & STORAGE

Castors strong enough to hold 63,000 kilos? No problem

carriages. The transporters resemble massive mobile platforms are fitted with intelligent electronics, and can carry loads of up to 100 tonnes.

Compact build, high working load

The weight of the load being transported is distributed evenly across all the castors with the aid of air cushions. The heavy goods transporters have load-bearing castors and drive wheels. The load-bearing castors are always in use and take on the main load.

The drive wheels, by contrast, are designed to be lowered to the ground automatically, as and when needed, and they also help to set the transporters in motion.

For AVT, it is important that all the castors have a comparatively small diameter, yet can still withstand heavy loads of up to 12 tonnes while in motion and 20 tonnes while stationary.

Discerning customers of AVT, including Daimler and Airbus, expect a lifetime of 20 years and a warranty of two years.

Tente’s smart mobility solution

One of Tente’s customers, AVT Europe, specialises in transporting heavy goods and needs to carry up to 63,000 kilos at once. That’s equivalent to about 18 small trucks. The company was looking for castors

for its new models and asked Tente if they could deliver a solution capable of bearing the weight.

AVT Europe NV makes driverless heavy-load transporters to move heavy goods such as aircraft parts or railway

Tente’s Omikron quadro special-purpose castors were used for the exceptional framework conditions. The outstanding feature of these products is their custom-built design.

The castors have two wheels to the left

CONVEYOR ROLLERS AND COMPONENTS

German Components, Assembled in Australia

and two wheels to the right of the centre. This allows them a greater load-carrying capacity and a lower point load resulting in a better distribution of the applied load.

They can also be steered very easily when carrying heavy loads because the counter-rotation of the wheels around the common centre point significantly reduces the rolling and pivoting resistance in comparison to a single-wheel castor.

This differential effect gives the Omikron quadro unrivalled manoeuvrability with its 400 mm wheels. The drive wheels were built to the specification of Tente’s close consultation with the AVT staff.

Another advantage is that all the running surfaces are polyurethane, which is good for handling characteristics and easy on the floor.

The sophisticated design of the castors provides supreme durability and an impressive improvement in rolling resistance. AVT therefore needs less powerful drive systems for its transporters and also saves energy.

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HANDLING, WAREHOUSING &

Rapid roll door options

Sydney based DMF International has been manufacturing and supplying high-speed rapid roll doors for over 30 years throughout Australia, NZ, and SE Asia.

The company’s primary model, the Series RL3000, is fully manufactured in Sydney, and is custom made in DMF’s factory to fit required doorway sizes and configuration.

Designed to suit sizes up to 6mH x 6mW, the RL3000 Rapid Roll Door can accommodate a range of applications, including warehousing and logistics, food production and processing, pharmaceutical and hospital applications, docks, carparks, production facilities, car washes and mine sites.

For chiller and freezer applications, DMF can offer the Coldsaver model, with a 15mm thick flexible insulated panel, and optional column heating to ensure ice does not cause obstructions.

DMF’s Servo control system with encoder positioning results in the door being easily set and programmed.

These doors operate at speeds of up to 1.5m/sec and close after an adjustable programmed time, ensuring the environment is protected against temperature loss, dust, vermin and draft.

With many choices of door blade colour, and a full width interchangeable

clear window, DMF can match most corporate or building colours to ensure an aesthetically pleasing finish.

The doors come well equipped with safety sensors as standard, and many forms of activation are available to customise the door to suit the application and traffic type and flow.

Some key points to consider when choosing a rapid roll door for an application:

1. What are the sizes of the doorways and what is the structural mounting provision? This consideration includes other door types that may be already mounted to the opening, such as roller shutter doors etc.

2. What are the types and frequency of traffic flow using the doorway? This will determine the best forms of activation to efficiently operate the rapid door.

3. What is the purpose of the high speed door? Is it to control temperature, dust, vermin, draft, security etc?

4. What are the environmental conditions such as wind, rain, temperature, dust etc?

5. What is the level of safety required? While the doors come with multiple safety sensors as standard, there is an array of optional extras to further enhance the safety performance of the door, in both protecting users, and also protecting the door from impact.

Australia’s soft plastics recycling problem

by Ross Headifen, co-founder Biogone

should first consider what is going on in the world of soft plastic recycling in Australia, as the bigger problem is the lack of infrastructure and limited demand for soft plastics’ repurpose.

Circular economy

The idea of recycling is for a product to be made and used, then for the waste materials to be sent back to the manufacturer for another new similar product to be produced. This is what we now call the circular economy. In a perfect circular economy, there would be no need to import any more virgin materials into the loop, as the materials go around and around.

For products like metal cans, the circular economy works well, and the metal can be circulated indefinitely.

before the plastic molecule was so damaged that it no longer provided the strength properties necessary, and after its last use it would also need to be disposed of.

Unfortunately, mechanical recycling is just delaying the inevitable – that eventually the plastic still needs to be disposed of in landfill.

Plastics are made in many colours, with many different additives, combined with laminates and blends.

They have historically been designed for single use not for recycling, which makes them very difficult to be repurposed into other products.

one-time repurpose and is not participating in the circular economy.

Another issue for soft plastics is the lack of infrastructure available to collect the plastic waste from the end user and transport it back to a recycling facility — a particularly difficult challenge for plastics.

When the news broke of REDcycle suspending its operation of soft plastic collection in November 2022, it was a shock that left many in the environmental space feeling let down and asking what are we supposed to do now?

REDcycle had been doing us all a big favour these last few years, letting us dispose of soft plastic guilt free. We bought it, then disposed of it thinking it was being recycled into other products. We were ‘wish-cycling’ and thought we were doing the right thing.

Turns out, REDcycle was only collecting 3 percent of soft plastics of the roughly 250,000 tonnes used in Australia annually. So perhaps we

Metal can be melted down and recast into a new shape with the exact same material properties as the previous use. Recycling glass is similar.

With plastics however, the concept of a circular economy is not so circular. There are many barriers to recycling this material. A piece of plastic waste cannot be simply heated up, re-melted, and formed into a new shape like a bag, food wrapper, film etc.

Plastic recycling limitations

For years, the only recycling option for plastics was mechanical recycling, where the plastic was shredded into little flakes and then downcycled into a more basic low-tech product like a park bench or roads.

This could happen up to three times

Plus, if a waste plastic product is downcycled each round, then it is not stopping the manufacturing of the original product being made from virgin materials, it is always encouraging the manufacturers to buy more new material to make their products.

Repurposing vs. recycling

The government goal in the 2025 National Packaging Targets is only 10% of soft plastics sold to be recycled. The government includes ‘repurposing’ as recycling, so in effect much less plastic will be recycled to displace virgin material for manufacturing use.

In the case of REDcycle, the biggest acceptor of their recycled plastic waste was a company re-purposing the plastic into roads.

This would be for a single use and would never be used again. It is not what we think of as recycling, but more of a

Think about all the consumer-related plastic packaging – food wrappers, shopping bags, drink cups, coffee cups, bottles and more.

Expecting the user to carry them to an appropriate recycling station instead of disposing of them is a big expectation in the first place.

There are no monetary incentives for the consumer to recycle their soft plastic waste either, such as the container deposit scheme offering a 10-cent refund.

Many consumers are also not sufficiently educated and are confused about

Ross Headifen, co-founder Biogone

“A piece of plastic waste cannot be simply heated up, re-melted, and formed into a new shape like a bag, food wrapper, film etc.”

how to correctly recycle their plastic waste, and most soft plastic cannot be put into kerbside recycling bins either.

Decades of education about what can be recycled and policy around collection practices have had limited success, as the quality of recycled materials collected in Australia is poor compared to other countries.

For plastic recycling, unfortunately most plastic is either sent to landfill and a small proportion is repurposed, while an even smaller proportion is going around the recycling path to support a circular economy.

The idea of recycling needs to be separated out to the two forms it takes: post-consumer recycling and re-using post-industrial materials.

Post-consumer recycling

Post-consumer waste materials such as paper, cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles and aluminium cans are used in the post-consumer recycling process, which are often collected by local recyclers and brought to recycling facilities, sorted into bales of like material, then sold to be reprocessed and remanufactured into other products.

This is what we all think when we see the words ‘made with recycled materials’ on the label.

Post-industrial materials

In post-industrial recycling, the waste plastic from a factory product is re-ground in the factory or another facility, then taken back to the production line to be used again.

For example, when plastic is blown into bottles, the scrap waste or cut offs that are left behind are kept and re-pelletised, to be used again.

Post-industrial recycling has been done for many years to save costs and was never really promoted by modern day recycling parlance.

Recycling energy

Another way that recycling is now being considered is the embodied energy of residual plastic that can’t be reclaimed. Plastic can be considered as a source of solid fuel.

If plastic waste were to be collected and put through a waste-to-energy plant or products are made to specifically biodegrade in a landfill, the embodied energy in the plastic is released, and depending on collection efficiency, this energy can be harnessed to produce electricity or a heating source.

The material never sees any consumer use, but with the ever-increasing pressure to make it appear more than it is, it’s often promoted as recycling now too. This is misleading to consumers, as they would assume that recycling percentages on packaging refer to their own post-consumer plastic waste being recycled, not post-industrial plastic waste.

When a product is labelled as being made of recycled materials – it should be required to stipulate the post-industrial or post-consumer content to clearly identify the source of the recycled material.

According to the National Waste Report 2018, 76% of Australian household waste is going to landfills with methane gas recovery, and 55 landfills in Australia are generating renewable electricity.

So, what next?

Australia unfortunately does not have the internal resources to recycle all our plastic waste and to repurpose it.

If we are going to get serious about recycling soft plastic, we need to advocate for more resources and encourage manufacturing using post-consumer recycled materials, as well as advocate for better recycling infrastructure in Australia so we can support organisations like REDcycle.

Until we have a solution to deal with the soft plastic waste problem, we need to cut down our requirement for this type of plastic and reduce our waste where possible.

Australia could follow the lead of the EU and the UK, which have introduced a tax on consumer-packaged goods companies on the production and import of plastics made from less than 30% recycled material.

This will discourage companies from continuously producing and importing virgin plastic materials and encourage plastics to be recycled back into the circular economy.

Biogone co-founder Dr Ross Headifen holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and has 28 years of experience developing sustainable and environmental industry products. He is also co-founder of environmental equipment supplier FieldTech Solutions.

biogone.com.au

“Many consumers are also not sufficiently educated and are confused about how to correctly recycle their plastic waste”

“Australia unfortunately does not have the internal resources to recycle all our plastic waste and to repurpose it.”

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ENERGY, WASTE & RECYCLING

Construction industry should embrace green concrete for climate goals

Brisbane-based global engineering and project management consultancy, Hatch, has found that using more green concrete could soon spearhead Australia’s action on climate change, if conservative construction industry attitudes shift.

The country would hit its climate targets much faster if the construction industry started using more of the green alternative which a Hatch report says is cheaper in the long term and comes with other benefits.

The report, by Hatch structural engineer Dr Ezgi Kaya, found that green concrete would save about 17 million tonnes of Australia’s annual 500 million tonnes of carbon emissions if we substituted it for half the traditional concrete we use.

“That’s equal to removing four million cars from our roads,” said Dr Kaya, whose calculations include the production of concrete — where most CO2 emissions occur — as well as installation costs including transport and use of other equipment.

The construction industry puts out 40% of world greenhouse gas emissions and 8% is from concrete production and installation.

Hatch specialises in big mining and minerals, infrastructure, and energy projects which use huge amounts of concrete and the consultancy was keen to investigate ways it could make its work more sustainable.

Dr Kaya’s report shows that, while versions of green concrete may be 5-20% more expensive to buy, the cost premium almost vanishes to 0.5 to 1.4% when the total installed cost is considered. Further, Dr Kaya and Hatch Consultant Process Engineer Scott Farquhar say the green alternative has many long-term benefits other than sustainability.

“Unlike conventional concrete which requires … considerable energy and

resources to produce, green concrete often uses recycled materials and avoids or minimises use of Portland cement, a major contributor to carbon emissions,” says Dr Kaya.

Portland cement is the standard binder of ingredients for concrete and turning it into cement incurs significant greenhouse gas emissions. It’s hard to decarbonise concrete production because cement is produced in kilns where limestone is heated and carbon dioxide is released during calcination — so CO2 cannot be avoided by switching to using a different fuel.

by Christine Powis

In Australia, all the major concrete suppliers provide low-carbon concretes. Hanson, Boral, and Holcim each offer a form of low-carbon concrete with reduced amounts of Portland cement which is supplemented with other ingredients. Wagners and Zeobond manufacture geopolymer concrete without any cement, achieving higher CO2 reduction of up to 80%.

As well as smaller carbon footprint for concrete production, additional benefits noted in the report are:

• Greater durability, less maintenance: green concrete has a longer life because it is shrink- and crack-resistant

• More fire resistant: green concrete often needs fewer coatings required by some conventional concretes to improve durability and fire resistance

• Better insulating properties: less energy is needed for heating and cooling a building made with green concrete

• Less waste: it uses recycled materials that could otherwise go to landfill

These qualities make green concrete especially suitable for demanding conditions, environments and the kinds of infrastructure projects on which Hatch works.

intends to extend the current concrete standard to adopt green concrete options. And I’m hoping this is just a matter of time and we’ll soon have standards incorporating green concrete options soon including geopolymer concrete.

Secondly, she says governments could play a strong role to mandate use of green concrete in kerbs and pavements and other areas where governments use traditional concrete.

“Engineers are being conservative although the tech has been around for about two decades.”

Initially, green concrete was more expensive but the price has been going down and will fall even further.

One solution is partial replacement of cement content with naturally occurring materials such as volcanic ash and waste materials such as fly ash and slag. The other approach is to make a geopolymer concrete which uses different chemistry to avoid limestone and its emission of CO2.

Dr Kaya says Australia has high potential for using green concrete, because of an abundance of recycled aggregates, fly ash and slag which can be used instead of traditional aggregates and cement — thus making the production of green concrete here more environmentally friendly.

There are no real obstacles to a rapid rise in use of green concrete, according to Farquhar and Dr Kaya.

“Green concrete products cover a range of possibilities, depending on project needs and ingredients that need to be swapped in and out,” says Farquhar.

“The slow uptake is a cultural thing — people are reticent to be the first or early users of something new,” he says.

Dr Kaya believes the first priority is to incorporate new standards for green concrete into the general concrete standard AS3600.

“I’m aware that Standards Australia

Airports from Toowoomba to Amsterdam to Dubai have used it, as have high-profile buildings such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The City of Gold Coast has built an artificial reef of geopolymer concrete as a diving attraction and the supplier, Wagners, reports that its use saved close to 100 tonnes of embodied carbon, equivalent to CO2 absorption by 95 acres of forest in a year.

“As Australia pushes towards a sustainable future, adoption of green concrete is a crucial step in achieving decarbonisation goals. By embracing this innovative and environmentally friendly construction material, Australia can not only reduce its carbon footprint but also create a more sustainable and resilient built environment,” Dr Kaya says.

“To me this is just the beginning if we want to stay on this planet,” says Dr Kaya.

“I would like to see concrete not only become carbon neutral but carbon negative, because it could store carbon dioxide drawn down from the atmosphere.”

Although she says the technology is not quite ready, researchers in Sydney, Canada and the US are investigating ways to make concrete carbon negative.

“Governments could play a strong role to mandate use of green concrete in kerbs and pavements and other areas”

“To me this is just the beginning if we want to stay on this planet”

Hatch hatch.com

Australia’s first floating, man-made dive attraction, the Wonder Reef, created for City of Gold Coast. The engineering team from Subcon reduced the embodied carbon of the engineered reef structures by using Wagners’ Earth Friendly Concrete, a geopolymer concrete containing no cement.

Hatch Structural Engineer Dr Ezgi Kaya

Old tyres and boots in next-gen steel manufacturing

Australian manufacturer

Molycop has commercialised a polymer injection process for steel-making which not only diverts waste rubber from landfill but also reduces use of imported ‘coke’ and power, and emissions from Molycop’s electric arc furnace (EAF).

The process resulted from a collaboration between Molycop, the UNSW SMaRT Centre, manufacturer Crawford Boots and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). Both process and product can now be exported to EAF steelmakers everywhere.

The process is the result of a collaborative project between Molycop, the UNSW SMaRT Centre, footwear manufacturer Crawford Boots and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).

It involves maximising the recovery and use of waste rubber as a substitute for imported carbonaceous material (‘coke’) used in Molycop’s EAF in Newcastle.

Australia’s waste tyre export ban, which began in December 2021, has been a catalyst for companies to find innovative new processing capabilities to reduce the huge tyre landfill problem.

The development of this new technology reduces the company’s reliance on imported carbonaceous materials from China by up to 20%.

Displacing fossil carbon materials is also a key objective in Molycop’s decarbonisation path.

“We are investing in innovative solutions that improve the ways we reduce the consumption of virgin raw materials, recover valuable materials from waste streams, minimise waste and reduce our carbon footprint.

“It’s yielding results and delivering outcomes for Molycop, our customers and communities in which we operate.”

Making steel more competitive

The AMGC said the innovation will help Australia’s steel manufacturing sector to be more competitive, through lowered production and import costs, and be more sustainable through decreased emissions and energy consumption.

Australia’s future prosperity lies.

“Australia has an opportunity to transform from being a lucky country to a smart one through the commercialisation of great ideas that have local and global relevance. Together, Molycop, UNSW and Crawford Boots have manufactured a product that will reduce emissions and address waste in steel making, while generating more jobs and revenues for the nation – what more could you ask for?”

Manufacturers need researchers

It also removes up to 90,000 tyres from landfill and reduces the steel maker’s electricity consumption and scope one carbon emissions.

Rubber to the metal

Molycop, alongside its partners, has developed a means to maximise the use of rubber crumb (polymer) as a source of carbon and hydrogen needed in the steel-making process.

Molycop produces over 240,000 tonnes of steel each year for train wheels, billet steel, steel bar and grinding media.

Sustainability is core to the company’s strategy and integrated into how Molycop does business, said the company’s President of Sustainability, Ian Tooze.

“Through AMGC we have bridged that commercialisation gap, developing a product, process and system that can now be offered to global EAF steelmakers,” said Tooze.

“This project proves that Australia can develop and, critically, commercialise new and innovative ways to address waste and emissions that also benefits steelmakers’ bottom lines and the environment.”

AMGC’s Managing Director Dr Jens Goennemann said commercialising great manufacturing ideas is where

Director of the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre, Professor Veena Sahajwalla said it is crucial for manufacturers and researchers to work to tackle environmental issues, while delivering commercial outcomes.

“By working collaboratively with Molycop we have been able to prove that polymer injection works and is commercially viable. It is only through partnerships like this that we can truly achieve positive environmental outcomes at scale.

“I encourage all manufacturers to engage with your local research institution and challenge them with a business issue that needs solving.

“Conversely, I recommend researchers go out into the field and work with industry because there are really interesting, practical challenges to solve.”

“Being involved with this project has led to us looking at the entire life cycle of our products. From protecting the feet of workers in mines to how our boots are used at time of disposal, we now have revised our products to make them more suitable to polymer injection technology – collaborative programs like AMGC’s lift the entire manufacturing industry.”

Molycop has been collaborating since 2014 with Professor Veena Sahajwalla from University of NSW. Sahajwalla is an internationally regarded expert in recycling science, invented the award-winning Green Steel AKA Polymer Injection Technology in 2003, and has been developing it ever since.

For Penny Crawford, the founder of Crawford Boots, working alongside a large manufacturer and a researcher broadened the company’s field of view.

“This project proves that Australia can... commercialise new and innovative ways to address waste and emissions that also benefit steelmakers’ bottom lines”

“I encourage all manufacturers to engage with your local research institution and challenge them with a business issue that needs solving”

Molycop molycop.com

(L-R) Ian Tooze - Molycop, Veena Sahajwallam - UNSW, Penny Crawford - Crawford Boots and Michael Sharpe

“Australia’s waste tyre export ban has been a catalyst for... new processing capabilities to reduce the huge tyre landfill problem.”

PACKAGING

The 2023 Interpack show in Dusseldorf, Germany, was an eagerly anticipated event for packaging and processing professionals worldwide.

Nathan Wardell, the Managing Director of Packserv Australia, shared his thoughts on the first Interpack since 2017.

Packserv had been focused on developing packaging machines utilising 4.0 technology, a rarity for machines in the thousands-of-dollars price range. Wardell was keen to assess whether Packserv was leading or trailing behind global industry advancements as well as comparing the quality and value for money of machinery offered for sale.

“After years spent promoting Australian manufactured goods, I have to say I was increasingly anxious as the shows’ opening drew near. Would I find that in the hiatus the rest of the world had taken the chance to catch up, meaning we weren’t as special as I’ve been insisting we are’’.

With over 2,700 exhibitors spread across 18 vast halls, the Interpack Show covers an area equivalent to a small industrial town. A staggering 180,000 visitors are catered for, from 55 different countries, so there’s probably no better

place to compare Australia’s place in the pecking order.

“After clocking up just short of 20,000 steps each day I’m confident that I saw everything that was on offer. Overall, I was very happy with what I found at the show, but even happier with what I didn’t find. Nothing like, or even similar to the technology that we are developing at Packserv, but more than that; not a single piece of technology that isn’t almost commonplace here in Australia.

“As for quality of build, I can confirm that Australia more than holds its own. Maybe I wasn’t comparing apples with apples, but there are some general principles that can be judged, such as the presentation of finished wiring and pneumatic circuits. We in Australia take such pride in what we produce and if you look inside or underneath our manufactured goods, attention to detail and quality of materials is immediately apparent”.

With renewed confidence, Packserv is looking forward to unveiling its innovations at the upcoming APPEX show in Melbourne. Packserv’s commitment to developing cutting-edge machinery has positioned them as pioneers in the industry. The Dusseldorf Interpack show may not have unveiled any

game-changing technology, but it validated Packserv’s dedication to pushing boundaries and shaping the future of packaging automation.

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Nathan Wardell, Managing Director & Ken Seddon, Chief Operations Officer at Interpack in Dusseldorf

PACKAGING

enable further development of sustainable packaging and innovation across its ‘filled bar’ and ‘Bitesize’ portfolios.

“Seeing our bars on the shelf now is an incredibly proud moment for me,” said Andrew Leakey, General Manager of Mars Wrigley.

“I’m proud we are leading world-class innovation in packaging and sustainability from Australia. We are the first Mars Wrigley market in the world to launch a recyclable paper-based packaging at this size and scale, and it speaks volumes to the commitment of our team who have been working on this project for almost three years.

Leakey said there wasn’t a playbook or roadmap but Mars was committed to cementing its position as a leader in sustainability.

The company trialled many different materials and approaches before arriving at its paper-based solution.

“One thing that was non-negotiable was to ensure that consumers could recycle our packaging within our current recycling infrastructure.”

Leakey believes continued innovation and investment in sustainable solutions is critical to Mars meeting packaging commitments and to building on Australia’s modern manufacturing capabilities.

Richard Smith, Amcor’s Director of Sustainability, Asia Pacific said he is proud to partner with customers to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions.

Mars puts $28.8m to sustainable innovation

As Mars Wrigley’s chocolate bars roll onto Australian shelves in paper-based, recyclable packaging this year, the company announced its latest local investment: $28.8 million in its Ballarat factory to boost innovation and manufacturing capabilities.

More than 360 tonnes of plastic from the company’s value chain will be eliminated by the new packaging, which

follows R&D conducted at Ballarat. Recyclable packaging also helps Mars meet its packaging commitments under the 2025 National Packaging Targets. Packaging developer Amcor worked with Mars over the last three years to find suitable material to maintain product freshness yet be recyclable via existing infrastructure.

In a world first for Mars Wrigley

globally, its MARS BAR®, SNICKERS® and MILKY WAY® products have switched to the new packaging which can be recycled via kerbside recycling bins and also reduces the company’s virgin plastic use.

Mars’ latest investment adds to $67 million already invested since 2021, and will go to modernising manufacturing operations with equipment upgrades to

“We want to be part of the solution, advancing the development of our packaging technology to create a local circular economy for flexible packaging.

Mars’ $1bn global ‘Sustainable in a Generation’ plan outlines its aims to support a circular economy where “packaging never becomes waste”.

Robots are everywhere in ADCs, but are they suitable for mid-sized businesses?

by Paul Johnson, Director, Adept Conveyor Technologies

We are currently experiencing exciting times within the automation/materials handling sphere in automated distribution centres (ADCs) Australia-wide.

There are many stories to be told of exciting new robot technology already or about to be installed within these new hi-tech automated warehouses – with more to come.

Robots are the flavour of the times!

All types of them run around the ADCs – distributing pallets, cases, bins and cartons to all areas within the distribution and e-fulfilment areas.

And it’s not just pallet-handling robots taking pallets from receivals into storage or out of storage and into delivery vehicles.

We are seeing smaller load-carrying robots delivering parcels to order assembly areas, or cobots picking an item out of the ‘goods to picking’ zones for orders being assembled, as well as robots following warehouse personnel around as they prepare an order for consolidation and dispatch.

These robots are just one type of technology in an ADC.

Most ADCs have automated conveyor systems for the inhouse routing of goods from order, to consolidation and then dispatch, and will often be supported with additional smart equipment that packs or straps the goods while applying labels that can be scanned and read by sophisticated scanner / camera systems that record the data.

All of that is then updated by the highly specified warehouse management

and software systems that are the key to seeing all these features integrating and working as one.

The developments in this technology are being reported within the industry press and online newsletters and editorials almost daily – and all of us engaged in the industry are keen to see who is implementing the technology and what it is achieving for them.

same issues, albeit on a smaller scale, yet in the main they are not ready to embrace robot technology and more often their budgets will not allow it.

So, they still want to see their businesses grow and flourish, but realise they need to take more measured steps to make it happen.

And while there is always an obvious starting point to commence automation, it may simply amount to some simple handling aids to support the warehouse staff.

We have witnessed this many times over the years as dynamic thinkers and companies realise their full growth potential.

People still critical to ADC processes

As a manufacturer and supplier of integrated conveyor systems, we too have enjoyed watching the evolution of companies, not from the sidelines, but by taking an active part in the various stages of the companies’ growth.

No two companies are alike, and there are no ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions to providing growth through automation.

Some will grow with the introduction of longer, more complex, and smarter automated conveyor solutions – others will eventually embrace the technology of robots.

Most, however, will continue to employ people to make things happen and it is the people employed in the ADC that will also benefit from embracing technology and automated systems.

Yes, many of the big-name companies are embracing this and genuinely have the need to do so – but what about the mid-size companies that have ramped up their businesses to manage the growth spurts?

Automation alternatives for smaller businesses

What about those startup companies that have an idea and are bringing it to the market?

These companies are just as exciting as the larger players and experience the

If the company introduces equipment and systems that allow it to increase movement and volumes alongside a growth in business, they can then ‘add on’ assisted automation that allows for the automation of goods without the intervention of people.

This then leads to more sophisticated system upgrades that can take the company to the next stage of their growth.

Whether it be assisted lifting equipment, conveyor systems or robots, these will all have their place alongside the ADC employees.

The exciting thing is that there is no end to the scope of systems on offer as they become smarter and gain acceptance.

“In the main they are not ready to embrace robot technology and more often their budgets will not allow it.”

“No two companies are alike, and there are no ‘out-ofthe-box’ solutions to providing growth through automation.”

Innovation is returning to Australia’s electronics design market: DigiKey

DigiKey, which offers among the world’s largest selection of electronic components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, celebrates its 50th anniversary in business this year. As they look ahead to the future and what they expect for the next 50 years. Industry Update spoke to Tony Ng, vice president, APAC at DigiKey to learn more about what the company has planned, and how the Australian market fits into the company’s future growth.

been working on in recent years, which we want to continue to expand.

For our customers, in general, we have been considered a distributor of electronic components, but we know the market is evolving, with more and more products moving into the high-mix, low-volume world. More small-to-medium-sized customers are looking at the competition of time to market, and are shifting from electronic components into modules.

Tony is responsible for driving digital engagement with customers across Asia and Pacific countries. He leverages DigiKey’s capabilities—product breadth, stock availability, superb customer service, connectivity and supply chain solutions—to help customers reach a new level of efficiency.

and bringing in new stock keeping units, or SKUs, will be very critical for us to support our customers.

IU: What are the plans for the Asia Pacific region, and Australia and New Zealand in particular?

Tony Ng: We have come off a great two years in 2021 and 2022 where we experienced approximately 80% growth. In that time, we supported a total of 858,000 customers and also added 550 suppliers, and another 75,000 SKUs. In this coming year, we want to continue to

focus on building that supplier base and to bring in SKUs.

From an Australian point of view, we are seeing changes in the market. In the last two years, design engineers/ buyers were looking for alternative parts to make their designs with so that they could continue their manufacturing.

But with the market getting back to normal right now, more and more activities are coming back to innovation. And that’s why continuing to bring in new suppliers and increasing our SKU count remains at the top of our focus. continues next page

Industry Update: DigiKey has just gone through a refresh of its brand. What has that involved?

Tony Ng: The brand refresh is an evolution of the company’s historic look and was designed to emphasise our progress and connection with suppliers and customers,while reflecting DigiKey’s digital-first, forward-looking perspective. Overall as a company, we have already developed leadership in the high service distribution space and as the market continues to evolve, we want to make sure we continue to provide the appropriate cutting-edge services. So for suppliers, as an example, we don’t just help them to work on market entry strategies any more. We also extend our services to use our e-commerce capabilities and help them build up their online stores. These are services that we’ve

IU: Can you elaborate on that shift a bit more?

Tony Ng: In the past, customers bought components and built their products from bare circuit boards. But now, when they need to move faster and adopt newer technologies, they buy modules, which are a semi-finished product. Using these modules to build their final product means it is a lot faster for them to complete their designs.

For us, this opens up to a whole new playground, where more and newer suppliers are providing modules instead of components. So, expanding our suppliers

Tony Ng, Vice President, APAC, DigiKey

DigiKey recently opened its 2.2 million square foot, 204,400 square meter Product Distribution Centre, Minnesota to keep pace with growing demand

“More small-tomedium-sized customers are shifting from electronic components into modules.”

IU: You’ve said you’re seeing innovation return to the ANZ market, but what other developments are you focusing on here?

Tony Ng: Because there’s more innovation, there will continue to be questions about new technologies. We have been developing our Tech Forum to drive the digital transformation of our tech support model.

In the past, when customers or engineers came to us via email, or phone calls, we’d try to address those questions in a one-to-one model, but with the Tech Forum, we are migrating that model to addressing multiple questions at a time.

Even though DigiKey’s Tech Forum was launched three years ago in the Asia Pacific region, we continue to see more online traffic coming from ANZ – every month, we’re seeing more than 2000 online transactions or questions. We’re very excited to see this increase in traffic, which means the market is actually moving with us when it comes to digital transformation.

IU: Where do you see the growth for the Australia / NZ market?

Tony Ng: To start with, Australia and New Zealand are quite mature markets, and they’re also very self-fulfilled when it comes to electronic products. Australia has a wide range of innovation, R&D and manufacturing to support domestic demand. From an industry standpoint, there’s healthcare, factory automation, telecom which is currently 5G and soon to be 6G, and related to that, there are IoT, agriculture, mining, and defence industries. This makes it a very sustainable market for us as these industries will continuously demand new technologies and new product solutions. And while our brand is relatively well established, we just need to continuously raise awareness about our services and solutions.

We know that the market is mainly domestic demand driven, and that generates a lot of high-mix, low-volume demand and adds strong competition

regarding time to market, which we’ve mentioned.

So, we’re seeing design engineers switching from designing with bare bone components and moving into modules. Looking at the module, or semi-finished market, there’s potential for 2x growth on that side of the business.

There’s also another important angle to this. Approximately 80 to 90% of

the spend in this market is driven by a very small number of B2B customers – mainly manufacturers, and also electronics manufacturing services who are largely supporting the domestic market. On the other hand, 80 to 90% of the ANZ customer accounts are coming from small and medium enterprises, which include consultants, R&Ds, system integrators, and even government, schools and individuals. So I think we need to address the two sides of the market.... on one hand, a smaller number of customers generate 80 - 90% of revenue. But there’s also another side, which is long term, seeding, branding, that’s also as important to us, even though they only drive 10 to 20% of the market size in terms of revenue. DigiKey

Telstra branches into industrial automation

and loT through Aqura, automation engineering, IT/OT integration and OT cybersecurity through Alliance Automation, and data and Al through our Quantium joint venture — not to mention the technology and expertise from Telstra Purple and our partners.”

“This means we can now offer an end-to-end service to help businesses maximise the potential of Industry 4.0, and tackle the unique challenges and opportunities that each customer faces as they embrace it. We want to help make smart industry simple.”

David Burns, Telstra Enterprise

Telstra has launched end-to-end industrial automation services which will benefit Australia’s heavy industries, including mining, construction, supply chain and manufacturing.

The services combine Telstra Purple’s recently purchased Aqura Technologies and Alliance Automation, data science and AI leader Quantium, and Telstra’s networks.

The new services are targeted to sectors facing complex challenges, according to Telstra Enterprise Group Executive David Burns.

“Our ambition is to work hand in hand with businesses to help solve their biggest problems — complex issues like siloed IT and OT systems, heightened cyber security risks, environmental management, technical skills shortages, and legacy systems,” said Burns.

“When people think of Telstra, they often think about networks. But we’re so much more than that now. Over the past few years we’ve built a wholistic ecosystem of highly specialised industrial automation capabilities.

“This includes industrial networks

Telstra’s industrial automation capability offers wholistic solutions, spanning private networks, internet of things (loT), IT/OT convergence, cybersecurity, analytics and Al, cloud and edge, and professional and managed services.

Bespoke gas meter reads Energy company, gas distributor and Telstra customer, Jemena, recently used Telstra’s industrial automation capability, partnering with Telstra Purple and Nucleus3 to build an IoT-powered metering strategy platform for its gas network.

Jemena has a robust network of gas metering technologies across three business units: residential housing, commercial and industrial gas, and high-rise

buildings. While the organisation had some existing smart meters, many of these were powered by older 3G and 2G network paradigms which were no longer fit for purpose.

With ageing meter reading and data transfer technologies and processes, and increasingly obsolete infrastructure, this results in a high number of estimated reads, billing inaccuracies and failed disconnections, all impacting on compliance, operations and reputation.

“Only in recent years are the cost parameters for Digital Metering Solutions lowering and technology is maturing rapidly,” said Jemena General Manager of Market Platforms, Pratham Bhandari.

“That was a good trigger point for us to start thinking more wholistically and set ourselves for the future by building a comprehensive roadmap for transitioning from traditional manual meter reading methods to an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that will deploy applications that monitor, manage, and control a variety of connected devices.”

It also had some legacy gas meters with no smart capabilities. This presented a challenge, as meters had to be read manually, requiring crews to go and physically check readings at least once per year. The infrequency of these reads meant Jemena needed to provide more estimates to customers, as opposed to actual reading data.

Jemena wanted to address these issues with one cohesive smart capability, without having to make a significant upfront investment in digital meter technology.

“We wanted a standardised data acquisitional platform that was integrated with our backend systems and could incorporate multiple vendors and different pieces of kit,” says Jemena General Manager of Gas Networks Peter Harcus. “We see that as the future of the industry.”

Telstra Purple worked with local IoT device manufacturer Eden Worth to develop a range of bespoke IoT sensors that plug into multiple master modems. These devices effectively then take the reading data from the legacy meters and – using Telstra’s Narrowband IoT network – transmit it back to a centralised Cumulocity IoT platform.

The Cumulocity platform captures all data from the new Eden Worth devices as well as Jemena’s innovative smart gas meter trial for their chronic no-access customers.

Jemena says this provides them with an intelligent ‘single source of truth’, with dashboards, tools and data feeds that enable device management, data visualisation, application development and analytics capabilities.

According to Jemena, this has led to increased visibility, efficiency, less manual work, and more accurate bills for customers.

With the new strategy, Jemena aims to complete a full transition for approximately 5,000 units, which it says should give the company accurate and remote visibility of 200,000 customers’ billing data.

“Over the past few years we’ve built a wholistic ecosystem of highly specialised industrial automation capabilities.”

“Jemena wanted to address these issues with one cohesive smart capability”

Telstra Industrial Automation telstra.com.au

Group Executive

“We have been developing our Tech Forum to drive the digital transformation of our tech support model.”

How to solve the five most common smart factory challenges using ERP

By Kevin

Smart factories are becoming more common as continued supply chain disruptions and pressure to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies make embracing digitalisation necessary for manufacturers. Adopting IoT across their supply chain is essential for manufacturers to remain competitive.

Industry research released earlier this year found that over the next two to three years, approximately 40% of Australian manufacturers intend to invest in technology relating to automation and robotic process automation, including mobile, connectivity and IoT. Companies such as B&R Enclosures, Rae-Line and AF Gason are some examples of manufacturers further digitising their operations. This increased digitalisation has many benefits, the interconnected network of machines, communication mechanisms, and computing platforms that make up a smart factory system but does not come without challenges. Many of these challenges stem from the integration of the technologies themselves.

Fortunately, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems offer solutions to some of these challenges. This article will look at the five most critical

challenges faced by smart factories and how an ERP system can help overcome them.

Challenge 1: Dealing with a fragmented system

Designing and developing an IoT system for the manufacturing sector involves lengthy lists of alliances between vendors. The wide range of systems can result in a disjointed approach in which business departments struggle to communicate and collaborate effectively, often creating “data islands” or silos within the organisation.

ERP systems can overcome this challenge by integrating business processes and systems into one centralised environment. This brings data from all departments together, making information easily accessible across the entire organisation. This also gives decision-makers the freedom to choose which systems suit their business needs without concerns over fragmentation.

Challenge 2: Consistent real-time feedback

Many smart factories require a wide array of devices to run. Failure to identify when a device is not running at optimal levels can negatively impact operations. As such, real-time monitoring of all devices is essential. An ERP system will be able to provide this realtime feedback, equipping decision-makers and managers from all departments with the insights they need to identify and resolve malfunctions before they cause disruptions.

Challenge 3: Protecting the production line

In a smart factory powered by IoT devices, ensuring the security of each of these machines is key. If the network were to be hacked, malicious groups may be able to access individual machines, interfering with production or even

resulting in a complete halt. This creates a need for extensive protection of an entire network from inside and outside threats.

ERP security measures can be configured to needs, offering customisable protection of the network. By centralising all business processes and systems, an ERP system becomes the core of the business, ensuring it has sufficient oversight and control of transactions and operations within the business.

The ability to monitor and document information flow and business transactions offered by an ERP system helps detect and prevent change that might lead to business compromise. An ERP system is a secure choice because ERP providers have access to security resources that most businesses do not provide.

Challenge 4: Finding skilled workers

According to the Reserve Bank’s Composition of the Australian Economy snapshot, manufacturing represented 5.8 per cent of industry share by output and 6.6 per cent of exports, however with a predicted skills gap of approximately 2.1 million unfilled technical jobs by 2030, finding the necessary talent to implement and maintain a smart factory is a challenge faced by all in the manufacturing sector. Even once designed, developed and implemented, smart factories require a huge range of technology talent to maintain operations.

This skills gap, coupled with the undeniable need for smart factory technology, has resulted in many looking internally for a solution. This requires extensive and ongoing staff retraining to ensure they have the knowledge to solve high-level technical problems using critical thinking.

One of the key advantages of an ERP system is its ability to improve efficiency and free human capital from mundane

and time-consuming tasks. Therefore, although having an ERP system may not provide the technical talent needed, it frees other employees to focus on their core roles, while still having the capacity for retraining and upskilling programs. Importantly, this can be achieved while maintaining optimal overall efficiency.

Challenge 5: Acquiring finance

Migrating to a smart factory is an expensive process that often cannot be achieved overnight. Due to the costs involved, convincing stakeholders to fund trials and full deployments can be challenging without solid proof of success. When done manually, gathering and displaying the benefits of already-deployed systems or potential benefits for migrating legacy systems is challenging and can often require procuring information across departments.

An ERP system’s ability to provide real-time insights and reporting across all business processes can help speed up this process and provide more accurate results, clearly showing the correlation between operational improvements and the bottom line. This reporting may be deployed to convince stakeholders of the benefits of smart factory equipment.

As the need for resilience in the supply chain increases, it is important that manufacturers embrace the digital age and move towards smart factories. However, to do so effectively, manufacturers must find ways to overcome the challenges of implementing smart technologies. Investing in an ERP system from a trusted provider can be an effective way to do so, offering smart solutions to digital-age problems.

Dherman, Chief Innovation Officer, SYSPRO

Kevin Dherman, Chief Innovation Officer, SYSPRO

The Alternative Solution

Any business needing to move more product out the door does have options. As frequency of parcel movement increases, any level of automation can only assist. Handling freight and moving customer orders in greater numbers has certainly accelerated in recent times, and finding quicker, smarter ways has always been key to success. Certainly the rapid growth in e-commerce has exponentially multiplied the rate at which parcels need to get out the door and at ever-faster turnaround times.

Often we get a request to assist in sometimes quite simple, “low-target” solutions to lift performance to get the customer through a perceived temporary situation. However most customers are very receptive to receiving an alternative and longer term solution that will give them broader and more sustained scope for growth. By providing “the alternative solution”, Adept Conveyor Technologies shows the customer much greater potential by looking in broader terms rather than just the temporary or initial request.

It takes just one phone call.

PM does the honours at DECO’s new testing laboratory

Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP officially opened DECO’s new Testing Laboratory and Innovation Centre this month.

The new facilities showcase the investment made by this Australian, family-owned manufacturer in innovative, premium aluminium building system products and metal finishes.

Founder and director of DECO Australia Ross Doonan was honoured to have the Prime Minister officially open the facilities.

“The DECO Innovation Centre and ourTesting Laboratory … are both extremely important investments for our business and ensure we can meet requirements of our customers and accreditation authorities.”

At the opening, Deco announced a new agreement to supply lower-carbon aluminium through Capral’s LocAl® Green aluminium initiative.

“Alongside quality and innovation, sustainability is at the forefront of our business,” said Doonan.

“Thanks to our new agreement with Capral, we are excited to be able to reduce our and our customers’ environmental impacts,” said Doonan.

“DECO prides itself on providing the highest possible quality products and metal finishes in the market. The new testing laboratory is not only essential for meeting accreditation criteria, it also supports our ongoing innovation, research and development as well as our day-to-day quality controls for our customers across the architectural, engineering, defence and aerospace industries.” said Doonan.

Completed in 2020 during the pandemic, the DECO Innovation Centre was designed by Deco and architectural firm ClarkeHopkinsClarke and has become a must-visit destination for people looking for building inspiration in real-life applications, to explore DECO’s product range up-close and to select their perfect finishes and colours.

“The DECO Innovation Centre has been well received by our partners and customers; it’s been fantastic to see how it inspires people to bring their own design visions to life. We’ve had people travel interstate just to visit the centre. Our investment int this facility has been completely worthwhile,” said Doonan.

6-8 Amour St, Milperra NSW 2214

1/116 National Blvd, Campbellfield VIC 3061

www.adeptconveyor.com.au

DECO’s new Testing Laboratory received accreditation from the National Association of Testing Authorities last year. The laboratory plays a critical role in DECO’s quality control, which involves a range of essential tests and control processes. These internal functions ensure compliance with accreditations such as ISO 9001, ISO 17025 and Qualicoat, as well as customer-specific process control plans, operational and inspection requirements.

DECO’s extensive range of aluminium timber-look building products are tested to Australian Standards for non-combustibility and fire safety. DECO also supplies industrial surface finishing solutions to the engineering, commercial food and defence industries.

Marine engineering steers sailing family to safe haven

When a family of ocean-going adventurers setting out to cross the Tasman Sea realised that something was amiss with the rudder, they knew for safety’s sake they’d be going nowhere until it was fixed.

The sturdy Grainger 50 catamaran, designed by Tony Grainger and built by Hart Marine, Westernport, Victoria in 2012, was an ideal vessel for long-range sailing, until the rudders on the 15m vessel began to vibrate worryingly.

“The shuddering was telling us the rudder bearings had excess play and needed replacing. Safety is paramount to us, so I called Trevor Nielsen at All Quality Engineering at Burnett Heads near Bundaberg, who I trust with all things in marine engineering,” said Skipper John Kent.

Nielsen – who specialises in difficult repairs, fault diagnoses and failure mode analysis – is never one to accept the first, most obvious, or most commonly accepted solution to issues.

So, he researched and recommended a first-rate engineering plastic, Wearlyte PET-GL.

Wearlyte PET-GL, from Cut To Size Plastics, is a light, strong engineering plastic formulated with a special homogeneously distributed solid lubricant for exceptional sliding properties and

wear resistance in high-duty sliding applications.

PET-GL shines in precision mechanical engineering applications where high humidity or dampness is expected.

“After chatting with Trevor, it quickly became clear that we should prefer the higher-grade PET (polyethylene terephthalate, or polyester) product to other types of nylon plastics that might well expand and wear during our types of voyages,” said Kent.

“Unfortunately for us, we were on the Gold Coast when we got the advice from Trevor up there near Bundaberg, which meant Trevor could only advise on the correct material to use rather than supply it. So we approached Campbell Parminter at Cut To Size Plastics in Brisbane to source the material from their range.”

“The next issue was finding the right person with fabricating and marine experience to produce the part in the very short time we had available just before last Christmas.”

“At that time of the year, it became apparent that the expertise required to machine our rudder bearings was in scarce supply. With our boat attracting hefty daily boatyard fees, Campbell bent over backwards to find an engineer capable of completing the task properly within our time frame.”

“He really did go everywhere to track down the best skills for us – not just any

supplier, but one he knew would do the job right. His thoroughness helped make our trip possible and we are grateful for his and Trevor’s outstanding assistance to maximise the boat’s safety and performance.”

“We have since sailed many ocean miles, including a crossing of the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, with plenty of strong winds and rough seas. Our 14-tonne catamaran has a combined sail area of 186m2 and when the sea is rough, or we’re surfing large swells, the loads on the rudders and bearings must be enormous.

“The new components have performed perfectly and there isn’t the slightest sign of wear, meaning there is zero play in our rudder stocks where they pass through the Wearlyte PET bearings.”

Cut To Size Managing Director Laurie Green said the different configurations of sheet, rod, and tube Wearlyte are widely applicable to bushes, gear wheels, sliding parts, precision bearings, insulators, and cam disks used in marine and shore applications.

“But the critical ingredients in problem-solving applications such as the Kent family’s catamaran are product knowledge and application service.

“Skilled and knowledgeable people such as Trevor Nielsen and our Area Manager Campbell Parminter went to great lengths to ensure that John got the very best solutions to his needs – not just one that would do the job, but one that

FCI ST50 air and compressed air flow meter

The model ST50 is a compact, lowcost solution for accurate, repeatable flow rate measurement of air, compressed air or nitrogen.

This insertion-style flow meter has no moving parts and is available in probe lengths for installation into pipe diameters from 63 mm to 610 mm.

It is easily connected into the pipe via a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch NPT compression fitting.

ST51 uses constant power thermal dispersion drive technology, with a slightly heated sensor, which uniquely

provides a subtle drying effect on the sensors that results in effective measurement in moist measurement applications.

The ST50 electronics are housed in rugged, IP67 rated enclosures with dual conduit ports in either NPT or M20 threading.

The instrument comes standard with dual 4-20 mA outputs – one for flow rate, and one for temperature.

A 500 Hz pulse output (for external totaliser) can be added as an option. The transmitter/electronics can be integrally

mounted with the flow element (probe), or be remote-mounted to match an installation situation.

The ST50 flow sensing element features precision, platinum RTD in small diameter, “equal-mass,” all-metal thermowells to provide superior accuracy, repeatability and fast response.

AMS Water Metering

would do the job outstandingly well, in the situation in which it was to be used.

“And that was a safety-critical area, where there is really no margin for error or lesser materials, so it really was an outstanding combination of engineering and product selection skills.”

Cut To Size works closely with individual client’s team of technically qualified staff offer a full material selection and installation service.

“Cut To Size has broad experience –extending over multiple industries for decades – in engineering plastics to suit wear prevention applications, so we can complement product from globally recognised suppliers, with local expertise,” said Laurie Green, who has decades of experience in engineering plastics applications.

Cut To Size Plastics has the software and the CNC machines to develop bespoke engineering plastics solutions for diverse customer needs. Cut To Size Plastics staff are highly qualified, with a range of different engineering qualifications to assist with finding optimal solutions.

PRODUCTS

ELGi enhances the energy efficiency of its AB series oil-free compressor range

Contaminant free and high-quality compressed air that meets the stringent requirements of ISO 8573-1 “Class 0” standards is critical for many sensitive applications that operate across a broad range of industries such as in the food and beverages sector, the pharmaceuticals and medical sector, and the electronics sector.

Available from 11 to 110 kW, the water injected AB ‘Always Better’ series of oilfree screw air compressors from ELGi meet these stringent requirements, delivering certified “Class 0” high quality air in compliance with ISO 8573-1 and ISO 8573-7. ELGi has recently enhanced the performance of the AB series models, delivering improvements in terms of both specific power consumption and free air delivery. This includes an average 10% improvement on the turn down ratio across the variable frequency drive (VFD) range. For the customer the result of these improvements is twofold: enhanced energy efficiency and reduced power consumption.

In addition, the 75 to 110 kW models are the first in the series to now come as standard with super-premium efficiency IE4 motors, which exceed the current Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) of Australia and New Zealand for 3 phase electric motors. These motors deliver further energy efficiency and reliability gains as well as a higher service

factor and lower waste heat output.

The AB series has been engineered to deliver maximum uptime and reliability, while bridging the gap between energy efficiency and low cost of ownership. In addition to the advantages that the recent enhancements provide, customers can expect reduced life cycle cost and less maintenance requirements with the AB series when compared to prevailing technologies.

Low lifecycle cost

ELGi’s uniquely designed airends are equipped with in-house developed η-V profile rotors which reduce pressure losses and precise rotor clearances resulting in best-in-class energy efficiency compressors with higher flow and lower specific power consumption. Compared to other water-injected units, the AB series airends run at slow speeds. The result, long bearing life, high reliability, low noise levels and reduced wear & tear.

The AB series has a closed loop circuit which does not need RO water or any other form of water purifying system. They also come with an auto water replenishment mechanism, as well as built-in sensation cycle. This reduces power consumption, eliminates any requirement to replace an RO element which therefore reduces maintenance costs.

The use of roller bearings as opposed to the conventional use of hydrodynamic bearings additionally contributes

to an overall low cost of ownership. This eliminates the requirement for an additional water pumping circuit. It ensures consistent airend performance, and it also results in up to a 14% lower unload power and energy cost savings, as well as lower rotor and bearing wear.

Low maintenance cost

Whereas traditional oil-free compressors have 2 stage airends with 2 pole motors, the AB has a single stage airend and 4 pole motor, significantly reducing associated maintenance requirements and costs. Maintenance costs are also kept low thanks to no requirement for intercooling, a splash lubrication system, as well as less number of consumable and wearing parts.

Low carbon footprint

Superior energy efficiency and zero mineral oil residue ensure a minimal environmental impact, thereby lowering

the customers’ carbon footprint. Reliable, energy efficient with best-inclass life cycle cost, the AB series produce high-quality air, free of microbiological contaminants, with free air delivery from 0.82 to 15.85 m3/min.

Choosing and installing a throw-in type level transmitter

Athrow-in type level transmitter, also known as hydrostatic pressure level sensor, is an extension of advanced pressure transmitter technology for different applications.

The design of this type of transmitter is based on the linear relationship between the measured hydrostatic pressure and the height of the liquid. It uses the piezoresistive effect of diffused silicon or ceramic or capacitive pressure sensors to convert static pressure into electrical signals. Through temperature compensation and linear correction, the output signal will then be converted to 4-20 milliampere or 0-5 volt.

In field installation, the sensor section can be directly put into the testing medium and the transmitter section of the instrument can be fixed by flange or bracket connection.

Throw-in level transmitters can be used to measure height and pressure of water, oil and low-concentrated testing media. This type of transmitter features:

• High precision and great stability

• Simple and convenient installation — it can be directly put into testing medium

• Integrated structure without any separable parts

• A highly reliable and long service life

• Wide range of temperature compensation with test results unaffected by

changes in the testing medium

• Power reverse polarity protection and overload current limiting protection

Factors to consider

Many factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing the most suitable throw-in type level transmitter for an application. Particular attention needs to be given to the following:

1. Confirm testing medium and its nature, eg. corrosiveness, thickness, particle content, etc. For example, an anti-corrosion liquid level transmitter can be used in a medium with high corrosiveness and a capacitance liquid level transmitter can be used to test media with high solid-particle content.

2. Understand the output signal needed for the application. The output signal needs to match the input signal of PLC, DCS or devices from the whole system. Common output signals are 4-20mA, 0-20mA, 1-5V, 0-10V and other digital signals.

3. What is the available power supply or power input for the level transmitter? The most common power supplies are 24Vdc and 220Vac. Special voltage according to different geographical locations are 12Vdc, 15Vdc, 48Vdc and 110Vac.

4. Know the process connection type

and size; liquid level transmitters are generally installed by screw or flange installation.

5. You must also consider the level of accuracy needed for the application; standard accuracy can be used in applications with no special requirement.

6. The working environment is also an important context. Anti-explosion level transmitters are required to be used in power plants and chemical plants. In chemical plants, anti-corrosion is required.

Differential pressure level transmitters are often required in pharmaceutical, food, beverage and chemical industry processes. They are installed at the bottom of the liquid tank and gauge pressure reflects liquid level. In these processes, tanks are often under pressure where throw-in type level transmitters are not able to work.

Pharmaceutical, food and beverage and chemical industries often require a differential pressure level transmitter instead. These are installed at the bottom of the liquid tank and a gauge pressure signal reflects the liquid level. In these situations, tanks are often under pressure so a throw-in type level transmitter will not work.

S T RU

E NT A TI O N & CALIBRATION PTY LTD SP E CI AL IST S

AMS have been suppliers of instrumentation and calibration equipment to all industries since 1973 representing some of the world’s

Connected, automated and digital transformation at MME

The Modern Manufacturing Expo is set to explore the latest advances and products in manufacturing during the show in Sydney this September.

“The 2022 Modern Manufacturing Expo was an overwhelming success, with visitors over the course of two days and it highlighted the need for the industry to come together again for in-person events in a post-COVID environment,” said Marie Kinsella, CEO of the International Exhibition & Conference (IEC) Group.

“We expect this year’s edition to be even bigger and better than before with a focus on our 2023 theme: ‘Connected, Automated & Digital Transformation’.”

“Automation has been in the spotlight with the recent worldwide popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and our 2023 theme is intended to explore how these tools and technologies can be better harnessed by manufacturers and the industry at large,” she added.

“Free registration to the Modern

Manufacturing Expo ensures that as many manufacturers and industry professionals as possible are able to benefit from the resources and expert knowledge on offer,” explained Kinsella.

Expert Arena and Smart Manufacturing Conference

In addition to the Modern Manufacturing Expo, attendees can take advantage of the two co-located events on offer: the Expert Arena and Smart Manufacturing Conference.

Access to the Expert Arena is included with Modern Manufacturing Expo registration and offers visitors the opportunity to listen to short and sharp information sessions by key manufacturing industry professionals.

“These expert presentations are hugely valuable as they provide insight, wisdom and best practice,” said Kinsella, who encouraged those who want to dive deeper into what lies ahead for Australian manufacturing to sign up for

Smart Manufacturing Conference 2023

Now is the time to embrace the future of manufacturing and take the next step!

Become a smart manufacturer and make sure to attend the event for valuable insights on creating digital transformation strategy.

Visit this year’s Smart Manufacturing Conference (Day 1 of the Modern Manufacturing Expo) to discover and learn about new models, technologies, case studies, and how the latest advancements can enhance your manufacturing excellence.

What’s on offer?

Answering the question ‘What’s next for Australian manufacturers?’

The Smart Manufacturing Conference’s jam-packed speaker line-up is designed to provide practical advice and solutions for manufacturers looking to transform and gain a competitive edge in a fast-paced world.

Delegates will learn about the latest

trends, best practices and success stories from some of the most innovative companies in the industry, including CocaCola Euro Pacific Partners, GE Digital, Bosch AU, APPMA and Dulux.

The program also includes an opening government address, where a representative will share their vision to rebuild manufacturing and sovereign capability, exploring new technologies for Australian manufacturers, and future opportunities from the National Reconstruction Fund.

The future of manufacturing is now –join the innovators or be left behind!

20 September 2023, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush (Part of the Modern Manufacturing Expo)

the Smart Manufacturing Conference.

“You’ll hear from some of the greatest innovators from Australia and around the world as they share best practices for harnessing smart technologies to reduce operating and capital costs whilst increasing profitability.”

WH&S Show is there too

The Modern Manufacturing Expo is co-located with the 2023 Workplace Health & Safety Show, a ‘must’ for anyone responsible for keeping their

workplace safe, in all industries including manufacturing, construction, mining, local government, hospitals, transport and more.

20-21 September 2023, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

Winners of the RS PRO & Engineers Without Borders student design competition

RS PRO & Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) have awarded three winners in Australia and New Zealand of their student design competition.

The winners, announced in March, were commended for their socio-technical skills, sustainable design and social impact of their designs.

The first winner, Luke Nelson studying at ANU, is building a seed sorting robot which is a shaker-table device which aims to address the significant time and labour challenges associated with sorting native grains.

The real world application has been tested by an Indigenous-owned organisation working to develop a native grains industry for the benefit of First Nations people.

Maja Ranzinger who studies at Auckland University is developing a prototype design for an autonomous apple picker. The body is a thin, electrically motorised four-wheel system that fits within the orchard lanes.

Maja’s project aims to lower the production cost whilst solving the problems of labour shortages in this industry.

Lastly, Patricia Wang-Zhao at ANU is developing a local design summit which is a collaborative platform whereby student and professional engineers engage with local First Nations people.

The summit aims to explore opportunities in engaging with Indigenous knowledge for economic and environmental benefit.

RS Pro and EWB are supporting these winning submissions with product packs worth $3,000 which includes RS PRO components, tools, and accessories tailored to the projects.

The competition criteria included:

1. Socio-technical skills.

2. Sustainable design skills, including the environmental, economic and social impacts.

3. The demonstration of effective communication skills through the design pitch whilst articulating teamwork skills of the project.

4. A demonstration of how the fund will help the entrant achieve positive social, economic, and environmental impacts.

Scott Philbrook, Managing Director ANZ for RS, the parent company of RS PRO, says he is looking to support future generations of engineers through programs like this.

“The last two years have been a strange and stressful time for the evolution of design and engineering in many sectors,” he said.

“We look forward to playing a small part in the development of these projects and following the positive impact that they will deliver to the community.”

Smart Manufacturing Conference 2023 modernmanufacturingexpo.com

www.greasemax.au

Packing a recyclable local punch

Having experienced growth in Australia, US firm PakTech is establishing a local presence with a contract manufacturing facility in Victoria based on a proprietary partnership with Visy.

Paktech makes 100% recycled and recyclable secondary packaging known as handles for carrying a clutch of cans, bottles and other containers — usually drinks. The Victorian facility will be able to make 100 million recycled injection-moulded handles each year.

Through its partnership with Visy,

PakTech aims to tap burgeoning consumer and corporate demand for environmentally sustainable packaging and products and to run as a circular miro-economy: made in Australia, recycled in Australia, and repurposed again into new PakTech products here too.

Although Australia ranks low on world scales of recycling or biodegrading packaging, PakTech CEO Brandon Rogers sees many consumers following their consciences here and in the US — and they are pressuring corporates to work more sustainably and to promote

their environmentally sustainable credentials.

“Australia’s buying habits are very similar to ours in the US. Sustainability and the circular economy is no longer a competitive differentiator, it’s an expectation,” says Rogers.

“As environmental, social and governance pressures and the need for transparency increases, many companies are setting internal sustainability goals to meet regulatory mandates or customer or shareholder demands.

“But rather than setting goals of 25%

recycled content by 2025, PakTech enables businesses to use 100% recycled content today.”

PakTech handles are made from 100% recycled HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), a Type 2 polyethylene thermoplastic. By using 100% recycled containers as material, PakTech has recycled almost one billion milk jugs and 120 million pounds of plastics that would otherwise go to landfill or ocean.

Altrac Jib Crane

Altrac Gantry Crane

Altrac Monorail Crane

William Buck brings joy to sick and disadvantaged kids at Sydney Zoo’s GLOW Festival

last a lifetime.

Amongst the attendees was Zaharra, a seven-year-old girl bravely battling Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). FSHD is a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects the muscles. The disease often leaves a person incapable of blinking, swallowing, eating, smiling, and walking.

Zaharra’s muscles are deteriorating at a rapid rate, she needs a custom wheelchair to support her quality of life.

Zaharra’s parents have done two local fundraisers to help fund a chair but have not been able to raise enough money.

With incredible generosity, William Buck and Sydney Zoo, with the support

Accounting and advisory firm William Buck’s dedicated GLOW Charity Night was held on Tuesday, 23 May at Sydney Zoo’s GLOW Festival.

William Buck’s GLOW Charity Night treated kids and families from many organisations including Variety Children’s Charity, Ronald McDonald House, Kids West and the Westmead Children’s Hospital Foundation, to an unforgettable night of interactive installations, an after-dark aquarium, accessible rides, food trucks and the appearance of children’s icon Emma Memma.

For many, this was their first light festival experience and for some, their first night out of hospital in months.

“We have been absolutely delighted to

host a charity night at Sydney Zoo’s GLOW festival. Spreading happiness to these children and their families aligns with our Changing Lives philosophy and desire to make a positive impact within the local Western Sydney community,” said John Spender, Director, William Buck.

Jake Burgess, Managing Director of the Sydney Zoo said: “We want to make sure that every child has the opportunity to attend a Light Festival. It’s heart-warming to see the smiles on kids’ faces and know that we made a difference to their lives.”

The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the surprise appearance of children’s icon, Emma Memma. The beloved entertainer met and greeted the kids, and took photos, bringing smiles to faces and creating memories that will

Upcoming Events

Energy Next

18-19 July

International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Energy Next is a free industry exhibition on the latest renewable energy and energy management technologies. It includes technical sessions plus the Clean Energy Council’s Solar Masterclass.

energynext.com.au

Foodpro

23 - 26 July

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Foodpro’s 12 zones focus on steps in the food manufacturing process: ingredients, food science and technology, processing and plant equipment, packaging and the latest in tracing and provenance.

foodproexh.com

CeMAT Australia 2023

25-27 July

The Dome Sydney

CeMAT is the opportunity to experience a range of solutions and technology setting the standards and future direction of logistics and warehousing in the Asia Pacific cemat.com.au

Workplace Health and Safety Show

20 - 21 September

Sydney Showground

Sydney Olympic Park

Discover interactive, innovative and collaborative solutions at free, two-day events in Brisbane (2023), Sydney (2023). Exhibitors show the latest health and safety products and resources and there are also Knowledge Centre seminars. Registration is free.

whsshow.com.au

Modern Manufacturing Expo

20 - 21 September

Sydney Showground

Sydney Olympic Park

The Modern Manufacturing Expo showcases leading-edge products, equipment, technologies and software to help Australian manufacturers. This year’s theme is ‘Connected, automated and digital transformation’.

modernmanufacturingexpo.com

Thinkfood LIVE

25-26 October

Carriageworks Sydney

Thinkfood LIVE focuses on the pre-manufacturing stage of food and beverage production and the new product development cycle.

thinkfood.com.au

of Sunrise Medical donated a customised wheelchair worth $30,000 to Zaharra. This remarkable donation will have a profound impact on her life, providing newfound mobility and independence.

GLOW at Sydney Zoo is an accessible and inclusive event, designed specifically with no hills or steps for varying levels of mobility, for everyone to have a fun time.

Shaping Change at the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work

27 - 30 November

International Convention Centre

Darling Harbour, Sydney

The triennial World Congress on Safety and Health at Work is an opportunity to connect with global leaders in safety and harm prevention from more than 120 countries. Hosted by SafeWork NSW, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the The International Social Security Association.

safety2023sydney.com

William Buck williambuck.com

Why there’s lubrication failure of rolling bearings in electric motors

Aplanned program for electric motor lubrication can provide considerable benefits to plant operating costs and productivity. The lubrication failure modes of rolling bearings in electric motors can be effectively and quite easily minimised.

Separation of the rolling elements of a ball or roller bearing depends on hydrodynamic lubrication – that is, the

maintenance of a continuous presence of a very thin, micron-sized, elastohydrodynamic film of lubricant between the rolling elements and raceways for correct lubrication.

The coefficient of friction ( μ) in a wellmaintained rolling element bearing where an oil film on the rolling elements provides hydrodynamic lubrication conditions is in the range: μ ≈ 0.001 – 0.01.

In the worst case, where poor lubrication practice sees the separating film break down completely, boundary friction exists with μ ≈ 0.1 – 0.25. Not only does poor lubrication lead to expensive motor failures but higher energy use as well.

According to an industry source 50% - 65% of motor failures occur because of poor lubrication. The reasons for lubrication failure are:

Incorrect grease which does not have the lubrication properties required for use in electric motors

Incompatible greases will, if mixed together, cause a lubrication failure and subsequently a bearing feature

∙ Over greasing can lead to the grease cavity being filled and the excess grease being forced past the inner bearing cap and into the motor and cause a winding insulation failure. Excess grease in the bearing can lead to overheating and bearing failure from heat-related oxidation breakdown of the grease thickener and as a result, oil loss; this is critical as the lubrication properties of the grease are in the oil, not the thickener. Oxidised grease will carbonise, darken and harden, in turn creating resistance or blockages in the greaseways making re-lubrication difficult and leading to a lack of lubrication in the bearings.

Lack of lubrication, from incorrectly

packed bearings during assembly, or excessively long re-lubrication intervals, which can result in degraded grease which has little or no lubrication capability. Grease has a finite life and the lubricating oil in the grease will oxidise over time.

Grease life is greatly reduced by temperature with a reduction of 50% for every 150C increase over the standard grease service life temperature of 700C. Motor bearings normally run at 600C – 700C but according to a leading manufacturer(2) are assumed to run at 800C in a motor at an ambient of 250C. Many motors will clearly run much hotter than this.

Degraded grease hardens and will block the greaseways with the likely effect that when the motor is re-greased, the new grease applied will take the path of least resistance and rather than being pushed into the bearings will instead travel into the windings.

GreaseMax continuous automatic lubricators provide an efficient costeffective solution for electric motor lubrication.

Fluid sensors with added value GENERATION

PLUS

Flexible installation, intuitive operation, maximum robustness and a uniform look & feel - this is what Turck‘s innovative Fluid+ platform offers. The IO-Link-capable sensors combine functionality, convenience and usabilityfor the simple detection of pressure, temperature, flow or level.