Industry Update - Issue 147 - Feb/Mar 26

Tim

Tim Ayres is, at his heart, a manufacturing man. The Minister for Industry portfolio has existed under a variety of names dating back to the 1920s, but of the 32 people to have held the role, few can match the current office holder in terms of a career path within the manufacturing industry.

Ayres studied industrial relations at university, worked in the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) for almost two decades, eventually rising to NSW state secretary before his election as a Senator in 2017.

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60 not out as Aussie manufacturer takes over MCG for birthday bash

Fischer Plastic Products have celebrated their 60th birthday in style with a gala event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The evening brought together customers, distributors, suppliers, current and former employees, industry partners, Members of Parliament and the best of entertainment in Melbourne to celebrate six decades of Australian-made excellence.

Continues page 38

PAS 13 : 2 017

The Code of Practice for safety barriers in traffic management

Protecting people, assets, and infrastructure

Workplace transport remains one of the biggest causes of serious injury and death at work. PAS 13:2017 exists to reduce that risk - setting best practice for the design, testing, installation and inspection of safety barriers used in tra�ic management environments.

Developed by the British Standards Institution, sponsored by A-SAFE, and created in collaboration with an independent industry group, PAS 13 sets the benchmark for barrier safety worldwide.

Why PAS 13 Matters

The movement of goods and materials involves constant interaction between people, vehicles and infrastructure - and the consequences of failure can be severe.

PAS 13 provides a clear framework to help organisations minimise risk and protect people, assets and operations.

A-SAFE barriers are fully compliant with PAS 13 across all three elements.

Fit for Purpose Protection

Not all environments are the same.

PAS 13 recognises that effective protection depends on matching the barrier to the real-world risks, including:

• Vehicle type and speed

• Direction of travel and energy transfer

• Impact zones and deflection requirements

Different performance levels and impact zones ensure protection is �it for purpose.

A-SAFE only recommends solutions that are right for the environment. The right product. The right application.

Installation & Inspection

Compliance doesn’t stop at the product.

A-SAFE provides PAS 13 compliant installation and inspection services, including:

• Certified installation

• Comprehensive inspections

• Risk assessment and expert guidance

• Recommendations on barrier placement and design

• Advice on how to further enhance safety

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Printer IVE Group

Why enclosure is the answer in open fibre laser cutting machines

Fibre laser cutting has transformed manufacturing, delivering precision, speed and efficiency.

However, as powerful as these machines are, they also present safety concerns when not properly contained.

Open style fibre laser cutters, still common in some markets, can expose operators to dangerous levels of laser radiation at 1070nm, a wavelength that can permanently damage eyesight without any visible warning.

As a distributor of fibre laser cutting systems, Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse believe that it is crucial to raise awareness about these risks and highlight how modern, safety-compliant designs protect operators, businesses and the future of the industry.

Class 4 fibre lasers emit radiation around 1070nm, part of the near-infrared spectrum.

While invisible to the human eye, this radiation can cause instant and irreversible damage to the retina.

The retina cannot sense infrared light, meaning that even direct or reflected exposure will not trigger the natural blink reflex that protects us from visible light hazards. A powerful laser can cause damage within 10 milliseconds.

This can have profound legal and health and safety consequences.

In Australia, workplace safety laws clearly stipulate that employers must manage any risks associated with laser equipment.

The core requirements are based on the AS/NZS IEC 60825.1 standard - and ignoring these responsibilities can lead to serious consequences not just for workers’ wellbeing, but also for the business itself.

If someone were to get hurt because a machine wasn’t properly guarded, the responsibility can still

fall back on the business owner, even if the equipment came that way from the supplier.

That’s why choosing a fully enclosed laser system isn’t just about meeting technical standards; it’s also about doing the right thing and protecting everyone involved. Enclosed fibre laser systems are specifically designed to eliminate these risks. They feature:

• Fully enclosed cutting chambers with safety-rated interlocks to prevent access during operation.

• Emergency stop systems, safety barriers and certified laser-proof viewing windows.

• Operator training and documentation as part of delivery and commissioning.

These features ensure that operators are never directly or indirectly exposed to hazardous laser radiation, protecting both people and productivity.

As distributors, Hare & Forbes are committed to helping Australian manufacturers understand the real risks of open-style machines and the long-term benefits of choosing enclosed, certified systems.

Safety should never be optional or secondary to cost, and as technology advances, there’s no reason to compromise on protection.

The power of fibre laser cutting must be matched with an equal commitment to safety. Open laser systems expose workers to unnecessary hazards.

Creating a safe workplace starts with the right equipment - which is why Hare & Forbes are proud to supply machines that combine cutting-edge performance with safety, increasing productivity, innovation and peace of mind.

Compressed air and gasthe unsung heroes of laser cutting excellence

In laser cutting, precision and productivity are non-negotiable.

Yet, behind every flawless cut and hour of uninterrupted production lies a critical foundation: the quality and reliability of assist gases and compressed air.

Even the most advanced laser cutter is only as good as the air and gas that power it. The wrong air quality can ruin a perfect edge, contaminate sensitive optics and bring the production line to a halt.

The right gas solution - delivered with the highest purity, pressure and consistency - unlocks the full potential of a laser system, ensuring every cut is clean, every part meets spec and every deadline is met.

In short: the difference between average and exceptional laser cutting isn’t just the machine - it’s what you put into it.

Atlas Copco recognise that every operation is unique, which is why they offer a range of solutions, including nitrogen and compressed air, with distinct advantages.

Nitrogen is the preferred choice when a clean, oxidation-free edge finish is essential. It displaces oxygen during cutting, preventing discoloration and producing high-quality, burr-free edges - ideal for stainless steel, aluminium and other non-ferrous metals.

While nitrogen is more costly due to its purity and pressurisation requirements, it is the solution of choice for precision work where finish quality is paramount.

Compressed air offers a cost-effective alternative for general-purpose cutting, particularly for mild steel

and thin stainless steel.

While it contains oxygen, which can cause slight oxidation and discoloration, compressed air is significantly more affordable and supports faster cutting speeds for less critical applications. This makes it a practical solution where edge aesthetics are not the primary concern.

While nitrogen and oxygen often take centre stage, compressed air is increasingly recognised as a versatile and economical assist gas.

However, air quality is critical, and contaminants like oil, water or particulates can compromise cut quality, damage expensive optics and lead to costly downtime.

Many companies focus solely on pressure and flow, but Atlas Copco’s commitment to air quality is a true differentiator, ensuring that any investment in laser technology delivers maximum value and uptime.

The all-in-one high-pressure nitrogen generation system LC N2 is the go-to solution for nitrogen as an assist gas.

Designed for even the most compact shop floors, it delivers a continuous supply of nitrogen stored in the high-pressure storage with the exact pressure, purity and quality that any specific laser requires.

With plug-and-play simplicity, integrated components and remote monitoring, LC N2 puts the user in full control of nitrogen supply, delivering both cost savings and premium production quality.

For a cost-effective solution, Atlas Copco’s specialised LC series laser-cutting compressor brings

Using your phone on the loo?

It could be carrying bacteria (like E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus), viruses (such as norovirus and rotavirus) and even parasites and fungi.

One Bond University study found an astonishing 882 bacteria, 1229 viruses, 88 fungi and 5 protozoa or parasites across just 20 mobile phones. Cleaning your phone regularly with alcohol-based wipes or sprays will help keep those germs at bay.

Source: NSW Food Authority

all-in-one convenience.

By integrating the compressor, desiccant dryer, air tank and advanced three-stage filtration into a single compact unit, it ensures consistently clean, dry and oil-free compressed air that meets the stringent ISO8573-1:2010 Class 1:4:1 standard - crucial for protecting sensitive laser optics and achieving flawless cuts.

The plug-and-play design simplifies installation, while energy-efficient operation and easy maintenance reduce costs and downtime. Flexible and scalable, it is an ideal choice for reliable, efficient

laser cutting.

For users who are unsure which assist gas is correct for their purposes, Atlas Copco can assist with an expert team who can recommend options.

They have access to a broad range of technologies and deep industry experience and will work with customers to identify and implement the most suitable solution, ensuring the system aligns perfectly with production requirements and operational goals.

Atlas Copco - atlascopco.com

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How risk-based design goes beyond compliance in manufacturing safety

In industrial safety, compliance is often treated as a finish line: a site meets the relevant standards, passes an audit and ticks the box.

However, compliance is not a binary yes/no question. It’s a minimum threshold, not an assurance that people won’t get hurt, assets won’t be damaged or operations won’t grind to a halt when something goes wrong.

Many sites that are technically compliant can still fail under real operating conditions.

Most Australian safety standards are written to establish a baseline, the minimum set of controls that should exist in a given environment. They assume a reasonable, competent operator, predictable behaviour and ideal conditions.

Real sites don’t operate like that. Risk-based design starts from a different question: what actually happens here, day after day?

Not what should happen, not what’s in the procedure manual, but what people really do when the shift is under pressure, the floor is busy and time matters.

Risk-based design asks:

• Where do people actually walk

when they’re in a hurry?

• Where do forklifts cut corners because the layout encourages it?

• What happens when a temporary workaround becomes permanent?

Consider a warehouse with clearly marked pedestrian walkways and designated forklift lanes. On paper, it’s compliant. In practice, the pedestrian route adds 30 seconds to every trip between packing and despatch.

What happens? People take the shortest path, across vehicle routes, because productivity pressure quietly overrides procedure. No rule is broken intentionally. The system simply wasn’t designed for actual human behaviour.

Or take a manufacturing site where steel barriers technically meet spacing and height requirements but are positioned in a way that forces forklifts into tighter turning circles near access points, and operators compensate by increasing speed elsewhere to maintain throughput.

These are not edge cases. They’re patterns seen repeatedly across Australian industrial facilities.

Audits are snapshots. They capture a moment in time, often under

controlled conditions, with everyone on best behaviour.

They don’t capture shift change chaos, peak load periods, temporary traffic changes or fatigue at hour ten of a long day.

Audits are important but designing to pass an audit is very different from designing to survive daily operations. Sites that perform well over the long term tend to use audits as a floor, not a ceiling.

The phrase “it meets the standard” can become a stopping point. Once uttered, further discussion shuts down. Budgets move on. Attention shifts elsewhere.

But many of the most serious incidents occur inside compliant systems where controls exist, but don’t align with how work is actually done.

High-performing sites design controls that assume:

• People will take shortcuts

• Operators will optimise for speed

• Temporary solutions will linger

• Conditions will change over time

That doesn’t mean giving up on procedures or training - it means backing them up with physical systems that make the safe option the easy option.

This is where risk-based design diverges sharply from minimum compliance. It prioritises:

• Physical separation over painted lines where interaction is frequent;

• Energy absorption and impact resistance where mistakes are likely

• Layouts that support flow rather than fight it.

The most mature safety conversations aren’t about whether something complies - they’re about whether it still works when people behave like people.

Barrier Group’s focus is on designing safety systems that hold up under real-world pressure, not just inspection.

That means working with clients to understand how their sites actually operate and where theoretical compliance quietly breaks down. Compliance will always matter. But treating it as the destination rather than the starting point is where many sites go wrong.

Because in the real world, safety isn’t binary — and “meets the standard” is rarely the whole story.

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Why Australian quality comes first in abrasive blasting equipment

In today’s connected world, businesses have more access than ever to lower-priced industrial equipment.

The appeal of saving money upfront is understandable, especially when operating expenses continue to rise.

However, in specialised fields such as abrasive blasting, the long-term consequences of choosing the cheapest option often appear far sooner than expected, as a low initial price can lead to issues that ultimately cost more throughout the lifetime of the equipment.

Many operators have shared their experiences after choosing low-cost blasting systems. These machines usually work at first, but it does not take long for performance problems to emerge.

Components wear out sooner, productivity slows down and contacting the supplier for support is often difficult.

This creates unplanned downtime, additional spending and a sense that the early saving was not

worth the long-term impact.

As the well-known saying goes: ‘The sweetness of a low price is soon overshadowed by the bitterness of poor quality and service’.

The abrasive blasting industry sees this repeatedly, particularly when cost-cutting affects materials, construction and overall engineering.

These weaknesses ultimately flow on to the system’s performance, safety and lifespan.

Why Australian Made matters

Australian-made equipment has earned a strong reputation for durability, reliability and long-term performance.

Local manufacturers design equipment for Australian conditions, industry standards and demanding environments.

Furthermore, one of the clearest advantages of choosing Australian made is the accessibility of support.

Spare parts are available locally rather than requiring extended overseas shipping times, and

technical assistance is easier to obtain. This helps minimise downtime and ensures problems can be resolved quickly.

becomes clear.

Protoblast is part of this proud Australian manufacturing tradition. Each Protoblast system is designed, built and assembled in Australia, which ensures strict quality control and ensures a consistent standard across every machine.

The availability of spare parts within Australia keeps maintenance straightforward and accessible for customers.

Protoblast systems are also recognised for their longevity. Over the years, the company has recorded machines that have remained operational for 25 years or more, continuing to perform with proper maintenance.

Choosing a lower-cost alternative is not a poor decision on its own. Every business manages budgets carefully.

However, the lived experiences of many operators show that low-cost equipment frequently becomes more expensive over time due to shorter lifespans, limited support and delays in accessing replacement parts.

When components must be sourced from overseas or when suppliers are slow to respond, downtime increases and productivity suffers.

Quality in abrasive blasting equipment is centred on reliability, safety and consistent performance. Well-built machines allow businesses to focus on their operations rather than ongoing troubleshooting and repairs.

This is where genuine value

Protoblast’s approach reflects these priorities. As an Australian manufacturer, the company can provide end-to-end support throughout the entire life of each system, including engineering, installation, servicing and reliable access to spare parts.

Customers benefit from equipment that is built to last and supported by local teams who understand both the industry and the demands of the work.

In a market where cheaper imported systems are readily accessible, it is important for businesses to consider more than the initial price. Lifespan, serviceability and access to support all contribute to the true cost of ownership.

Many companies that have invested in Australian-made equipment find that the long-term benefits considerably outweigh the initial investment.

Although financial pressures will always influence purchasing decisions, choosing well-built equipment remains one of the most effective ways to protect future operations. Machines with proven lifespans, dependable performance and strong local support provide enduring value.

As the familiar saying reminds the industry, the sweetness of a low price does not last long. What continues to deliver value is equipment that is built and supported with care.

From concept to handover: Automation timelines in manufacturing and logistics

By Colin Wells, Managing Director of Robotic Automation

In industrial environments, the moment the “keys are handed over” marks a major milestone: automation systems are installed, tested, documented and accepted for operational use.

However, the time it takes to reach this point varies significantly by industry, regulatory environment and system complexity.

Below is a practical view of what typical deployment timelines look like across three automation-intensive sectors.

1. Steel Welding Manufacturing Automation

Common systems include:

• Robotic welding cells

• Automated fixtures and positioners

• Vision systems for seam tracking and inspection

• Safety-rated fencing, light curtains

Typical Time to Handover: 4–12 months

Steel welding automation is highly engineering-driven. Even seemingly simple robotic welding cells can become complex due to part variation, weld quality requirements, consumable selection and safety compliance. Timeline drivers include:

• Custom fixturing and jig design

• Weld procedure development and qualification

• Heat and spatter management

• Compliance with industrial safety standards (e.g. ISO 10218)

• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) with production parts

We have found delays occur during process development, not

hardware installation.

Keys are usually handed over once:

• Weld quality meets specification consistently

• Safety sign-off is complete

• Programs and parameters are documented

• Operators and maintenance staff are trained

2. Food and Drink Manufacturing Automation

Common systems include:

• Automated filling, capping and packaging lines

• Pick-and-place robotics

• Vision inspection and quality control systems

• CIP (Clean-In-Place) and hygienic conveyor systems

Typical Time to Handover: 6–15 months

Food and drink automation is shaped by hygiene, compliance and reliability. While the mechanical systems may be proven, validation and integration often extend schedules.

• Key factors affecting timelines:

• Food safety standards (HACCP, ISO 22000, BRCGS)

• Hygienic design requirements (washdown, materials, drainage)

• Product changeover complexity

• Regulatory and quality documentation

• Trial production runs and performance validation

Many projects follow a phased approach, where systems are installed and commissioned off-line, then integrated during planned shutdowns to

minimise risk to live production. Handover typically occurs after:

• Extended site acceptance testing (SAT)

• Validation of cleaning and contamination controls

• Quality and regulatory approvals

• Operator, QA and maintenance training

3. Warehousing and Intralogistics Automation

Common systems include:

• Mobile Robots (AGVs and AMRs)

• Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)

• Conveyor and sortation systems

• Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) and WMS integration

Typical Time to Handover: 6–18 months

Warehousing and intralogistics projects have some of the longest handover timelines, largely due to operational dependency.

Primary timeline drivers include:

• Building readiness and floor conditions

• Hardware lead times (racking, robots, shuttles)

• Integration with existing WMS, ERP and MES systems

• Operational change management

• Progressive go-live strategies

Unlike manufacturing cells, warehouse automation is rarely “switched on” all at once. Keys may be handed over in stages, with agreed performance benchmarks rather than a single acceptance date.

Handover is usually defined by:

• Stable system uptime and throughput

• Software and interface acceptance

• Operational KPIs being met

• Clear escalation and support procedures

What do all three sectors have in common?

Across industries, the fastest automation projects share the same fundamentals:

1. Clear upfront specifications

2. Early involvement of operations and maintenance teams

3. Realistic acceptance criteria

4. Allowance for commissioning and optimisation time

5. Structured training and documentation

The “keys” are not just a formality - they represent confidence that the system can operate safely, reliably and at scale.

Whether welding steel, packaging food or moving pallets at scale, organisations that plan handover as a process - not an event - reach productivity faster and with fewer surprises.

The key takeaway from this is that if you are thinking of implementing automation in the next few years, the time to start is now.

Australian manufacturing comeback sees Duromer return to local hands

The trajectory of Australian manufacturing over the longterm has often seen businesses and, indeed, entire industries, offshore their production and never come back.

For one business, however, success has been found by coming home.

Duromer Products, one of Australia’s leading plastics manufacturers, announced in December that they were returning to Australian hands after a period of foreign ownership.

They have manufactured engineering polymer compounds for the plastics industry dating back to the early 1990s and have been independent within Australia since 2004.

Duromer expanded their range and opened facilities in Vietnam in 2015, and were eventually bought out by a US-based private equity firm, Spell Capital Partners LLC.

Spell then merged Duromer, plus another of their businesses, AP Colourants, and rebranded them as DuroColour Australia and New Zealand with Andrew Stewart as CEO.

Plans changed, however, and Spell made a decision to focus on the masterbatch plastics-focused DuroColour, presenting the opportunity for Stewart and his partners to acquire the business of Duromer through a leveraged buyout.

The process was finalised on December 16, 2025 and now Duromer, with locations in Australia and Vietnam, moves forward as a privately owned Australian

company once more.

Central to the return has been St.George Bank, who had been Duromer’s banking partner prior to their acquisition, and who were on hand to provide backing to bring Duromer into local hands.

Stewart sat down with Industry Update at their facility in Prestons in Sydney’s southwest, to talk through the process.

“We had a very positive relationship with St.George until the private equity acquisition, at which point the decision to move banks was not ours,” he said.

“We subsequently banked with another institution for around four and a half years, but they did not match the level of service and understanding we had with St.George.

“When the opportunity to buy the business back emerged, St.George were the first option we wanted to explore. It was easy to pick up the phone and have an open conversation about the potential acquisition.

“We prepared a five-year business plan, which we would have done regardless as part of our own due diligence. We then tailored that plan for the bank, focusing on equity ratios, funding structures and loan requirements.

“The process with St.George was straightforward and stress-free. Where questions arose, answers were readily available, and if not, they knew exactly who to speak to.”

Stewart offered insight into the lengths that the bank were able to go

to make the purchase as smooth as possible.

“During the acquisition process, I was in Vietnam with our advisors when I took a call from a St.George representative on speakerphone,” he explained.

“When I hung up the phone, my advisor, an Australian now living in Vietnam, looked at me and said, “Was that a bank?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “No way.”

I said, “No, that was St.George.” He said he had never experienced anything like that from a bank, and that banks simply do not do that.

I said, “Well, maybe St.George isn’t really a bank. Maybe they’re a partner.” That conversation stayed with me.

“Throughout the acquisition process, St.George focused on how they could help make the deal work. With the other bank, every step felt like a struggle. That difference reinforced why we value the relationship with St.George and why we were so pleased to return.”

Now, Duromer are set on consolidating their position domestically and investing in the high-value

manufacturing that will define Australian manufacturing in the coming years.

They sell into growing industries, such as renewables and defence, as well as more traditional sectors such as agriculture, industrial and recreational products.

“Australia has always been our core market and remains critically important to us,” said Stewart.

“While there has always been long-term consideration that some manufacturing might move offshore, that has never been our strategic direction.

“We succeed in Australia largely because we are a local manufacturer. Local manufacturing allows us to offer quicker turnaround times, more flexible minimum order quantities and a higher level of customisation.

“These advantages are difficult to replicate through imports with sensible lead times and, of course, cost.

“We are not focused on volume growth domestically but improved value for both the business and our customers. That will come through higher-technology products and increased capability.

“We are investing in new capital equipment that will allow us to manufacture higher-temperature, higher-specification engineering polymers that we previously could not produce.

“This will enable us to enter markets with higher performance and quality requirements. The Australian market is about growth in capability and value.

“Vietnam and Southeast Asia provide opportunities for volume growth underpinned by Australian know how and innovation.

“Having St.George as a partner in our business means we have the flexibility to ‘carpe diem’.”

St.George Bank - stgeorge.com.au

Matthew Kelly Head of Manufacturing

How an Aussie icon helped shape Combilift’s global success

Sitting in the Bunnings in Mentone on the first day of December, Combilift co-founder Martin McVicar might have wondered if he was back in Ireland.

Despite being the first official day of the southern summer, it was a nippy eight degrees in the southeastern Melbourne suburbs - not that McVicar was feeling the cold.

His annual trip Down Under was timed to celebrate a major milestone for Combilift, and to pay tribute to the vital role that Australia has played in making them one of the most recognised and respected names in global materials handling.

McVicar was in town to hand over the 100,001st forklift to roll off the production lines at their factory in County Monaghan, a symbolic moment that paid tribute to the company’s over 20 year relationship with Australia’s iconic hardware store.

Bunnings have been a key partner for Combilift, dating back to 2004, as well as a major shaper of designs, providing vital feedback that has informed the way that the Irish forklift manufacturer has made their products.

“One thing that has always meant a lot to me personally is safety,” McVicar told Industry Update

“I make a trip to Australia once a year, and even 25 years ago safety was already important here.

“Safety has always been a key driver for us. Even when we started doing business with Bunnings more than 20 years ago, safety was central

to the relationship.

“One of the most basic examples was restricting the speed of forklifts in Bunnings stores to five kilometres per hour. That was nearly 20 years ago with the C4 1000 models.

“Another major driver for Bunnings was space efficiencywhen you look at their footprint across Australia and the number of stores they operate, freeing up even an extra square metre allows them to either reduce building size or increase the number of SKUs available to customers.

“That has become even more important as land costs increase and stores move to multi-level designs.

“We have pedestrian warehouse reach stackers installed in some of these multi-level stores. In one new Sydney store, several of our products were installed. That shows how land costs and space constraints are reshaping retail warehousing.”

The unique demands of Bunnings have since filtered through into the Combilift factory floor, producing new products that are then sold to customers globally.

“When (Bunnings Head of Procurement and Supply) Darren Dyer visited the plant, one of his observations was that visibility at a certain height was restricted by the overhead guard,” explained McVicar.

”On the same day, our engineers began working on a solution. By the next day, we were able to demonstrate a change. That modification became part of the product almost immediately.

“Our research and development process is very fluid. If feedback is constructive and solves a real operational challenge, we incorporate it immediately rather than waiting for the next model cycle.

“That approach extends globally. While we work closely with Bunnings, many features developed for them are now standard for DIY chains worldwide.”

This reflects not only the importance of Australian circumstances in driving global standards, but also the ability of Combilift to meet its customers where they are, and to provide solutions to problems that can work anywhere.

“We do not see ourselves as selling forklifts,” said McVicar.

“We see ourselves as selling warehouse space. We offer free warehouse consultancy, including layout planning, to optimise customer operations. We have also integrated advanced features such as Combi Connect, our telematics system.

“Combi Connect provides visibility into fleet usage, operator behaviour, battery charging practices and even collision detection through integrated bump sensors.

“Customers can see exactly when and where an impact occurred and which operator was involved. This creates accountability and improves equipment care.

“Combi Connect was launched two years ago. Initially, we thought it would only appeal to large customers, but smaller fleets are also seeing value.

“It allows customers to assess true utilisation and sometimes realise they need fewer machines. That may reduce short-term sales, but it builds long-term brand loyalty.

“The system allows remote diagnostics and software updates, which is particularly valuable in remote Australian locations. It also feeds data back into our research and development, helping us build better vehicles and improve service delivery.”

McVicar explained that, as well as optimising space, Bunnings’ needs were also helping to optimise human resources.

“Another major challenge across industries is the shortage of skilled operators,” he said.

“Our focus is on making vehicles safer and easier to operate for less experienced drivers, with features like Safe Lift, which all new Bunnings orders have, which uses strain gauges on the mast to detect overloads and automatically prevent unsafe lifting. It is simple but extremely effective and is now standard across future orders.

“For companies with peak seasons, such as Bunnings, the ability for less skilled operators to know that they can operate safely is critical. In many cases, operators do not require formal licensing, only verification of competency under internal guidelines. That significantly lowers the barrier to workforce deployment.”

Meet the manufacturing turning forklifts into goldand a windfall for charity

Combilift closed out 2025 in style by handing over a massive cheque to UNICEF, capping a landmark year for the Irish forklift manufacturer.

They passed over €100,000 ($173,000 AUD) to the UNICEF Ireland Children’s Emergency Fund following a worldwide competition that saw the company organise a raffle for their 100,000th forklift, which was kitted out in gold.

“This campaign was designed not only to celebrate a major manufacturing achievement for Combilift, but also to make a meaningful difference beyond the factory floor,” said Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar.

“By supporting UNICEF, we are supporting one of the world’s most effective humanitarian organisations and helping children who need it most.”

The cheque to UNICEF was

handed over to Owen Buckley, UNICEF Ireland’s Head of Corporate Partnerships and Michaela Plunkett, UNICEF Business Development Manager, at Combilift’s Christmas Party.

“As we enter the winter season, our priority is ensuring children affected by war and natural disasters have access to warm clothing, safe shelter and continued education. This generous contribution from Combilift will help UNICEF respond quickly to urgent needs,” said Buckley.

The competition generated €56,500 in ticket sales, which was then topped up to €100,000 by Combilift.

The golden forklift was won by Kareen Farrell of Beauparc Retail Ltd, who travelled to Combilift HQ in County Monaghan, Ireland, to pick up her prize.

“I was absolutely delighted when I

heard I had won, as I’m never lucky,” she said.

“My dad shared the competition details and bought a ticket to support UNICEF because it’s a children’s charity that helps children all over the world, so winning the forklift was an incredible bonus.”

Combilift’s 100,001st forklift was delivered to our shores here in Australia, with long-standing partner Bunnings taking delivery of it at their warehouse in Mentone in the Melbourne suburbs in December.

Combilift - combilift.com

Act smart to reclaim warehouse space without expanding

Across Australia, warehouse operators are facing a familiar pressure point.

Facilities are running close to capacity, inventory profiles are getting more complex, and the costs of expanding or relocating your warehouses have become eye-watering.

Industrial land is scarce, and even when expansion is possible, the disruption alone can cripple operations.

For many operators, the instinctive conclusion is simple: we’ve run out of space. But according to Pride HC owner Darrin Pride, that assumption is often wrong.

After walking through hundreds of Australian warehouses, Pride has seen the same pattern repeat itself.

“Most warehouse managers think their storage problem is a space problem,” he explained. “In reality, it’s usually a layout or equipment problem.”

In most conventional warehouses, a significant portion of the floor area is consumed by aisle space.

These wide corridors exist for one reason only: to allow forklifts to manoeuvre. And while aisles are essential for movement, they don’t generate revenue. Pallet positions do.

“Every extra centimetre of aisle width is space that could otherwise

be holding stock,” Pride said.

“Yet aisle space often consumes a huge percentage of the warehouse footprint without anyone questioning whether that space is being used efficiently.”

The limiting factor is rarely the racking itself. It’s how many rows of racking can physically fit into the building, and that comes down to the type of forklift a warehouse uses.

A typical reach truck requires around three metres of rack-to-rack clearance.

Counterbalanced forklifts need even more, often close to 3.9 metres.

When those dimensions are multiplied across an entire facility, the amount of space lost to wide aisles becomes substantial.

For warehouse operators under pressure to store more without moving walls, that lost space represents a major missed opportunity.

This is where very narrow aisle (VNA) forklifts enter the conversation. While narrow aisle systems have existed for years, they have often been perceived as expensive, specialised or impractical for everyday Australian operations.

Pride HC’s new ProfitMAX range was designed to challenge that perception.

“The goal was simple,” Pride explained.

“Build a forklift that makes narrow aisle storage accessible, affordable and practical for real warehouses”

With a ProfitMAX VNA forklift, rack-to-rack aisle widths can be reduced to around 1.9 metres, depending on pallet size and capacity requirements.

That single design change can unlock an additional 30–50 per cent in pallet positions within the same building footprint.

For operators staring down the barrel of an expansion or relocation, those numbers change the conversation entirely.

From a commercial perspective, increasing storage density is about far more than fitting in extra pallets.

Firstly, it can delay or eliminate the need to expand or relocate. In the current Australian property market, avoiding a new lease or build can save millions over the life of an operation.

Secondly, additional pallet positions directly increase revenue potential. More stock on hand means greater flexibility, improved service levels and the ability to take on new contracts without immediately outgrowing the facility.

Thirdly, a well-designed narrow aisle layout can improve overall operational flow. Reduced travel

distances, fewer workarounds and less double handling all contribute to smoother day-to-day performance.

“When operators run the numbers over a three- to five-year period, the return on investment becomes very hard to ignore,” Pride said.

Storage density alone is not enough. Any forklift must be reliable, versatile and capable of handling real-world conditions.

“The equipment still has to perform day in, day out,” he continued. “Increasing storage is only half the equation.”

The ProfitMAX has been engineered with fully steel construction and is designed to operate both indoors and outdoors.

Unlike many narrow aisle solutions that are limited to pristine indoor environments, the ProfitMAX can handle loading docks, yard work and variable surfaces while maintaining the precision required for very narrow aisle, high-lift operation.

This versatility allows operators to consolidate tasks that would otherwise require multiple machines.

One of the lingering misconceptions around VNA forklifts is that they lack lift height or capacity. In practice, the ProfitMAX is designed to meet the needs of most high-bay warehouses.

It features a full free mast with lift heights of up to 15 metres and lifting capacities ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 tonnes. That range covers the vast majority of Australian warehousing applications.

Power comes from 80V AC lift and drive motors. These motors deliver strong, consistent performance while remaining maintenance-free, helping to reduce long-term operating costs and unplanned downtime.

Energy costs are another area where warehouse operators are feeling the squeeze. Pride HC has gone all-in on lithium battery technology for the ProfitMAX, and the rationale is straightforward.

“An LPG forklift costs around seven dollars an hour to run,” said Pride. “A lithium-powered ProfitMAX brings that down to roughly sixty cents an hour.”

In a multi-shift operation running several machines, that difference adds up quickly. Compared to traditional lead-acid batteries, lithium also delivers significant productivity gains.

Lead-acid batteries typically require eight hours of charging for around five hours of runtime. Lithium batteries need only two

hours of charging to deliver approximately six hours of operation.

That means less downtime, fewer spare batteries and more productive hours on the floor.

Maintenance is another factor.

Lead-acid batteries require regular watering and monitoring, and often last around 1,500 charge cycles.

Pride HC’s lithium battery packs are maintenance-free and still retain around 80 per cent capacity after 4,000 cycles.

From both a cost and sustainability standpoint, the case for lithium is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

In high-throughput environments, operator fatigue directly impacts productivity, accuracy and safety. Pride HC has placed a strong emphasis on ergonomics in the ProfitMAX design.

The operator cockpit includes a suspension seat, electric handbrake and an electrically adjustable fingertip control armrest.

All major functions: lifting, lowering, side shift, tilt, fork positioning, travel direction, horn and emergency stop, are integrated into a single fingertip control unit.

M ATERIALS HANDLING

This layout reduces repetitive movements and allows operators to work with greater precision and less physical strain over long shifts.

Electro-hydraulic proportional valve technology further enhances control by adjusting valve speed based on working conditions, delivering smoother, more intuitive handling.

Working at height in narrow aisles places heavy demands on visibility. The ProfitMAX addresses this with a combination of mechanical design and technology.

A 220-degree articulating angle improves manoeuvrability, while high-visibility guiding lasers above the tyres and inside the tyne’s assist with pallet alignment.

An internal fork-mounted camera system feeds live vision to a cockpit-mounted monitor, significantly improving visibility at height and reducing the risk of rack or product damage.

For many warehouse owners, the biggest barrier to adopting narrow aisle equipment is not cost or complexity.

“These systems aren’t about gimmicks,” Pride said. “They’re about

giving operators confidence and reducing costly mistakes.”

“Most conversions are far more straightforward than people expect. The bigger risk is never reviewing your current setup at all.”

Warehouses often continue operating with inefficient layouts simply because that’s how they’ve always been configured. In an environment where margins are tight and costs are rising, that complacency can be expensive.

The key message for Australian warehouse operators is clear: reaching capacity does not automatically mean you’ve run out of options. By challenging layout assumptions, reviewing aisle widths and reassessing forklift strategy, many warehouses can unlock significant gains within their existing footprint.

“With the right equipment strategy, you can store more, move faster and spend less,” Pride ended. “All without adding a single square metre to your building.”

In a market where space is scarce and efficiency is everything, that is a message worth taking seriously.

Industrial flooring and coatings: why performance and innovation matter

In demanding industrial environments, performance starts from the ground up.

Industrial flooring experts Fosroc understand that flooring is more than just a surface – it is the foundation on which productivity, safety and compliance depend.

From manufacturing plants and warehouses to wineries, commercial kitchens and pharmaceutical facilities, they deliver advanced flooring and coating systems engineered to perform under pressure.

Fosroc’s unique combination of products and expertise support project success. The team works closely with builders, asset owners, applicators and specifiers to determine the most appropriate flooring solution. They consider the project type, wear and chemical resistance requirements and additional factors such as whether HACCP certification is needed.

“As every site is different, there’s no one-size-fits-all flooring system,” said Andrew Nelson, Fosroc’s Product Segment Specialist for Flooring and Coatings.

“We work with clients to understand their operational demands, from heavy forklift traffic to aggressive chemical exposure, and then tailor a solution that delivers longterm performance and compliance.”

Fosroc’s comprehensive industrial flooring range is built on advanced compounds and additive technologies that meet the rigorous requirements of modern industry.

“Our portfolio includes the Nitoflor range of hardeners, densifiers, thin film and high build coatings, the Cemtop range of cementitious floor toppings, our Patchroc and Paveroc repair mortars, as well as slip resistance solutions and colour pots across a range of Australian Standard colours,” said Nelson.

Fosroc’s innovation in action at a Queensland pharmaceutical facility. Nitoflor FC150 HP-SL delivers a durable, hygienic, chemical-resistant result with a smooth, glossy finish.

Fosroc systems are designed to withstand heavy traffic, chemical exposure and strict hygiene standards, and can be tailored to projects of any size and scale, supporting durable finishes in high-demand environments.

Fosroc’s Nitoflor FC150 HP-SL is a next-generation industrial epoxy flooring solution that wraps multiple performance features into a single product. It can be used as either a high build epoxy coating or as a self-levelling floor topping.

Delivering smooth application and a fast dry time, Nitoflor FC150 HP-SL offers advanced strength and rapid curing. With HACCP

certification, it is ideally suited for food and beverage sites where hygiene, durability and compliance are non-negotiable. By collaborating from flooring specification through to installation, Fosroc ensure all aspects of design and performance are factored in from the outset.

Backed by innovative products, broad technical capability and expert support, Fosroc continues to set the benchmark for performance and reliability in industrial flooring and coatings.

Fosroc - fosroc.com.au

FOSROC. FUTURE PROOF.

At Fosroc, building for the future isn’t just a figure of speech. It’s a promise. Our range of industrial flooring products aren’t just formulated to work in industrial and commercial settings – they’re engineered to last.

Integrated lifting solutions improve safety on Australian worksites

In today’s demanding industrial environments, integrated lifting solutions are becoming essential for improving safety and efficiency.

The combination of the 18V Battery Power Hoist with the Bomac Altrac Aluminium Rail System provides a highly effective materials handling solution tailored to Australian worksites.

At the core of this pairing is compatibility and flexibility. The Bomac Altrac aluminium rail system is engineered as a lightweight, modular overhead track designed to support suspended lifting equipment.

When the 18V battery powered hoist is mounted to the Altrac trolley assembly, operators gain smooth horizontal travel along the rail while retaining the hoist’s reliable vertical lifting performance.

This creates a fully mobile lifting system capable of transporting loads both up and across a workspace with minimal manual intervention.

The aluminium construction

of the Altrac rail offers significant advantages in terms of weight and installation.

Compared to traditional steel gantry or beam systems, the aluminium profile is easier to handle and faster to install, particularly in retrofit environments or confined spaces.

When paired with the cordless 18V hoist, the result is a clean, streamlined setup with no trailing power leads or valuable floor space being occupied.

This is especially beneficial on commercial fit-outs, workshops, warehouses and maintenance facilities where tidy overhead infrastructure is preferred.

Performance-wise, the integration allows for precise load positioning.

The 18V battery powered hoist delivers controlled lifting speeds, while the Bomac Altrac rail ensures smooth, low-resistance travel along the beam. This combination reduces load swing and improves placement accuracy, which is critical when handling

glazing panels, mechanical components, fabricated steel or other high-value materials.

Safety outcomes are also enhanced. By suspending the hoist from an engineered overhead rail, manual carrying and repositioning of heavy loads is eliminated.

Workers can guide loads into position rather than physically bear their weight, reducing fatigue and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The stable rail support system also distributes load forces evenly, contributing to predictable and secure operation.

From a productivity perspective, the system allows a single operator to lift and relocate materials across a defined work zone efficiently.

For Australian trades facing tight timelines and labour constraints, this integrated solution delivers measurable time savings while maintaining compliance with workplace safety standards.

Together, the 18V Battery Power Hoist and Bomac Altrac aluminium

rail system offer a practical, modern approach to overhead materials handling - combining portability, strength, safety and precision in one cohesive setup.

Bomac - bomac.com.au

9796 5300

Why better mobility leads to a better life for manufacturers

In a world that never stops moving, mobility is more than a convenience - it’s a necessity.

Few companies understand this better than Tente, a global leader in castor and wheel technology.

With roots tracing back to 1923 in Wermelskirchen, Germany, Tente has spent over a century refining the art and science of movement.

Their motto, “Better Mobility. Better Life,” is not just a slogan - it’s a mission that drives innovation across industries and continents.

Tente began as a modest manufacturer of ball castors and cupboard door wheels. Today, they operate in over 100 countries, offering mobility solutions for everything from hospital beds and industrial machinery to autonomous mobile robots and designer furniture.

Their commitment to innovation is evident in products like the E-Drive Optima, a motorised fifth-wheel system that transforms manual trolleys into powered units, reducing strain and increasing efficiency in workplaces.

Tente - tente.com Tente’s E-Drive Motorised Castor offers

Another example is the Scout range of castors, equipped with a spring for automatic alignment and perfect for the use of automatic guided vehicles (AGV). Whenever a castor is picked up it automatically aligns in the direction of travel which avoids damage and reduces

maintenance costs.

In an age where efficiency, sustainability and design converge, Tente stands out as a pioneer. Their castors and wheels do more than move - they empower industries, improve lives and shape the future of mobility.

Whether you’re pushing a trolley, designing a hospital wing or engineering a robotic system, Tente ensures that movement is never a limitation - but a solution.

Publisher Scott Filby

Industry Update had a great year in 2025, with increased audience in print and online and the successful launch of the Australian Manufacturing Awards, a potentially transformative event for our sector.

Now, in 2026, we are not resting on our laurels.

Our commitment to the manufacturing industry will go even further this year, with a brand new hard-hitting feature in every edition that will help our audience to understand where our sector sits in an ever-changing, uncertain world.

In this edition, it is an in-depth look at Chinese manufacturing, aimed at enabling our readers to understand where Australia sits in the trade conflict between the United States and China.

I hope you enjoy it, gain value from it - and, crucially, use it in planning future business decisions that impact Australian manufacturing more broadly.

On top of that, I am proud to announce a relaunch of our celebrated Women in Manufacturing feature for 2026.

This relaunch could not come at a more critical time.

I was shocked to read a report produced by the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union

which revealed the extent of challenges facing women within the Australian manufacturing sector, including the headline figure that 78% of female workers reported bias or exclusion at work.

In the 1990s, Industry Update was the first Australian manufacturing publication to actively raise the subject of Women in Manufacturing.

Back when we started, some manufacturers actually questioned whether it was ‘necessary’ to publish Women in Manufacturing content.

I responded to those attitudes with a simple answer: that such a mentality was precisely why we needed to highlight women in manufacturing and begin building a network that welcomes women into what has long been a male-dominated industry.

A third thing to get excited about in 2026 is the expansion of our Events programme. We have always held in-person events, but this year, we will be expanding that to include roundtables, webinars and, of course, another successful edition of the Awards!

There is plenty to look forward to at Industry Update in 2026 - so keep an eye on all of our channels to stay up to date!

Editor Mike Wood

When any two journalists meet these days, you can bet good money that AI will come up very quickly as a topic.

That was the case this January, when after playing cricket against a leading Australian journalist - I won’t name names, but you will have heard of them - I had a chat about how quickly our industry is changing thanks to ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek and the like.

This journo is a lot more illustrious than myself, but for once, it was your humble editor who had the inside scoop.

In manufacturing, we know all about AI - not just because we’re early adopters of tech, but because the use case of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT has largely focused on automating and streamlining tasks, something that the hardware side of our sector has been doing for decades.

The most interesting part wasn’t that manufacturing was ahead of the curve, but the learnings that could be gleaned from it.

As manufacturers know, the advance of automation (and, more recently, AI) hasn’t led to job losses, as much of the media would suggest, but rather a redefining of what jobs are.

The bottom layer of manual jobs has disappeared from 20 years ago, with concomitant productivity gains, and the ability of skilled workers to engage in their actual skillset - as opposed to paperwork and processes - has increased as a result.

That, of course, is welcomed. Automation is great, but problems still

need to be solved by problem solvers, and that can now happen more efficiently. What is less mentioned is the flow-ons that occur from automation, which might realistically be expected to be seen in a decade or so when AI has fully taken hold.

Any manufacturer will tell you that the biggest problem in the industry is staffing. You simply can’t get the people, and if you can, you can’t retain them.

As AI removes the bottom end of the jobs market, it takes with it the workers who might well expect to become the skilled employees of the future.

How many problem solvers in manufacturing began on the factory floor? How many salespeople know their products because they began their working life operating them?

I can tell you that editing a magazine is a lot easier when you have previously been the copywriter. You know what mistakes an entry-level person makes, because you’ve made them.

If legal clerks disappear, how will lawyers of tomorrow learn their trade? Who will notice the system errors if the developers of the future haven’t learned how to code at scale?

This is an area in which manufacturing is well advanced. Many out in the world will tell you that our industry is old-fashioned, analogue and dying.

We know it isn’t, and that in fact, it is always advancing - often faster than the rest of the economy. It’s up to us to take these lessons and spread them widely, while we still can.

Battery rebate for manufacturing businesses slashed from May 1

If your site already has solar, a battery is probably the next logical step. Right now, the numbers are as strong as they have ever been –but they won’t be for long.

Over the past two years, commercial battery prices have fallen by roughly 20 to 30 percent on average.

At the same time, the rebate offered under the Cheaper Home Battery Program has delivered significant savings for homeowners and businesses alike, with up to 30 percent discount upfront.

It’s been a gold rush era for batteries, with around 185,000 installed in under nine months.

From May 1, however, the party is over for larger, business-sized batteries, when the programme settings change and the incentive drops to 15

percent of its current value.

Here is what that means in practical terms for a typical 48 kWh commercial battery:

• Installed and connected before May 1 2026: about $19,900 after rebate

• Installed after May 1 2026: about $29,000 after reduced rebate

• Installed in early 2027: about $30,000+ as the rebate continues to step down

That’s around a $10,000 difference for the same system, purely based on timing.

To access the battery rebate, your site must already have solar or have solar installed at the same time as the battery.

The good news is that solar pricing is also now at historic lows, especially in Victoria, where a 100 kW commercial solar system can be installed for

as little as $75,000 after rebates.

For manufacturers with existing solar, the case for batteries is straightforward. Solar already reduces your daytime energy costs. A battery lets you store that cheaper energy and use it later, when grid prices and demand charges are higher.

That means lower peak demand charges, better use of the energy you’re already generating, more control over energy costs, and added resilience during outages.

Until recently, many businesses still struggled to justify batteries on payback alone. The technology made sense, but the economics were marginal.

“Two years ago, most commercial batteries simply didn’t make sense on payback,” said Huon Hoogesteger, Managing Director of Smart

Commercial Energy.

“Now, with lower battery prices and the current rebate settings, we’re seeing projects where the numbers finally work.”

To access the current rebate settings, batteries need to be installed and electrified before the deadline.

As we move closer to May 1, stock levels and installation capacity will tighten, and lead times may extend.

For businesses that want to preserve cash, zero upfront, pay-asyou-go finance options are available, allowing the battery to be funded from the savings it creates.

10,000 robots in,

Ten thousand robots. That’s the milestone Tennant recently reached with the global sale of their 10,000th autonomous floor scrubber.

A clear indicator of how far robotic cleaning has come, and how central it’s become to facility operations across industries.

What was once a future-facing concept is now part of everyday cleaning routines.

From warehouses and shopping centres to airports and schools, organisations are using robotic machines to address real-world challenges like staff shortages, inconsistent cleaning and increasing hygiene expectations.

A shift in adoption, not just availability

According to industry data, the global cleaning robot market grew by nearly 24% last year alone, reaching a staggering USD $17.47 billion*.

But the true shift isn’t in how many robots are being made, it’s in how they’re being used.

We’re seeing a real turning point with more facility managers who aren’t just curious about robotics, but actively choosing automation as a reliable, scalable solution.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) have evolved beyond early expectations.

They’re no longer limited to simple routes or isolated use cases.

Today’s AMRs are more intuitive, collaborative and designed to work with teams, not replace them. They also bring something vital to modern operations: data.

Built-in analytics and reporting tools now make it easy to monitor cleaning performance, maintain audit readiness and show proof-of-work - all without adding administrative work.

Tennant’s robotics journey started in 2018 with the launch of their first autonomous scrubber, the T7AMR and has continued to evolve in response to customer needs:

• 2018 – T7AMR : Their first autonomous scrubber, designed for large commercial spaces

• 2020 – T380AMR : A more compact option, built to navigate tight and narrow spaces

• 2022 – T16AMR : Industry first industrial-sized robotic scrubber. Developed specifically for logistics and manufacturing environments

• X4 ROVR: Landed in Australia in May 2025, the X4 ROVR is the first purpose-built scrubber in their portfolio for small to mid-sized spaces.

Each generation has been purpose-built, taking lessons from real-world use and feedback to deliver machines that clean better, navigate smarter and integrate more naturally into cleaning teams.

Our latest innovation, the X4 ROVR, represents more than just a new model, it’s a leap forward in usability, intelligence and versatility.

It is easy to use, versatile and efficient, making it ideal for tough environments such as retail, education, healthcare and BSC applications, where cleaning teams are being tapped to do more with less.

Purpose-built with productivity in mind, the X4 ROVR autonomous floor scrubber features a dual disk scrub path, 38 L tanks and a high-performance vacuum system that adapts seamlessly to various hard floor environments.

Its lithium-ion battery powers up to 2.5 hours of uninterrupted cleaning, helping deliver up to 1,860 m² of productivity per full tank.

Powered by BrainOS Clean Suite, the X4 ROVR offers AI-enhanced navigation, real-time data insights, mobile monitoring and automated reporting, giving cleaning teams more visibility and control than ever before.

This is a machine designed for the realities of 2025: fast-paced, resource-conscious and performance-focused environments where cleaning is critical but labour is stretched.

Smart tech needs smarter support

Over the past seven years, Tennant have learned that technology alone doesn’t guarantee success.

Robotics may be smarter than ever, but successful implementation still relies on the human element. Staff training, route optimisation and ongoing support can make the difference between a smooth rollout

and a frustrating experiment.

That’s why Tennant back their AMRs with a nationwide support network and a dedicated team of AMR specialists who stay involved long after delivery.

Because long-term success isn’t just about the spec sheet, it’s about ensuring the machine works for your people, in your environment, day after day.

For Tennant, the sale of their 10,000th autonomous scrubber isn’t just a milestone, it’s a signal of

where the industry is headed. It’s also a reminder to keep innovating, listening andevolving alongside customers.

Because while Tennant may be building the machines, it’s cleaning teams who are shaping the future of clean.

Tennant Company tennantco.com

*Source The Business Research Company

Metalmaster Press Brake Specials

+

MetalMaster CNC Pressbrakes can be optioned with the CYBELEC CybTouch CNC Controllers. The CybTouch 12 Touch Draw CNC control delivers an intuitive touch interface and an advanced range of bending functions, supported by vivid colour graphics and large interactive touch keys. Online help and numerous automated features continuously guide the operator, making CybTouch controllers exceptionally easy to use.

• CYBELEC CybTouch CNC Controller

• Large, vivid and high-contrast fully touchscreen control mounted on a swivel pendant for optimal ergonomics

• Intuitive 2D graphical touch draw part profile programming

• Simple pages, clear display, large keys

• Bend material allowance calculation

• Radius bump bending calculation function

• Bending angle and back gauge correction

• Various automatic calculations of other bend functions

• Complete programming for efficient mass production with multiple bends

• Bending sequences and programs can be saved for future use

• Easy single bends with EasyBend page

• Easy manual movement

• On-line help and interactive warning pop-ups

•

•

PRODUCTS

Precise flow control thanks to the Mini Cori-Flow

Mini Cori-Flow series by Bronkhorst are precise and compact Mass Flow Meters and Controllers, based on the Coriolis measuring principle.

Designed to cover the needs of the low flow market, there are three models to overlap flow ranges from 5 g/h up to 30 kg/h (full scale values), each offering “multi-range” functionality: factory calibrated ranges can be rescaled by the user, maintaining the original accuracy specs.

As a result of this, customers are able to reduce the variety of instruments and thus reduce the cost of ownership.

The instruments are equipped with a robust IP65 weatherproof housing and are available with optional ATEX approval for use in Zone 2 hazardous areas.

Superior Coriolis flow sensor

Instruments of the Mini CoriFlow series contain a uniquely shaped, single loop sensor tube, forming part of an oscillating system.

When a fluid flows through the

tube, Coriolis forces cause a variable phase shift, which is detected by sensors and fed into the integrally mounted PC board. The resulting

INSTRUMENTATION & CALIBRATION PTY LTD

Instrumentation and calibration equipment from world class suppliers

output signal is strictly proportional to the real mass flow rate. Coriolis mass flow measurement is fast, accurate and inherently

bi-directional. The Mini Cori-Flow features density and temperature of the fluid as secondary outputs.

Application for liquids

Mini Cori-Flow can be applied for most liquid types. The mass flow meters are fully metal sealed, controllers have a high performance elastomeric valve seat, made of Kalrez.

High accuracy

Coriolis flow meters are unmatched in accuracy. When applied for liquids, the mass flow accuracy is better than ±0.2% Rd. Fields of application

Mini Cori-Flow instruments can be applied for both gases and liquids in process fluid measurement or control systems in semiconductor processing, in fuel cell technology, in food, (petro-) chemical and pharmaceutical industries or analytical installations and in liquid dosing systems for micro reactors, amongst many others.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration - ams-ic.com.au

TecSense analyser brings precision to beverage manufacturing

The TecSense analyser is perfect for F&B applications

TThe TecSense HAS is an ideal instrument on the filling line for accurate measurements.

Features:

• Determination of the headspace in 30 seconds

• Determination of the O₂ content

• Determination of foreign gas

• Determination of CO₂ content

• Calculation of the O₂ concentration mg/L in the bottle

• Digital data connection

• Touchscreen

• Saving data on USB or directly via TecServiceHSA

• Displays the amount of liquid in the bottle

• Easy handling

• Directly usable at the filling station TecServiceHSA for direct usage on WIN PC.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration - ams-ic.com.au

he TecSense HAS online O₂ headspace analyser is a semi-automatic device that determines the O₂, CO₂ and foreign gas in the headspace of bottles and cans in the beverage industry. The analyser is widely used in breweries and soft drink industries. A sample bottle or can is inserted into the HSA analyser and the measurements of O₂, CO₂ are taken. A foreign gas is also detected when present in the bottle or can. It further calculates the volume of the product within the bottle.

Australian Manufacturing Awards

“These

What Australian manufacturers need to know about international tax

By Alex Zinzopoulos, WilliamBuck

For many Australian manufacturers, expanding internationally could open the door to new markets, diversified revenue streams, access to global supply chains and opportunities to attract skilled talent and strategic partners.

This can be a time-intensive process for the business owners and one critical area that’s frequently deferred or overlooked is international taxation.

This oversight can have significant financial and operational consequences - even for manufacturers who are still in their growth phase.

Why tax matters

There are two key reasons why international tax planning should be front-of-mind:

1. Foreign tax laws often require your overseas operations to be profitable, which can trigger tax liabilities regardless of your overall business performance.

2. Early decisions shape your longterm structure, affecting how profits are taxed and repatriated once your business scales. Let’s explore some of the key considerations manufacturers should address before going global.

Structuring your global manufacturing operations

Before setting up overseas production or distribution hubs, manufacturers must choose the right corporate structure. Typically, this involves:

• Establishing a new

overseas subsidiary owned by the Australian parent company or

• Creating a new overseas holding company that owns the Australian entity (commonly known as a “flip-up”).

The right structure depends on your goals - whether you’re seeking proximity to raw materials, lower production costs or access to regional trade agreements. Structuring impacts everything from tax obligations to IP ownership and profit repatriation.

Export Market Development Grant (EMDG)

If your global expansion involves marketing Australian-made products overseas, you may be eligible for the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG).

This Federal Government initiative offers matched funding (up to $80k annually) for activities such as:

• Overseas trade shows

• Market research and consultancy

• International advertising and promotional campaigns

This grant can be a valuable tool for manufacturers looking to build brand awareness and customer bases in new regions.

International Taxation: What manufacturers need to know

Once your manufacturing business operates across borders, intercompany transactions - such as licensing production technology, transferring raw materials or sharing R&D costs - become subject to international tax

rules. These can affect your bottom line even if you’re not yet profitable. Common tax issues for manufacturers include:

1. Transfer Pricing - Tax authorities expect intercompany transactions to reflect market rates. For example, if your overseas plant pays the Australian entity for proprietary manufacturing processes or equipment, those payments must be priced as if between unrelated parties. This can result in taxable profits overseas.

2. Withholding Tax - Payments for use of IP, interest on intercompany loans or service fees may attract withholding tax in the foreign jurisdiction. These taxes can be unexpected and erode margins if not planned for.

3. R&D Tax Incentive - If your manufacturing innovation or process development is conducted in Australia, you may be eligible for the 43.5% refundable R&D tax offset. However, shifting R&D offshore without proper structuring could jeopardise this benefit.

Other tax and operational considerations

• Profit repatriation: How to bring profits back to Australia tax-effectively.

• Double taxation: Understanding treaties between Australia and your target country.

• Indirect taxes: Navigating VAT, GST or sales taxes in overseas markets.

• Thin capitalisation: Limits on

interest deductions for highly leveraged operations.

• Controlled foreign company rules: These may treat overseas profits as taxable in Australia.

Beyond Tax: Strategic and cultural factors

• Go-to-market strategy: Success overseas often requires adapting your product, pricing and distribution - not just replicating your Australian model.

• Workforce alignment: Maintaining company culture and operational consistency across time zones and languages.

• Employee Share Schemes: May need to be redesigned to suit overseas staff.

Practical steps for manufacturing scaleups

1. Map your expansion path: Identify where production will occur, where customers are located and where IP will be held.

2. Engage advisors early: International tax and legal advisors can help structure your operations to minimise risk and maximise efficiency.

International expansion is more than just shipping products overseas

- it’s about building a sustainable, compliant and scalable international business. If you’re considering international expansion, speak with your William Buck Advisor to ensure your manufacturing business is set up for long-term success.

William Buck - williambuck.com

Report reveals shocking extent of female exclusion within Australian manufacturing

Areport released by the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has revealed the extent of challenges facing women within the Australian manufacturing sector - including the shocking headline figure that 78% of female workers reported bias or exclusion at work.

The Women’s Voices from the Floor report is based on testimonies from 71 women employed across manufacturing, mining, automotive and other Vocational Education and Training (VET) industries.

Alongside the topline number of 78% of women facing bias, a further 39% said that they felt safe reporting issues for fear of backlash, suggesting that the issue might be even worse than thought.

Manufacturing was the second largest sector - narrowly behind mining - and was singled out specifically for a lack of equitability in facilities.

The report includes a series of recommendations for manufacturing leaders to improve their ability to hire and retain female staff. They included treating equality as a workplace health and safety responsibility, audit structures to close gaps around reporting issues, improve facilities for female staff and engage in outcomes tracking to better build retention and advancement pathways for women.

“You deserve a safe workplace - we make it happen,” said Steve Murphy, National Secretary of the AMWU.

“If you’re wondering what a union does, listen to this: We have your back on safety and respect.

“Our research shows a toxic culture is pushing talented workers out - nearly 80% of women face bias

and harassment forces half of them out of high-wage jobs.

“That kind of workplace failure hurts every worker. Management often looks the other way, but the AMWU won’t.

“We treat harassment and bullying as a health and safety hazardjust as serious as a machine fault.

“Our dedicated, rank-and-file delegates are using the ‘Voices from the Floor’ framework to enforce change on the shop floor.

“We’re here to secure better pay, better conditions, and a guarantee that your workplace is safe and fair for every single worker. That’s what being in a union means.”

SPECIAL FEATURE

Big cheese & brownie points: Melbourne LGA scoops major F&B Awards

The City of Whittlesea, in Melbourne’s north, has long been known as a major hub of manufacturing in Australia.

In recent years, it has stood out as a food manufacturing stronghold - a fact that was underlined by several local businesses picking up awards this year at the Melbourne Royal Food Show and Sydney Royal Fine Food Show.

Four cheese producers based in the Whittlesea LGA picked up a total of 21 awards between them for their products at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Food Show, including eight golds, seven silvers and six bronzes.

Thomastown-based Floridia Cheese won Best In Class in the Fresh, Hard and Other Cheese categories, with Pantalica Cheese Company, That’s Amore Cheese and Giorgio’s Artisan Cheese also receiving gold honours, highlighting the region’s exceptional talent in crafting fresh, semi-hard and speciality cheeses.

Thomastown-based dessert maker Brazen Brownies scooped up multiple accolades at the 2025 Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards including a gold medal in the Speciality Foods category for their walnut brownie. The business also secured four silver and one bronze awards for a range of other brownies.

These results highlight the extraordinary calibre of local food producers in the City of Whittlesea reinforcing the region’s reputation for excellence in food and beverage.

The City of Whittlesea, which includes both the Thomastown and Epping manufacturing areas, is home to Melbourne Wholesale Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market, as well as a raft of local F&B manufacturers and distributors.

F&B provides 36% of the LGA’s exports, a testament not only to the quality produced in the city but also to the transport links that enable effective supply chain integration.

“Our Food and Beverage sector is one of the City of Whittlesea’s great success stories,” said City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox.

“With more than 1,300 businesses contributing over $1.1 billion to our local economy and supporting more than 12,500 jobs, the impact is far-reaching.

“Award-winning products that are crafted locally in the City of

Whittlesea can be found in supermarkets, delis, restaurants and homes across Australia and other parts of the globe.

“We are proud of our local operators who are being recognised for their excellence, high quality and taste of their products.”

City of Whittlesea whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Caravan manufacturer celebrating after sealing fourth major award

Aleading Melbourne manufacturer is celebrating after picking up top prize in the caravan industry.

Crusader Caravans, based in the City of Whittlesea, won the 2025 Caravan Industry Victoria (CIV) Award for Excellence in Caravan

and RV Manufacturing, organised by the industry peak body.

It is the fourth time in just six years that Crusader Caravans have taken home the top prize, following on from victories in 2019, 2021 and 2024, and cementing their place as one of the leading manufacturers in Australia’s

leading state for the sector.

90% of all Australian caravans are made in Victoria, contributing over $2 billion to the local economy and employing over 6,500 people.

Crusader Caravans are based in Epping, within the City of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s north, one of

Australia’s leading manufacturing areas.

Located 20km from Melbourne CBD, the city is close to key road and rail links, as well as air and sea ports, making it ideal for export and domestic production and distribution.

“The City of Whittlesea’s manufacturing sector continues to thrive, with more than 840 businesses employing over 8,300 people, local sales of $1.57 billion and exports of $1.83 billion worth annually,” said City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox.

“What is made here reaches markets across Australia and around the world. With strong transport connections and access to leading education providers, and a local workforce, our municipality offers manufacturers the ideal environment to innovate and expand.

“It is great to see our local businesses keep winning accolades for high quality products.”

City of Whittlesea whittlesea.vic.gov.au

The flooring choice behind two successful Australian food manufacturers

Agood manufacturing business needs strong foundations - beginning with the floors.

Roxset have helped two major names in the food and beverage sector to achieve new heights by starting at the bottom, installing epoxy floors at award-winning producers.

The companies in question represent vastly different strands of Australian food manufacturingone very traditional, one much more modern - but both of which were able to be served by Roxset’s flooring solutions.

The Gourmet Sausage Company (GSP) is a family business that managed to take artisan products that were previously limited to boutique butchers and bring them to supermarket shelves, while Sharma’s Kitchen were able to produce traditional Indian delicacies at scale in Western Sydney.

Roxset had worked with GSP for almost a decade and were entrusted with fitting the flooring at their facility in Arndell Park, ensuring that HACCP Flooring & Hygiene standards were met across the boning room, slaughter rooms, kill floor and chillers.

With the new facility in place, GSP have continued to pick up prestigious awards, securing Gold, Silver and Bronzes at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show in 2023 to add to a pile dating all the way back to inception in 2012.

Sharma’s Kitchen is the brainchild of Bipen Sharma, a restauranteur from India who wanted to recreate the traditional dairy tastes

Sharma’s Kitchen used Roxset for their flooring

of his homeland in Sydney, and created a business to do so.

Their facility is the result, with bespoke manufacturing equipment designed to produce paneer, ghee, yoghurt and milk-based dessertsall of which are made atop Roxset floors.

Sharma’s have also been widely garlanded, becoming the only Indian brand to consistently pick up awards at Australian fine food expos, such as the Dairy Industry Association of Australia (DIAA) national and state competitions as well as the Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show.

Both businesses presented markedly different challenges, but Roxset were able to help them put in the building blocks for their manufacturing success - starting, of course, from the bottom up.

Roxset - roxset.com.au

Seamless Hygienic Health & Safety Flooring

Understanding that every food and beverage production facility is unique, we offer customisable hygienic flooring solutions. From choosing the right colour to opting for specific textures that enhance safety, we collaborate with you to develop the ideal flooring system that meets your operational needs.

Our flooring systems can be tailored to resist specific chemicals or temperatures, ensuring maximum longevity & performance in your production facility. Durable

FOOD & BEVERAGE

How Snack Brands Australia digitised inbound supply at Orchard Hills

Snack Brands Australia (SBA) are one of Australia’s most recognised snack food manufacturers, with a proud heritage spanning more than 70 years.

The business is dedicated to producing the snacks Australians know and love, including iconic brands such as Kettle, CC’s, Thins, The Natural Chip Company, Cheezels and Samboy.

Australia’s food manufacturing sector faces increasing pressure to improve productivity, reduce risk and operate more sustainably, all while maintaining uninterrupted production.

For high-volume manufacturers, the reliability of inbound raw materials is just as critical as the performance of the production lines themselves.

To support long-term growth, SBA consolidated manufacturing into a new, purpose-built smart factory and distribution centre at Orchard Hills, replacing the former Smithfield and Blacktown facilities.

Designed as an integrated manufacturing environment, the site synchronises raw material

intake, automated production and outbound despatch, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and productivity in Australian food manufacturing.

At Orchard Hills, uninterrupted access to critical ingredients such as potatoes, corn and oil is essential. The potato production lines alone operate 24 hours a day, six days a week.

Previously, inbound deliveries were managed through manual processes, creating uncertainty around arrival times, storage and sequencing.

This variability increased the risk of production disruption, required higher buffer stock levels and added administrative burden for site teams. SBA needed a more reliable and predictable way to align inbound supply with manufacturing demand.

SBA implemented Mobiledock to digitise inbound dock scheduling at Orchard Hills. Suppliers now book deliveries directly into the system, providing real-time visibility of incoming raw materials and ensuring deliveries are sequenced to

support production flow.

Inbound scheduling complements SBA’s existing outbound despatch processes, extending digital visibility across the full manufacturing operation.

Vehicle movements are now more predictable, congestion at docks has been reduced, and administration has been streamlined.

The impact of digitising inbound scheduling has been significant:

• Production interruptions reduced by 30%, stabilising manufacturing flow

• Buffer stock reduced by 15%, lowering storage requirements and freeing working capital

• Scheduling administration reduced by 40%, allowing staff to focus on higher-value activities

• Improved dock flow, reducing delays and waste

• Real-time SMS notifications improving communication with drivers and suppliers

Real-time dashboards provide continuous visibility of inbound activity and compliance, enabling proactive issue identification and

They have opened a new facility in

ongoing operational improvement.

Smoother vehicle flow and reduced dwell times have delivered an 8–10% reduction in fuel use and emissions, supporting sustainability objectives. Accurate, time-stamped data also strengthens traceability and compliance across inbound operations.

By embedding digital scheduling into everyday manufacturing processes, SBA created a more reliable, efficient and resilient inbound supply chain - underpinning stable production today and supporting future growth as volumes and complexity increase.

Mobile Dock - mobiledock.com

Automation solutions hit the sweet spot for local sugar producers

Despite recent challenges, Australia’s sugar industry is poised for growth, particularly if investment into diversification of the sector goes ahead which will facilitate the development of biofuels and bioenergy projects to create new revenue streams for sugar producers.

Initiatives like Queensland’s $180 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund (SIDF), are receiving support from local sugar industry bodies that have recognised the need to leverage sugar’s potential to underpin a biofuels and bioenergy industry.

“Following a difficult 2025 season, the local sugar industry will be eyeing new avenues for growth and will also be investing in solutions that will improve the productivity and energy efficiency of their processes,” said Eric Quevauvilliers, Bonfiglioli Sales Engineer - QLD.

“Power transmission solutions will continue to play a key role in the renewal of production processes.” Bonfiglioli’s range of solutions for sugar cane processing include high power, compact gearmotors, planetary and combined gearboxes, and multi-drive solutions complete with inverters for speed control and synchronisation.

These are ideal for use across a range of applications, from cane carriers and clarifiers to crystallisers.

“With decades of experience in sugar processing, Bonfiglioli has engineered solutions that deliver the torque, long operating life, variable

speed control and energy efficiency favoured by sugar producers,” said Quevauvilliers.

“Our product adaptability sets us apart, allowing us to seamlessly integrate different components to deliver solutions tailored to the customer’s specific speed and torque requirements”.

Standout solutions in the Bonfiglioli portfolio are the 300M Series, the 3/H Series and the HD Series.

The 300M Series Planetary gearmotor offers exceptional power density and efficient power transmission thanks to its high torque-toweight ratio and a torque capacity up to 1,286,700 Nm.

It offers a compact design, long service life and efficient heat dissipation, as well as low maintenance

costs.

In addition, it is designed to withstand the high shock loads and harsh operating environments associated with sugar production. This is a flexible solution, offering a variety of customisation options.

The 3/H Series Helical Bevel gear unit handles very high torque, with a torque range up to 1,188,610 Nm and power transmission.

It offers high shock-load resistance and reliability, with a long operating life. With a modular design, it allows for straightforward configuration changes or upgrades, and supports different cooling or coupling solutions as operational demands evolve.

The HD Series Combined Planetary/Helical Bevel gear unit is a cost-efficient solution, with low

maintenance costs and long service intervals.

It offers a high torque rating, robust housing and a wide range of ratios as well as varied output shaft configurations and motor mounting options.

These solutions are built to last, with Eric sharing that a 15-yearold high ratio 300 series planetary gearbox is still in the field at a local sugar producer.

“In industrial power-transmission terms, 15 years is not ‘normal operating life’ – it’s proven durability. This is a testament to the engineering quality of Bonfiglioli solutions, as well as the impact of proper selection and disciplined maintenance,” said Quevauvilliers.

Bonfiglioli - bonfiglioli.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE

FHow intelligent automation cooked up success for an Australian F&B manufacturer

ood production is one of the oldest automated processes around, but technologically the food & beverage manufacturing sector tends to move swiftly with the times.

Turck, one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of sensors, can form the bridge between the old and the new, enabling aged but effective machinery to vault into the Industry 4.0 era - with little downtime in the middle.

They recently assisted one of the most recognised names in the Australian F&B manufacturing sector, who had a problem at their primary manufacturing facility with ageing machinery.

Mechanically, it was all still in fine working order, but after many years of service it was in dire need of updated electrical control. It was a huge challenge, and one that forced the company to get smart.

Instead of spending big on new capital equipment to replace systems that were still functioning well, the company instead opted to add Turck decentralised I/O modules, saving money and downtime as well

as giving new life to their reliable and proven old machines.

The company had two significantly different product lines that required completely different machinery both for manufacturing and packaging.

“We were tasked with upgrading the control systems of the two main robotic palletising lines,” the engineer explained.

“The lines have eight robot cells that stack boxes from the packaging machines, an empty pallet conveyor line to deliver pallets to each cell, a full pallet conveyor line to transport completed pallets from the robot cells to the receiving area, a pallet wrapper and a pallet dispenser.

“The task was to replace 6 of the robots and upgrade the safety across the entire system.

“The original line is more than 30 years old, and it has been continuously modified and extended since then. As a result, multiple different PLCs and a variety of safety devices were used across the same line.

“There were junction boxes with multicore cables everywhere and multicore cables looping between numerous switchboards.

“Additionally, there were a lot of IP67-rated DeviceNet field I/O systems which have been obsolete for over 15 years.

The engineer had to be creative but, with Turck, he found a solution that worked.

“When we began this project, we chose to implement a powerful PLC to manage the safety systems, robot control and the rest of the line via Ethernet, replacing the outdated multicore cable setup,” he said.

“Given the impossibility of sorting through the tangled mess of old wiring, we opted to establish a new I/O system using Turck’s IP69K IO-Link masters, I/O hubs, hybrid safety I/O modules and full safety I/O modules.

“This approach required all the sensors and actuators to be terminated directly in the field, with only Ethernet and power supply cables connecting to the switchboard. This allowed us to eliminate all the old multiplexing and clean up the switchboard in one go.”

The engineer made the process gradual to ensure maximum capacity was retained throughout the process.

“The main challenge is that these lines are critical to the company’s operations,” he explained.

“Any downtime would halt the complete line, meaning no products could be manufactured or packed.

“While one or two robot cells can be taken offline for installation, the rest of the line had to continue running without interruption and that was the challenge which had prevented the company from upgrading these lines previously.

“The entire project was divided into several small stages.

“The new PLC operated in parallel with the existing system from the beginning and gradually took over control, bit by bit.

“It extends its reach using Profinet/Profisafe to the multi-protocol remote I/O modules and I/O-Link masters, the full safety I/O modules and the hybrid modules which facilitate both safety and normal machine I/O.

“Electricians could run all Ethernet cables during shift changes or product changeovers.

“The only stage that required a full system shutdown was the installation of the new robots and the

reconnection of the existing sensors and actuators into the new Turck IO-Link I/O system.

“We used one I/O-Link master in each cell, paired with two I/O hubs. All sensors and actuators - including solenoids, LED tower lights and push buttons - are now connected directly to the Turck I/O-Link master or its I/O hubs. The safety requirements varied across the different cells.

“For the cells previously using the obsolete DeviceNet I/O systems, the upgrade process was much simpler: M12 connectors were unplugged from the old devices and plugged directly into the new Turck I/O modules.

“We completed the installation of two robot cells at a time during one factory shutdown week. One team was responsible for installing the new robots, while another team focused on reconnecting the sensors.

“The process was straightforward - run the cables and plug them in. Every device, including the robots, was plug-and-play via the network, which significantly streamlined the installation.

“As the new PLC expanded its control capabilities, all remaining work could be completed while the entire line remained operational.

“The final stage - replacing the pallet wrapper - took only one and a half days, including the removal of the old unit and installation and commissioning of the new one.

“Once the project was completed, two-thirds of the switchboards were left empty. All the multicore cables were removed and multiple legacy PLCs were decommissioned.

“Every sensor and actuator is now individually wired into the Turck I/O-Link I/O system, resulting in a clean, modern and fully networked infrastructure.”

There were also huge compliance and OHS benefits.

“As a part of the tech improvements, we upgraded all the safety in the process,” said the engineer.

“Previously, all the safety, such as E-stops, were daisy-chained. When a fault occurred, you had to use a multimeter to check which one was dropping out.

“With the new safety system, everything is visual. It’s integrated via the safety I/O modules into the

central PLC using a safety interface card.

“It’s simple and helpful for safety: now, the system tells you exactly which device is the issue, whereas before, it was a guessing game.

“Also, we’re not just using digital inputs and outputs, we’re using some new Turck and Banner I/OLink smart sensors as analogue inputs. For example, we use measuring I/O-Link sensors to slow down the machine at critical points so the conveyor moves the pallet more

gently.

“Before, the pallet would hit the stopper at full speed and the product on it might move or fall, because it stopped too suddenly.

“Now we’ve placed I/O-Link sensors at the corners. They measure the distance and ramp the conveyor down to a much slower speed to minimise the impact. It’s amazing.”

Turck - turck.com.au

Why Australian manufacturers turn to Sino-Aust to access China

The Doupé family, the brains behind Sino-Aust Manufacturing Services, have been in the Australian manufacturing industry for generations, working across the steel, plastics and timber industries.

In more recent years, Greg Doupé, one of the three brothers who lead the business, had scaled down and was having products manufactured under licence, but still in Australia.

While the product was being well accepted, the market was becoming more finicky in its demands – more variations of product were being required, leading to secondary processes which were expensive, in turn making it difficult to pass on costs.

Quite simply, Australian manufacturing was no longer set up to do manufacturing processes that were labour intensive.

To meet customer demands, and to stay competitive, it was decided to investigate whether some products with extra processing and labour costs could be done offshore and at a competitive price. It was time to have a look at China.

Of course, making the product was one thing, but getting the quality right every time would be another.

Everyone has heard many horror stories about product being made in China, so Greg needed a partner that he could trust.

The first few companies that he met seemed genuine enough, but the language barriers were concerning, and despite claims of compliance to the ISO9001 international standard for quality management systems, nobody really knew how it would pan out.

Then a friend of a friend introduced him to an American citizen, based in China, who had been a manufacturing agent for a number

of high profile USA companies for many years, working across a number of different industries.

The company, Sino Sales and Support, was easily able to fulfil Greg’s requirements via the large network of manufacturing companies that they already dealt with.

They, via the companies they represented, were already a large customer of various major manufacturers, and were already exporting a large number of Full Container Loads, the standard gross shipping amount for goods per month to the USA.

That allowed Sino Sales to achieve

excellent economies of scale and extremely competitive pricing.

That was the volume sorted - and on the quality side of things, not only did the various manufacturing companies all have ISO 9001 accreditation, but Sino Sales employed their own liaison staff who could do extra quality checks and ensure the manufacturing operation went smoothly.

In fact, Sino Sales not only organised the manufacturing, but they had dedicated English-speaking staff that could organise design drawings, prototype manufacturing, tooling, final manufacture, packaging, literature and packing into containers for export.

In short – they were very much a ‘one-stop shop’ for doing business in China.

Dealing with China didn’t mean that Greg stopped manufacturing in Australia. It just meant that some products were manufactured locally, and some manufactured overseas - a set up that many Australian manufacturers would recognise easily.

Fast forward around fifteen years, Greg and two of his brothers, Mark and Francis, all with very strong manufacturing backgrounds, now act as the Australian Office for Sino Sales – trading under the name of Sino-Aust Manufacturing Services.

The role of Sino-Aust is to assist

companies that are looking to have product manufactured in China by understanding their wants and needs before integrating them into the Sino Sales system in China so that over a period of time, the customer can deal directly with Sino Sales.

“There’s no point in adding extra layers to the communication chain just for the sake of it,” said Greg.

Of course Greg, Mark and Francis are always available to assist with development of ideas and processes should the customer require.

Sino-Aust doesn’t just advocate ‘Made in China’, however.

“We are still very proudly Australian and have had a lifetime support of Australian manufacturing,” said Greg.

“However rising energy and labour costs can make it very difficult to justify capital expansion for new projects.

“Sometimes, it just makes sense to keep the dollars in the pocket and make use of someone else’s manufacturing capacity.

“This also allows a company to focus on the high-value parts of the business such as design/patent, customer relations and more, which are irreplaceable in any business.”

Sino-Aust - sino-austms.com.au

We take care of you from start to finish

We use the leverage of our existing factory relationships, built over 20 years of doing quality business, to bring the most qualified factories to our clients at the lowest price without compromising quality.

We effectively act as a China-based branch of our clients’ operations. Think of us as your second office with whom you can fully rely on to understand and implement your manufacturing needs.

We provide the full suite of China based services under one roof. This includes providing artwork, design, product development, vendor identification, sourcing, pricing negotiation, order placement, manufacturing, production monitoring/tracking, quality control, packaging, and fulfillment.

Looking

to

get product made in

China

but not sure how?

We help businesses across Australasia grow by connecting them with China based manufacturing partners to:

Expand production capacity

Provide a cost-effective alternative to new CapEx

Develop and test new products before committing to CapEx investments

Enable entrepeneurs and startups to outsource their manufacturing processes

We act as the Australian arm of Sino Sales & Support; a globally recognised Product Manufacturing Services company, USA owned and located in China, operating for 20+ years in product development and supply chain management primarily for the USA market. This allows us to get product manufactured in China with a high degree of confidence knowing that it will not blow up in our face.

60 not out as Aussie manufacturer takes over MCG for birthday bash

from front cover

The evening was hosted by renowned Australian media personality Tony Jones, who guided the program with his trademark humour and energy, with Fischer Managing Director Janet Ford taking the keynote speech.

“We celebrate not just a company, but a community,” she said.

“From a modest tool-shop in the 1960s to becoming a trusted name in Australian-made storage solutions, our strength has always come from our people — our team, our customers, our partners.

“Through every challenge, we have remained committed to local design, local manufacture and local jobs.

“That commitment has shaped our identity and our future. To everyone who has stood with us across the decades — thank you.”

The gala dinner also recognised long-standing team members, loyal distributors and partners who have played pivotal roles in Fischer’s journey.

Many in attendance shared stories of multi-generational relationships with the brand - a testament to Fischer’s enduring trust and reliability.

Looking ahead, the company

reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Australian innovators, startups and emerging product designers through its complete in-house design, tooling and injection-moulding capabilities.

Fischer also announced plans to strengthen its presence in major retail channels, making its Australian-made storage solutions more accessible nationwide.

Guests were treated to world-class entertainment, including a powerful performance by The 3 Tenors, whose operatic highlights captivated the room and a live speed-painting show by internationally acclaimed artist Brad Blaze, who created vibrant artworks in minutes - drawing cheers and applause from the audience, which were later auctioned with proceeds going towards the Go Girls Foundation who support women in need.

Throughout the evening, attendees enjoyed a retrospective journey through Fischer’s history.

Archival displays highlighted key milestones, including the acquisition of Fischer’s first injection moulding machine in 1974 and the development of flagship product

ranges such as Stor-Pak, Viro-Pak, Mesh-Pak and Visi-Pak.

These products have become essential tools across industries, widely used in warehouses, hospitals, factories, laboratories, retail stores, education and trades across Australia and New Zealand.

A major theme of the night was the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and Australianmade manufacturing.

Guests had the opportunity to see how Fischer is incorporating recycled materials, improving production efficiencies and supporting a circular economy - all while maintaining the impeccable durability

and quality that define the brand.

The event was more than a celebration - it was a powerful acknowledgement of what Australian manufacturing can achieve when craftsmanship, community and innovation come together, and underlined that, as Fischer Plastic Products steps into the next chapter of its legacy, it remains firmly committed to delivering durable, Australian-made solutions for industries and households across the country.

Fischer Plastic Products fischerplastics.com.au

Manufacturer’s favourite celebrates 95 years of Australian success

Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse

is one of Australian manufacturing’s staples, a go-to provider across a range of sectors - and have been for 95 years.

That was the anniversary they celebrated recently, closing in on a century of operations as a proudly Australian family-owned business.

All the while, their calling cards have remained the same: a commitment to innovation, service and setting the standard for quality and value.

They began life as a single Sydney store repairing and selling used machinery purchased from auctions, and have grown into a trans-Tasman network of seven locations - five across Australia’s major cities and two in New Zealand.

Family has always been at the centre of Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse.

Today, ten members of the Hare family continue to work in the business, with many of the fourth

generation in senior leadership roles and the fifth generation now emerging.

This continuity preserves the values and long-term vision that have shaped the company’s culture for nearly a century.

Staff and customers are equally pivotal. Many team members have been with the business for over 20 years, and several for more than 30, reflecting a workplace built on loyalty and shared purpose.

This long-term dedication resonates with customers who have grown their own operations in lockstep, guided by the belief that ‘When you purchase from Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse, it’s not just a sale, it’s a partnership’.

With a catalogue now exceeding 4,000 products sourced from Asia, America and Europe, the company’s range is complemented by rigorous quality assurance.

Dedicated quality control teams

batch-test and thoroughly inspect machines during pre-delivery to ensure reliability from day one.

Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse remains committed to its roots - supporting hobbyists and traditional trades with lathes, mills, drills and the trusted machinery that built its reputation.

Looking ahead, the future is bright. Automation, CNC and laser technology are expanding rapidly, and the company’s specialist teams continue to grow.

Ninety-five years mark a powerful milestone - one that honours the people, partnerships and vision that have shaped Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse, while embracing an exciting new era of innovation.

Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse remain industry favourites as the sole Australia importer of DN Solutions CNC machines - which they have been for over twenty years - and a major supplier of leading

European brands such as Sunrise, Sahinler, Bekamak, Isitan and Swift-Cut.

“Hare & Forbes is a terrific Australian company, employing over 200 staff, in various roles across the country,” said General Manager Rick Foster.

“I’m sure if the founders of the business could see what it has become today, they’d be exceptionally proud.”

Hare & Forbes machineryhouse.com.au

What China’s industrial pivot means for Australian manufacturing

The Chinese might not celebrate their change of year until February, but January 1 saw a significant new beginning in their economic and manufacturing policy.

The end of 2025 brought with it the closure of the 14th Five Year Plan, based around what the government called ‘zero to one’ manufacturing, which emphasised new technologies, and now the advent of the 15th Five Year Plan, which will focus on ‘one to 100’, where those new industries reach scale.

Not long into January followed the release of GDP figures that confirmed steady growth of 5% across the whole economy, with manufacturing in particular outpacing other sectors.

It was a slap in the face to Donald Trump, whose punitive tariffs on Chinese manufacturing appear to have had little to no effect at all.

Indeed, some experts have actually suggested that the tariffs were helping China, as they have pushed other nations away from the US, which is now seen as a less reliable partner than before.

“China in general seems to have grown rather than shrunk with the advent of Trump-imposed tariffs,” said Greg Doupé of SinoAust Manufacturing Services, an Australian company set up to guide Australian clients through the complexities of Chinese manufacturing.

“Apart from the simplest of products, it takes time for anyone to organise manufacturing in a different country, and it could be several years for companies to shift manufacturing from China to the USA.

“Of course, there is no guarantee that Trump, or Republicans who agree with his tariffs, will win the next election, so we could easily see a scenario where a company spends millions of dollars in moving their manufacturing, only for a change of government to return them to the status quo.

“Therefore, many American companies will likely stay where they are in China and ride out the tariffs on the presumption that it will end eventually.

“And of course, China itself now has such a large and still growing economy that many manufacturers predominantly make things for the local market, so are reasonably

unaffected by anything that the USA may do.”

While few in Australian manufacturing keep up with the nuances of Five Year Plans, the changes that have taken place in China during the last period have certainly filtered through to our sector.

Where once Made in China was a sign of cost efficiency, it is now accepted that the country is catching up fast in quality as well.

Just take the most obvious example: electric vehicles.

In 2020, when the 14th Plan started, close to no Chinese-made EVs were sold in Australia, but today, BYD are second in the market and outsold Tesla by ten to one in January 2026.

Professor Hans Hendrischke of the University of Sydney Business School is an expert in Chinese economics with over 40 years of experience in the country, and told Industry Update that it was in areas such as this that China was now making moves.

“In terms of manufacturing, it is important to distinguish between two sectors,” he said.

“There is the traditional manufacturing base and the newer growth sectors, including electric vehicles, advanced manufacturing and green technologies. These newer sectors are driving much of the manufacturing GDP growth.

“Chinese manufacturers have moved well beyond purely low-cost production. Even before COVID, Chinese firms were supplying second-tier but increasingly competitive manufacturing equipment into developing markets.

“They often entered markets with products that were less expensive but still technologically sophisticated, sometimes based on acquired or adapted European technologies.

“The perception that Chinese manufacturing lags significantly behind advanced economies is increasingly outdated.

“While lower-cost segments still exist, Chinese firms are catching up rapidly in higher-end production.”

According to Hendrischke, this pivot could provide opportunities for Australian manufacturing, especially if there is willingness to work together.

“Australia occupies an interesting position: it has historically benefited from supplying raw materials to China, and Australian manufacturers often operate in complementary niches rather than direct competition with Chinese producers,” he said.

“There may be opportunities to deepen cooperation, particularly as Chinese manufacturing clusters expand across Southeast Asia, including automotive production in Thailand and Indonesia, and

mineral processing in Indonesia.

“Australia is increasingly surrounded by regional Chinese-linked manufacturing clusters. There may be greater opportunity to integrate with these supply chains, potentially in partnership with Chinese firms.”

Doupé added that there was potential for Australian manufacturing businesses to step into space that their American counterparts may have to depart.

“There is no doubt that Chinese manufacturers are now wary of Trump, and likely the USA in general,” he said.

“Therefore they are actively looking to diversify and do more business with countries that do not have significant tariffs imposed on them.

“This very much includes European and other Asian countries, which especially includes Australia, given our high GDP-topopulation ratio and a high cost of manufacturing.

“The belief in China is that, regardless of what happens with the USA, their manufacturing and export base will continue to grow, so they will continue to install manufacturing capacity as required.

“A further diversified customer base for the Chinese manufacturers will also likely further improve the general product quality coming out of China in the longer term.”

Keeping manufacturing in motion in 2026

Motion Australia are known for their solution-based approach, assisting manufacturers to lift uptime, increase efficiency and adopt automation.

They seek to connect parts, people and problem-solving under one roof so Australian industry keeps moving.

In 2025, Motion stands for one thing above all: confidence – the assurance that when assets matter most, help is close, capable and accountable.

“Customers don’t just want a catalogue of available parts and services; they want outcomes,” said Brett Jennings, Executive General Manager, Product Management & Marketing at Motion Australia.

“What sets Motion apart is the combination of local specialists, national reach and the ability to join the dots between components, engineering and on-site service. That’s how we improve performance and deliver for our customers.”

Moving from name recognition to genuine understanding is the next step for Motion.

“Plenty of people know the name, but fewer know the breadth,” said Jennings.

“Bridging that gap is about telling the whole story – industrial solutions, fluid power solutions, engineering and services – and showing how those pieces work together on real jobs.”

Jennings easily identified the most common misconception about the business, and could point to direct examples of Motion’s ability to help customers out of holes.

“The most common is that Motion is ‘a parts supplier’,” he said.

“Supplying critical parts is

foundational – and we’re very good at it – but customers stay because we solve problems. We design, we install, we commission, and we stand behind the result.

“A customer faced a line-stopping failure ahead of peak demand. Our local team stabilised the plant overnight with replacement drives and belting, while engineering modelled a longer-term upgrade.

“The site hit its target, and weeks later we delivered the permanent fix without a single unplanned stop. That’s Motion at its best: immediate action with a plan for tomorrow.”

For manufacturers, the value is straightforward: fewer breakdowns, safer operations and better use of capital.

With access to an extensive range of stocked components, field crews who know the conditions and engineers who can lift performance, Motion meets urgency without losing sight of the system. The result is uptime that lasts.

The Motion philosophy is underpinned by a holistic understanding of an operation’s lifecycle: stabilise, optimise, then future-proof.

That might mean moving from reactive change-outs to planned reliability programs, upgrading drives and hydraulics for efficiency, or engineering safeguards that reduce exposure at pinch points.

Compliance is designed in, not bolted on - and the same ethos applies whether Motion is supporting a single machine or a multi-site fleet.

Scale matters too. With a national footprint of over 100 branches and a workforce of 1400 staff, expertise is local while inventory is shared

nationally.

Digital tools, from condition monitoring to traceable service records, shorten diagnosis and keep decisions grounded in data.

Training rounds it out. Motion equips skilled staff to conduct training at customer sites to maintain equipment, while constantly upskilling their own team with the latest knowledge and expertise through far-sighted internal education and training programs.

Manufacturing rewards partners who see the whole picture.

Motion approaches each site with outcomes in mind – standardising critical spares, improving access and guarding, optimising drives and hydraulics and sequencing upgrades around production windows so improvements stick.

“We take a holistic view of the inputs that shape performance – energy consumption, process efficiency and component life,” said Grant Gray, Executive General Manager – Business Development Group at Motion.

“It’s not product-led; it’s solution-led, aimed at making our customers globally competitive.”

Because Motion spans industrial products, fluid power and engineering, the right help turns up fast and the next improvement is planned, not improvised.

“My team is business-agnostic,” said Gray.

“We collaborate across all lines and tap whichever stream best delivers the outcome – whether that’s an engineering redesign, a fluid upgrade or a smarter standard for bearings and power transmission.”

Global perspective supports local execution.

“We learn from North American and European programs and bring those insights back to Australian OEMs and plants,” said Gray.

“That helps teams adopt proven

practices – high-efficiency motors, better alignment and filtration, condition monitoring where it genuinely predicts failure – so they can compete on quality, cost and reliability.”

The impact is practical: fewer break-fix surprises, cleaner changeouts and a steadier climb in overall equipment effectiveness.

With traceable service records and component standards replicated across lines and sites, managers gain confidence in both compliance and output.

The result is a plant that runs longer between interventions and gets better each quarter – progress you can schedule.

Jennings is keen to underscore that Motion never rests on its laurels.

Having achieved so much as a company in a few short years, they continually keep their eye on what’s coming over the horizon – for themselves and, more importantly, for the industries they serve.

“Looking ahead five years, we’re doubling down on what customers value most: people who show up, parts that are there and engineering that lifts performance,” he said.

“Each sector we serve faces its own pressures – from quarry dust and downtime to food safety and automation – and our job is to meet those challenges with solutions that fit.

“We’re expanding our network, digitising service records and condition monitoring data, and standardising solutions so gains replicate site to site.

“That combination – local specialists with national scale – is Motion’s distinctive advantage. It’s how we’ll deliver more uptime, cleaner operations and safer work, every time.”

Motion Australia motion.com.au

3 strategies for F&B manufacturers to correctly deploy IIoT

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has the potential to revolutionise Australia’s food and beverage sector, enabling production enhancements and driving more efficient processes.

Yet, according to Beckhoff Technical Sales Engineer, Rakitha De Alwis, local uptake of the technology still lags behind its international counterparts.

One major concern of adopting IIOT is opening up the factory to a potential cyber-attack. These risks can be mitigated and should not be a deterrent. In many ways the benefits will outweigh the risks.

Another barrier is the perceived high cost of IIoT technology and deployment.

Yet IIoT can be implemented in small steps, and hardware items have become more competitively priced over the years.

“A pilot project is not costly, especially for companies who have an internal IT team,” said De Alwis.

“In addition, manufacturers can make use of the varied free and open-source software solutions on offer, as well as the free trials offered by large enterprise solutions.”

As more industry players make use of the technology, and deepen their understanding of its application and benefits, adoption of IIoT will accelerate.

“Globally, IIoT is growing in popularity and is expected to reach a value of over US$40 billion by 2033,” said De Alwis.

“It offers a host of benefits - from more efficient monitoring of cold chains and stock levels to predictive maintenance and on-demand manufacturing.

“The result is optimised

consumption of raw materials, less wastage and - most importantlyenhanced energy efficiency.”

With its interconnected network of smart devices and sensors that collect, share and analyse real-time data, IIoT empowers manufacturers with insights that could impact the quality and quantity of production and, ultimately, the business bottom line.

IIoT also addresses industry-specific challenges such as labour shortages and food safety regulations.

“Instead of relying on yesterday’s data, manufacturers using IIoT tech have access to real-time data, allowing them to rectify or optimise processes on the go, helping to prevent losses before they occur,” said De Alwis.

“The cost saving and quality improvement benefits are experienced not only by manufacturing businesses, but by their end consumers too.”

Getting started

De Alwis offers the following advice to speed up IIoT implementation in production facilities:

1. Refine your needs: Understand your processes and products thoroughly to pinpoint where your IIoT needs truly lie. Keep in mind that the tech is best applied to enhance processes or products that are already sound.

2. Start small: Identify one aspect of the business that can be improved with a pilot project.

3. Choose the right partners: Hire experienced professionals to support your IIoT implementation.

Overcoming challenges

A current hurdle for local industries is the scarcity of IoT specialists.

“There won’t be a supply of these skills without demand from local industry,” said De Alwis.

“It would be beneficial for

Tailored

solutions keeping Australia in Motion.

A name that brings together Australia’s most trusted industrial brands – and a business that’s been supporting the nation’s industry for generations.

From mining to manufacturing, agriculture to aquaculture, transport to energy – Motion has built a reputation for keeping industries productive, safe, and always moving.

Australian universities and TAFE colleges to train up the next generation of technicians and engineers who can implement IIoT.

“As more and more of these skills will be required moving forward, specialists should be available and affordable to speed up the implementation of IIoT.”

Looking ahead, De Alwis anticipates that the market will embrace IIoT and many of the larger manufacturing companies have already implemented it to some degree.

“The Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector shouldn’t be left behind, especially as we rely heavily on our food and beverage exports. We won’t remain competitive if we are not up to date with the latest innovations,” he said.

Beckhoff Automation beckhoff.com

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Why Australian manufacturing matters: Tim Ayres talks skills, safety and sovereignty

Continued from front cover

Since Labor came to power in 2022, he has held roles in trade portfolios and with a special responsibility for the flagship Future Made in Australia policy, and when the previous Minister for Industry, Ed Husic, left the post following Labor’s election win earlier this year, Ayres was the obvious, outstanding candidate to take over.

That’s the background that led him to this post - but when Industry Update sat down with Minister Ayres for an in-depth temperature check on the manfacturing sector, it was the future that was top of the agenda.

Manufacturing has consistently been talked down and written off, but Labor - and Ayres - have made it central to their plans as a government, using the Future Made in Australia policy to make industry central to solving grand national issues like sovereign capability, Net Zero transition and economic productivity.

According to Ayres, the policy aspect was important, but with that, there had to also be a chance to talk positively about Australian manufacturing and change widely held narratives about the sector.

“There certainly is a policy initiative - fee-free TAFE and reforming our university system so that people coming through the sector are ready for jobs in engineering, construction and manufacturing - but I do think there’s a more subtle whole-of-community responsibility here,” he said.

“That is to talk up the value of these jobs in manufacturing and engineering. These are good places to work.

“These are jobs with purpose - whether you’re training in an apprenticeship, doing an engineering cadetship, or you’re an engineer who’s doing an MBA and wants to go into management or leadership.

“These are purposeful jobs that make a difference to the country’s economic resilience and security.”

Ayres was not blind to the challenges faced by the manufacturing industry, but emphasised that the government was being proactive in meeting them.

“The challenge in front of us is immense,” said the Minister.

“There are challenges now in terms of securing staff - particularly in some regional communities - but this is an ambitious government.

“Future Made in Australia, the AUKUS submarine programme and the investments in defence capability

all will require skilled tradespeople.

“Girls and boys studying at school now who are interested in maths, in doing things with their hands, in contributing to those big national objectives - now’s the time to get involved in trades and engineering.”

Labor’s election success in 2025 was based largely in the outer suburbs of major cities, and now, Australia’s key manufacturing areas - Western Sydney, Greater South East Melbourne, the Hunter and the Brisbane suburbs - are a sea of red.

That could be seen as a vote of confidence, but also a challenge to take the policies further around the country.

“I was at an event in Dandenong with the Greater South East Melbourne organisation of councils and all the manufacturers,” recalled Ayres.

“There are 3,801 manufacturing businesses in that region - growing firms that used to be in the auto supply chain, now using their capability in other manufacturing processes.

“There was a lot of optimism in that room. You could bottle that, really, and take it to other parts of the country where some of the fundamentals are tougher.

“Good industrial policy is jobs policy for the outer suburbs and the industrial regions. That’s where we’re building factories - not in the inner city or the CBDs - but in the outer suburbs, in the industrial regions.

“Manufacturing isn’t really one sector - it’s multiple lines of industrial production. Making garments, automotive parts, components for the defence sector - these are different sectors. But there’s a set of capabilities and skills and enabling technologies that underpin them.

“Capability to do one thing gives the country capability in a range of areas. If you look across that South East Melbourne area - those 3,801 businesses - they’re contributing to hundreds of different sectors.

“The focus has got to be about building capability and building investment, and making sure the system reinforces itself.”

The government has committed itself to rebuilding Australian manufacturing as an industry, but not simply by bringing back what was once done here.

Instead, the driver of industrial policy is finding areas where Australia can lead, then leaning into those industries.

“I think we’re living in a consequential period for Australia,”

explained Ayres.

“What’s driving the government in our approach to industrial policy is captured pretty neatly in the National Interest Framework in the Future Made in Australia Act.

“Firstly: What are the industries and production processes that contribute to our future economic competitiveness?

“Where does our future competitive advantage lie - minerals processing, areas like that?

“Secondly: What industrial processes and capabilities are required for our future economic resilience and national security? Those are the strategic drivers of our approach.

“It’s really turning industrial policy upside down - focusing on the public policy objectives first, and then using that to drive investment, growth and opportunity.”

Solving Australian manufacturing’s biggest problem - workplace safety

With his union background, Ayres deeply understands the challenges that Australian manufacturing faces in workplace health and safety.

Machinery operation remains the most dangerous job in the country, as it has for many years, and manufacturers are constantly striving to make their workplaces, especially those with forklifts, safer and safer.

For the Minister, this aspect of our industry is one that he takes personally.

“I’ve been involved in manufacturing and construction for 30 years,” he said.

“I’ve been there when people have been killed or badly injured at work. I’ve seen the consequences of deaths upon all of the staff and the management.

“I’m deeply aware - at a visceral level - of what impact that has on families and communities, and how much effort and constant vigilance there has to be in workplaces to deliver a no-injuries environment.”

As with much of the Government’s Future Made in Australia, the investment unlocked by central funding can improve other processes as well as productivity - including safety.

“All of those investments in equipment and processes that drive better safety outcomes also make work better. It’s not a zero-sum game,” said Ayres.

“Investments in safety are good for work and good for the way work is done. And we can’t lose sight of that value.

“I know that in materials handling there are particular sets of risks. In construction, there are particular sets of risks. But these kinds of accidents can happen anywhere.

“There was a death recently at Sydney Airport in cargo management - utterly devastating for all the staff there.”

At the heart of safety improvements, as with as many developments in industry, is co-operation between employers and employees.

Ayres, who was a union official before becoming a politician, is a strong believer in the power of workers and bosses coming together to move the manufacturing sector forward.

“(My background) means that I’m absolutely focused on what we can do to drive good jobs and investment,” said the Minister.

“But also, coming from that background makes you very pragmatic about what’s required to get to a better outcome.

“You’re relentlessly pragmaticasking, ‘What are the steps we need to take to secure these big national outcomes?’

“It means you’re very focused on cooperation. You know that all of the participants in the system, working together with shared interest, can achieve the policy objective.”

“After such a distance from the Accord period, where there was such a strong focus on workplace cooperation, manufacturing is still a place where firms, industry leaders and workers instinctively want to head toward a more cooperative approach.

“With all of these new Future Made in Australia investments - I want to see cooperative workplace relations. I want to see people working together to deliver a better outcome for the country.”

How new machinery helped kitchen manufacturer pivot to pools

Evolving from stainless steel kitchen fabricator Markforce, Ecogroup was established in 2007 by current CEO Chris Kenny.

At that time, the market for premium kitchen exhaust hoods was monopolised by a few suppliers. The products available were complex, cumbersome and very expensive to maintain.

Ecogroup set out and succeeded in designing and manufacturing specialist kitchen products for the hospitality industry that are easyto-use, low maintenance and cost effective.

Ecogroup’s range of Ecocanopy commercial kitchen exhaust hoods incorporate state-of-the-art UV system technologies to eliminate grease and odour from the air.

Fewer moving parts and DIY UV lamp changeovers increase operating efficiency and reduce maintenance.

Innovations include the ezyAXS, which won the Health & Safety Invention of the Year in the 2018 Worksafe Awards and the Ecomist hood specially designed for use over solid fuel cooking processes.

The popularity of the Ecocanopy exhaust hoods is evident; the hoods are installed in major commercial kitchens around Australia, including Crown Casino, Star Casino, Optus Stadium, MCG and Marvel Stadium to name a few.

More recently the company became the sole licensee for US-based Bradford Products, a leading designer and manufacturer of custom stainless-steel pools, spas, water features and specialty wellness products.

A newcomer to the Australian market, the stainless-steel pools have made a big impact.

Weighing up to four times less than concrete, they’re the perfect solution for elevated installations. The pool’s design allows for reduced structural support that delivers increased head-height to the floors below.

Reduced installation time and low ‘whole-of-life’ maintenance costs add to the pool’s appeal. An industry leading 25-year guarantee is testament to their durability.

Recent projects include the manufacture and installation of seven custom pools for the penthouses of the recently completed Sirius apartment building, a landmark project in The Rocks, Sydney.

“Because our pools are pre-fabricated and there is no interruption

to on site works, precise installation times can be scheduled with the builder; they can be delivered right at the end of the project if required. Size accuracy to within a couple of millimetres is another key benefit,” said Ecogroup’s Project Engineer c.

“Without the use of stainless steel, some rooftop pools would simply not be an option.

“Likewise at The Mews apartment development under construction in St Kilda Road. The reduced floor depth that a stainless-steel pool requires ensures there is sufficient swimming depth – an important factor with any rooftop pool.”

Both the pools and exhaust hoods are manufactured at Ecogroup’s state-of-the-art factory in South East Melbourne which is fitted-out with the latest cutting-edge sheetmetal processing equipment.

Ecogroup has had a long association with Yawei machines and Applied Machinery; they purchased their first Yawei turret punch press around fourteen years ago and since then have progressively acquired new Yawei press brakes.

“We wanted to install a new fiber laser to cope with the thicker gauge stainless steel we were cutting - a task that had previously been outsourced,” said Sulaiman.

“Bringing this capability in-house boosts our production efficiencies and lowers our costs.

“Given our existing association with Applied, the Yawei HLF fibre laser was the obvious choice.

“While a 6kW would have been sufficient for our immediate needs, we opted for a 12kW model to allow for future projects.”

Applied were able not only to provide access to Yawei machinery, but also to guide Ecogroup through the purchase process, including aftersales care.

“The service and support we received from Applied during the purchase process was excellent,” said Sulaiman.

“I went over to China to view the machine with Sales & Marketing Manager Daniel Fisher, who really helped us understand exactly how the fiber laser would assist us operationally and what options would be beneficial.

“We made multiple specification changes during the procurement process to ensure the machine was fit for purpose and specified for our exact needs. Through the entire process the whole team at Applied supported us.

“In particular, Service Manager Amol Chavhan who oversaw the installation did a fantastic job.

“Nothing was too much trouble; when we had to move things around to suit our factory layout he just got on and did it without any fuss.

“The training he gave us was

outstanding, taking the time and effort to fully explain every feature and capability to enable us to use the machine in a very short time. He made the installation process an absolute pleasure.

“The purchase of the Yawei fiber laser was one of the best decisions we have made; it has boosted our production efficiencies and lowered our costs and has met all our expectations. We couldn’t be happier.”

The interest and enquiry on stainless steel pools from architects and builders of high-rise apartment blocks is increasing daily.

Ecogroup are finding that once a builder has experienced the ease of installation and the pools other remarkable benefits, they are coming back with repeat orders.

Such is the interest in the stainless-steel pools, they are currently looking at options for new factory premises to cope with the increased demand.

“We’re the only company in Australia with the knowledge and resources to manufacture world class stainless steel aquatic vessels,” said Sulaiman.

“The backup and support we obtain from Bradford Products in the US ensures that no matter what the challenge, we can find a solution.”

Dollar for dollar, Yawei HLF series fiber lasers have always been in a league of their own, providing possibilities for all size companies. And with 2026 models featuring 25% more acceleration, the business case stacks up even more. Real Service. Real Support. Real People. That’s Applied Thinking.

Could AI-powered robots solve Australian manufacturing’s staffing issues?

Staffing, as everyone in Australian manufacturing knows, is a big problem.

Ask a hundred manufacturers what their biggest issue is and well over half will tell you that you simply cannot obtain, train or retain the right person for a role.

Ask that same hundred if they are using AI in their processes and you’ll get a less equivocal response.

In fact, according to the latest data from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, just 40% of SMEs in the manufacturing sector are utilising AI in their processes - and, for most of them, it is through textbased solutions such as ChatGPT.

But what if AI could help solve staffing problems? And not by taking paperwork off desks, but by lowering the barrier of entry for existing staff to use robotics?

It’s a question that Dr Fred Sukkar at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is looking to answer. His start-up, EmbodX, is designed to leverage AI in the physical dimension, allowing robots to do the learning on behalf of humans, in turn enabling a person untrained in robotics to operate the machine and perform tasks.

Industry Update is untrained in robotics, so we went along to UTS’s campus in Sydney’s CBD to meet Sukkar, alongside the research team including Tony Le and Sheila Sutjipto, to put the robot through its paces. It involves a user wearing an augmented reality (AR) headset, which provides vision of the machine’s movement parameters, and a handheld controller that allows the operator to plot the path of the robot through space.

Combined, the devices allow for imitation learning, where the robot

can follow a virtual movement made by a human in the physical world.

“What we’re trying to do is lower the barriers to programming robots,” explained Dr Sukkar.

“Currently, the way to programme is either through coding or through complex user interfaces.

“It takes a lot of time, there’s a lot of guesswork and usually, you also need the physical robot to do a bit of trial and error to get it to work.

“For SMEs, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have that kind of upfront investment.

“One could think about what we’re doing as trying to democratise robots - not just for big companies, but for smaller ones too.

“We’re doing that by taking the programming out of the screen and using the AR interface, where you can literally sketch the trajectory of the robot and overlay that in the physical, real world.

“That means people can be more confident that when they specify

a task, the robot will do what they want. It takes the guesswork out.”

Sukkar collaborated closely with industry partners during his time at the Australian Cobotics Centre (ACC) before designing the interface, ensuring it solved real-world bottlenecks rather than requiring a complete overhaul of existing workflows.

“We found through user studies and talking to industry that confidencein knowing the robot will do what they want is a really common theme,” he said.

“We also found that manufacturers would buy general-purpose robots for a specific task - and then have them sit in a room collecting dust, largely because it’s just too hard to reprogramme them.

“If people had a much easier way of programming them, they could really make use of general-purpose robots instead of spending a lot of money upfront on bespoke solutions for just one task.”

The AI component of the UTS robots is markedly different to the large language models (LLM) such as that most Australian manufacturers currently operate - but, Sukkar hopes, products such as this can help kickstart adoption and, in five years’ time, the landscape could be very different indeed.

“AI has proven useful in the digital world, but we’ve seen a lot less progress getting it to work in the physical world with robots,” he said.

“One major hurdle is collecting data to train what we call foundational models. To get there, you need a massive amount of data, and that’s very hard to come by.

“Remember, ChatGPT was trained on an entire internet’s worth of data, which doesn’t exist for physical robots.

“The first step is collecting data that can be used to train these models, and to collect that data, you need people using robots.

“That’s where our approach comes in. By lowering the barriers to using robots, we create more opportunities for data collection. It could be a fruitful way to start training those foundational models for robotics.

“There’s been good progress using LLMs to specify tasks for robots - issuing tasks through spoken language. But those systems are still quite open-ended and unconstrained, so it’s hard to know exactly what the robot might do.

“I think we’ll see a hybrid solution - our work combined with those systems. But I don’t think we’ll have “dark factories” run entirely by robots in the next five to ten years. People and robots will still be working side by side together.”

University Technology of Sydney uts.edu.au

Kaeser celebrates 35 years supporting Australian manufacturing

Kaeser Compressors Australia, one of the leading names on the market, has celebrated 35 years of operation in Australia.

Established in 1990 as an official subsidiary of Kaeser Kompressoren in Germany, the company has grown from its humble Dandenong South headquarters to become a leading provider of efficient and reliable compressed air systems nationwide.

Kaeser Australia’s longevity is founded on a core mission: a passion for quality and an unwavering commitment to maximising uptime and reducing operating costs for its customers. This dedication is reflected in its extensive product portfolio and comprehensive service offerings.

“Looking back at the past 35 years, what stands out most to me is the resilience and dedication of our team,” said Managing Director, Jarno Manzke.

“Our people are the heart of Kaeser Australia. Their commitment, along with the trust of our regional partners, has allowed us

to extend our reach and provide the most efficient and reliable compressed air systems to even more Australian businesses.

“These are the partnerships that truly drive our success.”

The company acknowledges the exceptional commitment of some of its longest-serving employees, including Mark Dudman, Craig Firth and Albin Hess, who have each celebrated over 30 years of service - almost since the company’s very beginning.

Reflecting a strong commitment to both community and environmental responsibility, Kaeser Australia actively contributes to the communities it operates within.

This happens through regular sponsorship for fun runs and charity rides, as well as in-house fundraising and volunteering days.

Furthermore, the construction of Kaeser Australia’s new building incorporated solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations, encouraging sustainable practices among its team.

We work with industry and not-for-profit partners to design and deliver tailored engineering and IT solutions, from proof-of-concept, to prototypes and full commercialisation.

Our team of professional engineers and R&D experts will guide your ideas through every stage, providing seamless project management from concept to delivery.

November marked 35 years of Kaeser

As Kaeser Australia looks ahead, its vision is to continue its journey of growth and innovation.

level of expertise and support Australian industry has come to expect.

Experts in

Access to the UTS innovation ecosystem of world-leading research, labs and technical specialists

Support with grant applications to help advance your innovation projects

Proven track record of delivering impactful real-world solutions

Arctic in the NT: Meet the manufacturer cooling down the Top End

The word ‘arctic’ isn’t one usually associated with the Top End, but thanks to a new manufacturing deal, it’s one that you might be hearing more and more.

That’s become Arctic Insulated Panels (Arctic) have become the latest recipient of a grant from the Northern Territory Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF), who are set to tip in close to $500,000 to develop an energy-efficient, sustainable insulation board designed specifically for the Northern Territory’s hot and humid climate.

Arctic, who manufacture from a facility in Darwin, are establishing an advanced Polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation manufacturing process to make high-performance ‘soffit boards’ locally.

Soffit boards, which are installed under the eaves of roofs to provide ventilation, protect structures from moisture and improve thermal performance, are essential components in energy-efficient building designbut are currently not made in the NT

and have to be imported.

“This project gives builders access to a locally made, high-performance soffit board that meets or exceeds energy efficiency requirements under the National Construction Code,” said Arctic’s Managing Director, Gary Burns.

“It means more local jobs, reduced project costs, and greater self-sufficiency for the Territory.

“The project will employ an in-house chemist to lead research and development activities, optimising product quality and developing a unique chemical formulation.

“Arctic will design and commission fit-for-purpose PIR production machinery, to be custom built for Arctic’s proprietary process.”

The grant, which is matched by Arctic’s own co-investment, is the second such collaboration with the AMEF and is expected to add 35 local jobs.

“Through the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund we are driving real industry growth, which is in turn creating real

Australian packaging manufacturer strikes landmark global deal

Packaging manufacturer

Packserv are set to take their Australian Made machines to the world after inking a landmark deal to distribute in the United States.

Packserv, who were named Best Small Business at the 2025 Australian Manufacturing Awards, announced an alliance with FP Developments to sell their equipment in the USA and beyond.

“As an industry-leading packaging machinery designer and manufacturer, Packserv recognises that FP Developments is a strong strategic fit for us and the perfect company to align with as we expand into the US,” said Nathan Wardell, Managing Director of Packserv.

“Their machine quality, depth of industry experience, and proven reliability align closely with our own standards.

“By expanding the FPD range and complementing it with solid technical support, we can deliver

opportunities for Territorians, now and into the future,” said Northern Territory Minister for Advanced Manufacturing, The Hon Robyn Cahill OAM .

The AMEF is administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), which has allocated upwards of $32.1 million to build advanced manufacturing capacity in the Northern Territory since 2021.

“Arctic is a worthy recipient of the

AMEF’s final funds, demonstrating the impact of manufacturing and the importance of continuing to foster Northern Territory capability,” said Charmaine Phillips, Northern Territory Director at the AMGC.

“This local manufacturer also demonstrates the substantive gains for local jobs and the economy when industry is supported to scale.”

AMGC - amgc.org.au

greater value to FMCG manufacturers globally.”

Packserv make all of their machines from their facility in Marrickville in Sydney’s Inner West, with further facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Now, they will add FP Developments’ capability in New Jersey, with customer service and aftersales care available locally within the American market.

“Packserv’s equipment aligns well with the type of systems our customers are looking for; proven, flexible and ready to be integrated into real production environments,” said Jeff Denson, CEO of FP Developments.

“This allows us to bring those technologies to the US market while continuing to provide the engineering support and long-term service our customers expect from FP.”

Packserv Australia - packserv.co

FROM THE MINISTER

Why ‘Made Right Here’ matters for Australian manufacturing

By Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science

Ivisited Capral Aluminium’s site in Smithfield, Western Sydney, on the eve of the Australia Day long weekend to launch the ‘Made Right Here’ campaign.

Capral Aluminium has been operating for 90 years, making aluminium products needed for construction, energy, transport and defence supply chains.

They’re one of our great manufacturing success stories – and a reminder that economic resilience isn’t theoretical. It’s made, shaped and assembled in Australia.

The Albanese Labor Government believes companies like Capral should have a level playing field.

That’s why, during last year’s election campaign, we announced a $20 million investment into Australian Made to increase promotion of locally-made products.

The research is clear: Australians want to buy local. A 2024 poll conducted by Roy Morgan showed that more than 89% of Australians prefer to buy Aussie made.

It’s a choice that matters – if Aussie households spent just $10 more each week on locally made products, it would add $5 billion to the Australian economy while creating 10,000 new jobs.

Even if it’s not spending more, swapping those imported tinned tomatoes for Australian ones supports workers in Shepparton, Victoria.

Today, around 4,500 businesses carry the Australian Made logo across more than 26,000 unique products.

That logo turns 40 this year.

I was 12 years old when it was first unveiled under the Hawke Government. I remember how quickly that green and gold kangaroo came to stand for quality and reliability. Four decades on, it still does.

The world has changed a lot since 1986. Global economic disruption, supply chain shocks to the re-emergence of tariffs, has reinforced a vital lesson: countries that can’t

Minister for Industry and Science Tim Ayres

make things onshore are more exposed when things turn volatile.

Australia is a trading nation. One in four of our private sector jobs depends on trade. That openness is one of our great strengths. But so is the ability to make more of what we need here at home.

That’s why the Albanese Government has unveiled Future Made in Australia, the biggest pro-manufacturing policy agenda in our country’s history, with a clear ambition to rebuild industrial

capacity, strengthen supply chains and restore confidence in domestic manufacturing.

The ‘Made Right Here’ campaign complements that agenda by increasing consumer awareness of quality local products.

Because, whether it’s submarines, batteries, processed metals and minerals, aluminium doors and windows or tins of tomatoes –Australia’s future will be stronger if it’s made right here.

Innovation Blueprint to drive the next decade of NSW manufacturing

The manufacturing sector is integral to NSW’s economic prosperity, generating around $150 billion annually and supporting over 28,000 businesses with the largest skilled workforce in Australia.

Contributing more than $18.4 billion in exports each year, NSW manufacturers drive innovation, create jobs and strengthen supply chains across the state.

However the NSW Government understands the sector faces a range of challenges - rising costs, global competition and rapid technological change are reshaping the landscape.

That’s why we are taking decisive action with a suite of strategic initiatives aimed at building capability, fostering innovation and unlocking new markets.

Our policy frameworks are designed to drive long-term growth and improve economic resilience by diversifying our industry base.

The NSW Industry Policy outlines our vision for the state’s economic future, anchored by three core missions: Housing, Net Zero and

the Energy Transition and Local Manufacturing.

Manufacturing businesses are at the centre of our plans for a dynamic, sustainable, and diversified economy.

Central to our vision is the NSW Innovation Blueprint - a bold 10-year plan to make NSW the best place to innovate. It sets clear goals to help businesses grow, scale and commercialise new ideas.

The Blueprint is driving job creation, strengthening collaboration across industry, research and government and helping manufacturers adopt cutting-edge technologies, develop new products and expand into global markets.

Across all sectors, we’re equipping manufacturers with the skills and infrastructure they need to succeed.

In partnership with the Australian Government, we’re establishing TAFE Manufacturing Centres of Excellence in the Illawarra, Hunter and Western Sydney - ensuring workers can reskill and upskill in critical areas.

We’ve also launched the Advanced

Manufacturing Readiness Facility at Bradfield City Centre, Australia’s first industry-focused manufacturing development centre.

It offers shared facilities, advanced technology and expert training to help businesses innovate, scale and compete globally.

To help realise these ambitions, the NSW Government has established the Investment Delivery Authority.

This new body identifies and removes red tape for major private investment projects and advises on reforms to promote investment, competition and productivity.

In its inaugural round, the Authority received 48 proposals worth a combined $136 billion, spanning renewable energy, data centres, technology and hotelstestament to investor confidence in NSW’s economic direction and our commitment to getting the job done.

Through strategic investment, policy reform, skills development and global engagement, we’re building a better NSW with a thriving economy.

Manufacturing in NSW is evolving - and innovation is the catalyst.

With the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative guiding our transition to a sustainable future, we invite industry leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to join us.

Together, we can build a manufacturing sector that is resilient, productive and future-ready.

Mobility experts Tente sign up as Australian Manufacturing Awards sponsor

The Australian Manufacturing Awards are back for 2026, and after the success of the first edition in Sydney, interest has only grown.

Industrial equipment supplier Tente have come on board as a sponsor for 2026, taking up the naming rights on the prestigious Manufacturing Worker of the Year Award.

The prize, which was won last year by Mat Thorne of Paarhammer, rewards the best rank-andfile employee in the Australian manufacturing industry, and was one of the most hotly contested in the 2025 Australian Manufacturing Awards.

the factory floor workers mean to industry, and we wanted to get involved with the Manufacturing Worker of the Year Award to pay

Tente will sponsor the Manufacturing Worker of the Year Award

Global insurance giant joins Australian Manufacturing Awards

The Australian Manufacturing Awards have gained another blue-chip sponsor after Aon, one of the biggest names in the global insurance and risk sector, joined up for 2026.

Aon has a long-standing relationship with the Australian manufacturing sector, including deep experience supporting food and beverage (F&B) businesses, making the firm a natural sponsor of the new Food & Beverage Innovation Award.

“We understand the investment, innovation and commitment required to manufacture in Australia,” said Brad Lynch, chief growth officer, national, for Aon.

“By sponsoring the Food & Beverage Innovation Award, we are recognising manufacturers who are pushing boundaries, while continuing to support them through industry-specific solutions that help manage and mitigate risk.”

Twisted Healthy Treats for their exceptional work in the frozen food sector.

“We are delighted to welcome Aon as a sponsor,” said Industry Update publisher and Australian Manufacturing Awards founder Scott Filby.

“When we began the Awards, it was a dream to get global partners such as them on to support, and now that is a reality.

“We are delighted to get involved with the second edition of the Awards,” said Grant Smith, Managing Director at Tente.

“The Awards were a great success and showed how vital it is to celebrate manufacturing and all the great work that is done across the country to keep it moving forward.

“At Tente, we know just how much

tribute to the unsung heroes of manufacturing.”

Tente are one of Australia’s leading providers of castors and wheels, providing the manufacturing industry with pioneering products that have kept materials moving for over a century.

Tente - tente.com.au

SPONSOR AN AWARD

at Australian manufacturing’s night of nights

Put your brand in front of Australia’s manufacturing leaders.

• Sponsored by Vic & NSW Government

• National exposure across print, digital and other events

If you support Australian manufacturing, this is your stage. Become a sponsor of

The Food & Beverage Innovation Award rewards excellence in innovation within one of the most important sectors of Australian industry and is open to businesses active in the F&B sector who have developed new products, processes and other capabilities in the last 12 months.

It sits alongside the existing Food & Beverage Award, which was one of the most hotly contested in 2025.

Sponsored by flooring specialists Roxset, it was eventually won by

“Food & Beverage is now the biggest single sector of the Industry Update audience, so we know how important it is to showcase brands who are active in helping manufacturing businesses in that industry.

“The Awards are already well advanced on where they were at the same time last year, and with new categories like the Food & Beverage Innovation Award, it will only be bigger and better in Melbourne in 2026.”

Join our list of growing sponsors

Melbourne | September 2026

AWARDS

Australian manufacturing start-up pioneers world-first battery technology

Australian manufacturing has never lacked for ingenuityand one of the best examples of it is to be found in the Hunter.

Start-up Allegro Energy, who picked up a Hunter Manufacturing Award last year and backed it up with a national Australian Manufacturing Award in 2025, have pioneered a new product that could be about to reshape how renewables are stored around the world.

Allegro have developed the world’s first water-based battery electrolyte, which is non-flammable, recyclable and cheaper than lithium.

It is patented around the world, and, crucially, is already in operation in Australia, with Origin’s Eraring Power Station using it in the Hunter.

Thomas Nann, CEO and Co-Founder of Allegro Energy, told Industry Update about just how groundbreaking this technology could be.

“We’ve commercialised a new type of flow battery,” he said.

“It’s called a microemulsion flow battery. Flow batteries themselves are not new technology - they’re actually quite old and were invented around 1950 - but what we’ve done is improve it.

“We’ve invented a new liquid medium where the energy can be stored - that’s the microemulsion part in our flow battery.

“This type of battery is particularly well suited for large-scale and

long-duration applications.

“When I say long duration, I mean eight hours or more. If we’re going to go 100% renewable - which hopefully we will sooner rather than later - we need to make sure the lights don’t go out at night if the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.

“We need long-duration battery storage to ensure that continuity of supply. Essentially, it’s about electricity safety. That’s what we’re doing.”

The prototype and patents were great, but Allegro needed a partner to get the flow batteries into an industrial setting, proving their value to the market. That arrived from very nearby.

“Origin contacted us quite a while ago, around two years back, because they were looking for long-duration battery options, or energy storage options more broadly. They realised lithium batteries are not well suited for what we’re facing in the future,” said Nann.

“They invested a small amount in us and supported us with our first commercial pilot, which we’ve now finished. It’s currently in the factory acceptance test phase.

“Origin will use it mainly to further validate the technology, get to know it better, and then aim to roll it out on a larger scale.”

The technology could revolutionise the capabilities of renewables storage - starting in the Hunter. For

Nann, the synergy was obvious.

“The Hunter is currently a fossil fuel hub, but as they go away, it’s a great place to establish a renewable energy and clean tech industry,” he said.

“There are already lots of skills and contractors here who manufacture components. We certainly make strong use of it.

“We’ve designed our system so that most components are made by local contractors within a 10 to 20 kilometre radius of us. We assemble everything here.

“We’re tapping into the existing expertise and skills in the area. In my opinion, that’s the right way to transform the Hunter - and Australia more broadly - into a renewable energy powerhouse.”

It starts in the Hunter, but according to Nann, one of the genius aspects of this new technology is that it can be assembled anywhere, removing a key cost for Australian manufacturers.

“The way we manufacture our batteries is mainly through assembly, rather than producing all components ourselves,” he explained.

“All the pumps, pipes, tanks, steel frames - those are made by contractors. Currently, they’re local contractors here in the Hunter, but they could be local anywhere.

“For example, when we build a battery in WA, we won’t ship electrolyte or tanks across the country.

“We’ll find and qualify local contractors in Western Australia, have them manufacture everything to spec, and then assemble it there.

“That cuts a lot of cost, helps the local industry, and is much easier logistically because we’re not moving equipment around unnecessarily.

“Our core IP - the electrolyte - is essentially the central component that goes into the battery.

“It can actually be manufactured by toll manufacturers, or “toll blenders”, which are quite common and found almost everywhere.

“That’s a unique aspect of our electrolyte. We can decentralise the manufacturing, which isn’t the case for other flow battery electrolytes.

“Take vanadium, for example - it requires such high purity that you have to build a dedicated facility just to make the electrolyte. That drives up the cost and heavily restricts where and how much you can produce.

“Take that Western Australian example - you’d have to ship the vanadium-based electrolyte all the way from its centralised manufacturing site to WA, or wherever you’re deploying the battery. Our electrolyte doesn’t have that issue. That’s a huge advantage.”

Allegro Energy - allegro.energy

Eight attributes that help Australian manufacturers thrive in global markets

By Monique Donaldson, International Growth Specialist and Director, The Purposeful Exporter and adviser at the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program

Faced with limited opportunities domestically, Australian small and medium-sized (SME) manufacturers enter international markets to expand.

The evidence shows that many underperform, inhibiting their potential to scale up.

Whilst there are some performers who sustain growth in export markets, the attributes responsible for their success are not well known.

So, what are the export performance barriers that Australian SME manufacturers face? And what are the common business practices and strategies of those that succeed?

Export performance is reflected in a firm’s ability to sustain traction in new markets where it delivers differentiated value for target customers.

Whilst many Australian manufacturers have unique core competencies, some struggle to identify their competitive advantage.

Start-ups and scale-ups are often led by entrepreneurs and owner-managers who may lack some management competencies, particularly related to global trade development.

“Innovators and creators are often not the best placed to lead a company into global expansion” (GTPA, 2019).

Operating in a small, open economy, Australia’s SME manufacturers have a deficit of “lived” scale-up experience compared to those in larger domestic or common markets, and supply chains (OECD, 2015).

The need to pursue revenue can draw these firms away from honing their unique core capabilities as they adapt by establishing a broader base of capability.

This can contribute to a reactive and opportunistic approach to new market opportunities, both domestically and internationally.

Many see export as something of a “sidebar” experimentation activity rather than valuing it as intrinsic to their growth.

There is a perception that exporting to many markets is a sign of success. Yet SMEs that engage with multiple export markets risk becoming scatter-gun exporters.

This leaves them feeling overwhelmed as they lose their capacity to take a committed approach to a market opportunity.

An exporter survey response reflects this experience.

“The hardest thing about exporting is making sure that you’re on top of all markets that you’re exporting to,” it read.

“It’s very easy to take your eye off one market to focus on another, and then you see a sales decline in that market. You need to ensure that you’re constantly servicing and supporting all markets that you export to.” (Fisher, 2020, p7)

Without the focus of achieving deeper traction in a small number of key markets, these firms remain unprofitable overall in their endeavours.

A small number of Australian SMEs adopt a committed approach and develop a business case prior to entering a new market.

But even these firms can experience a period of disappointing results and setbacks before they start to see improvement due to a lack of management and strategic competency at the outset.

Although valuable, government and non-government export support programs that provide market outreach activities, in the absence of business advisory and strategy guidance, deliver less impact for participants (GTPA, 2018).

In addition, the Export Council of Australia noted that many businesses find this support unclear, fragmented and incomplete – and that agencies tend to operate in silos (Export Council of Australia, 2018).

High-performing Australian exporters develop an overarching scale-up strategy based on their unique “hero” offerings, before identifying for which customers in which markets they can demonstrate strong value.

This requires a disciplined approach that starts within the business and works its way out to the market. Along with the capability and resources to invest in a nuanced market entry and development.

The academic literature around internationalisation, organisational learning, competitive advantage and scaling-up doesn’t account for the capacities of SMEs, and their need to rely on different strategies - compared to multinational enterprises (MNEs).

The literature on high growth

firms (HGFs) and lean start-ups does shed some light.

However, by integrating all these theoretical frameworks, eight high export performance “attributes” emerge that align with the identifiable business practices and strategies of successful Australian exporters.

These are:

1. Leverage unique internal capabilities and assets that are hard to replicate.

2. Develop entrepreneurial and managerial competencies to identify the right opportunities and marshal internal resources.

3. Align all investments and activities with deliberate strategic planning and resourcing.

4. Balance market exploration with exploitation.

5. Innovate - especially in products, customer service and marketing.

6. Deploy capital, and knowledge intensity, to maximise growth and customer value.

7. Build strong networks with local partners, suppliers and distributors for market intelligence, logistical support and customer engagement.

8. Develop adaptive capacity, flexible production processes and IT systems to support responsiveness, competitiveness and resilience.

Uplift in the capability of Australian SME manufacturers to

Monique Donaldson, International Growth Specialist and Director, The Purposeful Exporter

apply these attributes to their businesses will result in increased rates of scale-up and productivity. Whilst increasing Australia’s emerging competitive advantage in complex, value-added goods, as illustrated below.

References:

• Export Council of Australia. (2018). Trade Policy Recommendations: Increasing SME participation in international trade.

• Fisher, A. (2020). Review of Financial Assistance to SME exporters. 2020 for the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

• GPTA submission to Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (2019). SME’s Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities with FTAs.

• OECD. (2015). Australian Manufacturing in the Global Economy. Australian Manufacturing in the Global Economy 2015.pdf

AUSTRALIAN MADE

Meet the manufacturer kicking goals thanks to Australian Made

Australia is a nation obsessed with sport, with millions of locals playing and watching games on the field, in the water and on the court.

To keep the country’s pastimes a fun and safe experience for all involved, sporting goods manufacturers have continued to innovate, making safety products that suit the ever-evolving Australian sporting way of life.

For over 40 years, Madison Sport has been a leading Australian supplier of protective padding equipment used in various sports, from rugby and AFL to boxing, gymnastics and early childhood needs.

The company was founded in 1985 by Brian Carmody in Brisbane.

As part of the Allied Sporting Products Pty Ltd group of companies based in Brisbane, Madison Manufacturing was established to supply the Australian market with locally-made safety and protective padding and training equipment.

As a Queensland-based manufacturer, the company holds a deep connection to rugby league, highlighted

in their flagship product range of protective post padding.

Designed and made in-house in Northgate, Brisbane, the versatile range of padding is used by all levels of rugby league and football codes, from community and social clubs all the way up to professional levels.

Madison Sport’s commitment to manufacturing locally extends beyond its in-house manufacturing facility.

The company works closely with a network of local suppliers that provide high quality materials that perform well in the Australian climate, including UV-treated and mould and mildew-resistant materials.

General Manager Jason Anthonisz said that Madison Sport’s 40-year history is a testament to the company’s values and commitment to manufacturing in Australia.

“We value Australian quality, craftsmanship and community above all else,” he said.

“Our local team has a strong work ethic with decades of experience and an unwavering commitment to delivering top quality products.

“We’re proud to say that we provide our customers with short turnaround times, unwavering quality control and a commitment to ethical labour practices.”

Newly certified with the Australian Made Campaign, Madison Sport now proudly displays the famous green and gold Australian Made kangaroo logo on its sports padding product range.

“The Australian Made logo stands as a powerful and trusted emblem of superior quality for consumers eager to support local businesses, create local jobs and keep work in Australia,” said Anthonisz.

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in business, it’s a great time to highlight this connection.

“As a small business, we have the unique opportunity to tap into a broader network of the Australian Made Campaign, enhancing our marketing efforts and boosting product sales.”

For Madison Sport, the logo not only legitimises Madison Sport’s local manufacturing claim but also

reinforces the integrity and trustworthiness of the brand itself.

“We believe it is important for consumers to buy Australian made products to support local jobs and ensure that manufacturing stays within Australia, benefiting the national economy,” said Anthonisz.

“Certifying our products with the Australian Made logo is not just a smart choice. It is a commitment to the principles that Madison Sport embodies.

“We pride ourselves on offering premium products combined with outstanding customer service at every stage of your experience. After all, you don’t stay in business for 40 years any other way.”

Madison Sport - madisonsport.com.au

Why miners and manufacturers should choose urethane chocks over rubber

By Mike Halliday, Global Spill

In the demanding mining and construction industries, equipment reliability is non-negotiable.

One essential piece of site safety equipment are wheel chocks, used to prevent accidental vehicle rollaway, protecting both assets and personnel.

Vehicle rollaways cause a significant number of serious injuries and fatalities in Australia each year, highlighting the important need for reliable wheel chocks.

Whilst traditional rubber wheel chocks have long been the standard, Checkers urethane wheel chocks are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for industries seeking superior performance and reliability.

The primary advantage of urethane chocks lies in their exceptional resistance to harsh environmental factors.

Unlike rubber, urethane is highly resistant to UV, oils, fuels and other chemicals commonly found on mining and construction sites.

This resistance ensures that Checkers urethane chocks withstand repeated use in demanding conditions without cracking or degrading, even under relentless exposure to sun and hazardous materials.

The durable nature of urethane extends the product lifespan, resulting in fewer replacements and reduced downtime and ongoing costs for site managers.

Practicality is also at the forefront of Checkers’ design.

Urethane chocks are up to 50% lighter than similar-sized rubber chocks, yet uncompromising in strength and stability, making them easy to handle and position without sacrificing safety.

Additionally, urethane is manufactured in high-visibility colours, further enhancing site safety by ensuring they are easily spotted during operations, particularly in underground mining applications.

For those seeking long-lasting

safety solutions, Checkers urethane wheel chocks are available from Global Spill & Safety - a proud member of the Justrite Safety Group alongside Checkers.

By choosing Checkers wheel chocks, mining and construction professionals can be confident they are investing in reliability that stands the test of time. Contact Global Spill & Safety for more information.

Global Spill & Safety globalspill.com.au

• Patented wall supports provide secure 90° locking walls

• Super quick deployment with no assembly required on site

• Reduced overall footprint compared to bunds with external wall supports which minimises trip hazards

• Walls easily fold down - perfect for frequent vehicle access

• Proudly Australian Made

The ultimate guide to finding the correct cabinet for your manufacturing workspace

By Bob Griffin, BAC Systems

It is amazing how many websites give you generic, keyword-rich answers to a question, without giving you any real advice.

At BAC Systems, we optimise for humans rather than search engines, so we’ll always recommend that the best way to choose a Tool Storage Cabinet is to actually call one of our Technical Sales Team.

After all, you will know which tooling you have, where you wish to store it and how you wish to work, and our representative will have a thorough knowledge of the full BAC range as well as extensive insights on how to best configure the storage to suit your unique situation.

Remember, they have already done so for hundreds of other customers. By having this conversation, either on the phone or at your site, your knowledge and our knowledge can be combined to generate the best solution.

For those of you who wish to work out the best solution anonymously on your own, we would recommend

some considerations for you: Consider the dimensions of your tools to work out the best drawer size and location size within the drawer. This seems obvious, but it should be the first step.

An example would be that you wish to store a large wrench, 800mm long, then you would choose a cabinet which has a drawer or shelf large enough to accomodate this length.

After accounting for your largest sizes, next consider the volume and weight of your tools to ensure that the cabinet type you are considering can handle this.

Think about ergonomics and convenience. You may wish to store your tools below a benchtop, and you may wish to store your tools in a free-standing cabinet.

Whichever you choose, endeavour to have your most regular tools in that ergonomic zone, just above your knees and below your sternum. Above and below this should be reserved for tools which you use more rarely.

Look at the available space in the intended storage location. Ensure that you choose a cabinet whose footprint fits the space - and remember that you may require multiple cabinets, whether free-standing or as part of a workbench, and you will need to consider how these cabinets will fit into the space. Consider how you wish to work. You may wish to orient the Tool Cabinet in a particular way to account for direction of access or workflow. You may wish to limit your cabinet size to prevent clutter build-up.

You may wish to order your storage layout for Lean Manufacturing, for Workflow Optimisation, or for dozens of other reasons. How you work is almost as important to consider as the tools you need to store.

It’s a lot to think about - which is why it is always easier to call upon

your local BAC Technical Sales Representative to get them to help you choose the right industrial cabinets.

There is no charge to have our experienced team come and look over your site. We can also provide you with colour 3D layout drawings to help you visualise what we are proposing to you.

Systems - bacsystems.com.au BAC Systems can offer all kinds of cabinet storage

AUSTRALIAN M ADE

From kitchen-table innovation to manufacturing success with the AMRF

Necessity is often called the mother of invention, and for Cheryl Pollock, founder of Australian medtech startup ChezLeon, innovation was born from lived experience.

Based in Newcastle, Pollock developed the DP-Tx (Differential Pressure Technology) platform following her own experience of cancer

treatment and ongoing lymphatic complications.

After extensive surgery, she experienced persistent swelling, pain and fluid build-up, and quickly became aware there were few comfortable, wearable solutions available to patients.

Drawing on her engineering background, Pollock began exploring

how textured textile structures could gently stimulate lymphatic flow without the discomfort associated with traditional compression garments.

This work led to the creation of DP-Tx, a passive, non-compressive therapeutic textile technology,

“It works by creating gentle, shifting micro-pressure across the skin,” explained Pollock.

“Instead of forcing fluid away with strong compression, the surface structures work with natural movement to encourage fluid flow in a much more comfortable, wearable way.”

Early development focused on hands-on prototyping, testing and refining the therapeutic mechanism.

As the technology matured, Pollock began collaborating with advanced manufacturing partners to explore how production could become more consistent, scalable and future-ready.

“At the end of the day, this is always about the person wearing the device,” she said. “Comfort, dignity and recovery sit at the centre of everything I build.”

Pollock’s vision now extends beyond product innovation and into the future of Australian manufacturing capability.

“Australia’s manufacturing capability has declined to historic lows, and rebuilding it is critical to our sovereign and economic future,” Pollock said.

That led her to the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF).

They exist to help manufacturers to create a market-ready product, as well as scaling production to commercially viable levels, and are based out of the First Building in the new city of Bradfield in southwestern Sydney.

Pollock’s collaboration with the AMRF has centred on process optimisation, tooling design and pathways toward semi-automation, rather than replacing existing manufacturing capability.

“Working with AMRF allowed me to step back and look at how to design smarter production systems,” she said.

“It’s not about whether we can manufacture, it’s about how we do it better, with consistency, reduced manual handling and future scalability.”

Today, ChezLeon is actively supplying its first commercial product while developing next-generation DP-Tx wearable therapeutic devices for applications including head and neck swelling, orthopaedic recovery and post-trauma rehabilitation. These additional products remain in development and evaluation stages.

While advanced manufacturing is a strong focus, Pollock remains deeply anchored in patient outcomes.

ChezLeon worked together with the AMRF

“For too long, high labour costs have limited our global competitiveness. But with automation, robotics and AI-enabled production, Australia can once again compete on the world stage.

“We don’t yet know exactly how far this can go. It will require commitment, government support and strong industry partnerships, but supporting innovation-led startups is how we rebuild advanced manufacturing capability in this country.”

Her ambition is clear: to help shape a future where Australia designs, builds and scales advanced medical technologies locally while keeping patients at the heart of every decision.

“ChezLeon’s challenge wasn’t just technical, it was about confidence in consistency,” said Ben Kitcher, AMRF Executive Director. By focusing on repeatability and process control, we helped turn uncertainty into assurance. That shift accelerated their path to clinical trials and ultimately patient outcomes.

“Innovation isn’t a leap, it’s a series of steps that compound into real impact and this project proves that.”

AMRF - amrf.sydney

Building Australia’s Semiconductor Future.

The Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) in Western Sydney is helping to shape the next chapter of Australia’s semiconductor future.

With Facility 1 now open and operational, delivery of Facility 2 progressing, the AMRF is moving forward with a clear roadmap to expand Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability.

In collaboration with industry leaders, government and research institutions, we are:

� Supporting the industrialisation of cutting edge technologies including quantum, smart sensing photonics and advanced materials.

� Accelerating the development of advanced packaging solutions for low-volume, high value applications.

� Building the local ecosystem to drive investment and growth across the semiconductor value chain from research, materials and design to end use.

A new phase of opportunity is emerging in Western Sydney – one that will expand Australia’s role in the global semiconductor ecosystem and create space for industry leaders to be part of it.

Join us in building a stronger, more resilient semiconductor future.

amrf.sydney nsw.gov.au/bradfield

Meet the product breaking down Industry 4.0 barriers for SMEs

Australian manufacturers are well aware of the potential productivity gains that can be made by implementing Industry 4.0 principles such as smart factories, data integration and real-time analytics - but are often unable to access these solutions due to prohibitive costs and complexity, especially for smaller businesses.

A Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) system measures, predicts and calculates factors such as materials procurement and production scheduling, and also costs supply chain timelines with the goal of refining and optimising all processes and actions within the value chain.

This can then ensure efficient management of time and cost elements while providing clear data observability across the end-to-end manufacturing workflow, giving visibility and control to the operations and finance teams.

MaXXflow, a completely new MRP solution from respected manufacturing solutions house Central Innovation, could be about to dispel the belief that such solutions are not accessible to smaller Aussie manufacturers.

Industry Update sat down with Damien Davis and Chatura Elkaduwa, General Manager and Head of Product and Technology at Central Innovation, to talk through how the product could help the tens of thousands of manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand who are classified as small to medium sized businesses.

“MaXXflow MRP has been designed with, and for,

manufacturers,” said Elkaduwa.

“Our goal is to make this transformational technology accessible to SMEs at a very sensible price, with a low-friction, easy-to-adopt approach.”

There is a clear market advantage to be found for manufacturers who integrate AI-augmented MRP solutions into their operations.

“When it comes to taking advantage of digital manufacturing/operations solutions that benefit these types of organisations, adoption and ongoing support of these systems becomes costly and very complex,” explained Davis.

“Many cite overwhelmingly complex products with so many features they are overengineered for their business, and many don’t have the IT skills in-house to own and support them.”

The Australian MRP Software Market is expected to experience significant growth between 2025 and 2033.

This growth will be driven by various factors, including increased demand for smart manufacturing, rising labour and energy costs, heightened competition and initiatives related to Industry 4.0.

The Australian market is projected to reach USD $211 million by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6%.

“This has opened the door for a product like MaXXflow, which lowers barriers to entry for SMEs as it has been designed to deliver everything you need and nothing you don’t,” said Davis.

“In terms of pricing, we examined 16 alternates and found that most

Maxxflow MRP is comprised of a group of apps with a simple intuitive UX/UI to manage:

• Inventory

• Vendors

• Procurement

• GRN & warehousing

• CRM, Sales and Quotes

• Product Management

• Bills of Materials

• Manufacturing and Work Orders

• Scheduling

• Work Centres

• Campuses and Operations

• Barcode/QR tracking

• Analytics and Reporting

were clustered at the upper end of the pricing spectrum.”

Central Innovation worked directly with the Australian manufacturing sector to develop an AI-augmented MRP system designed expressly for the needs of SMEs - going as far as to involve them directly in product development.

Through a customer advisory board approach and continued developer partner customer engagement, they conducted a deep R&D process that incorporated direct real-world feedback on what the needs of the industry are.

“We interviewed several hundred SME manufacturers and held many industry developer partner engagements. We are excited for what we have developed in collaboration with the market,” said Elkaduwa.

“A continued feedback loop validating the design and requirements approach ensures a solution that meets the needs of the market at the right price point.

“That customer-centric approach underpins the MaXXflow MRP value proposition. Our goal was to make our solutions accessible to organisations that previously believed they were simply not available to or appropriate for them.

The product provides simple, system-wide dashboards for fast situational awareness, such as instantly viewing current production capacity with workstation optimisation.

This, coupled with AI process management and predictive analytics, delivers exceptional capability out of the box that SME’s can now take advantage of at a price that

makes it an easy proposition.

MaXXflow is software-as-a-service, hosted in Azure with a low friction onboarding process that is self-guided for smaller operations.

“We have taken a deliberately minimalistic approach in developing the solution,” said Elkaduwa.

“With native compatibility with CAD solutions and a growing list of ERP solutions compatibility, MaXXflow is designed expressly for the Australian manufacturing SME, but can also support large enterprise, multi-campus operations.”

This SME focus is driven by Central Innovation’s market positioning as a unique and bespoke solutions provider to the Australian market, with 35 years of experience in the sector.

“We are unique in that we have, over the last thirty-plus years, developed a deep insight into the Australian manufacturing sector,” said Davis.

“We have a strong and qualified group of subject matter experts, so investing heavily in the development of modern, innovative AI leveraged digital solutions that suit local market needs was a no brainer.

“Highly customisable, MaXXflow is set to disrupt the MRP/ERP sector. Central Innovation is living up to its name and we are excited for what comes next!”

Manufacturers are encouraged to put themselves on the waiting list now for when MaXXflow becomes available in the coming months.

Central Innovation centralinnovation.com

Why embracing Industry 4.0 can unlock success for manufacturers

Industry 4.0 technologies, powered by artificial intelligence, interconnected systems and real-time data, are giving manufacturers the tools they need to streamline processes, eliminate waste and maintain accuracy across their operations.

These tools enable manufacturers to remain competitive on a global scale and meet customer expectations more efficiently.

But the true value of digitalisation is only realised when information flows freely across the entire organisation, from management and engineering teams right through to operators on the factory floor.

For many manufacturers, critical data still lives in disconnected systems, paper job bags or siloed software platforms.

This fragmentation increases the risk of miscommunication, production delays, rework and lost productivity.

Industry 4.0 changes that by

By Ellida Grixta, Integra Systems

establishing a digital thread; a flow of information that links design, planning, production and quality assurance into one cohesive ecosystem.

When that digital thread is extended directly onto the factory floor, the impact is transformative.

By placing interactive, industry-ready digital tools where work happens, manufacturers give every team member access to the same live information.

Operators can see up-to-date work instructions, part models, schedules and quality requirements the moment they need them.

Engineers can push revisions instantly without worrying about outdated documentation circulating on the floor.

Management gains unprecedented visibility with live dashboards and data-driven insights that support better decision-making, leaner processes and continuous improvement.

Tap into your digital ecosystem on the factory floor

Streamline processes with the Integra K4.0 range of dynamic, Industry 4.0-enabled touchscreen kiosks

+ Convert to a paperless factory

Interactive central source of truth

+ Enables Industry 4.0 digitalisation

+ Software integration for seamless operations

+ Enables real-time data driven insights + End-to-end visibility of operations

+

This democratisation of data empowers teams to work with greater confidence and precision.

At Integra Systems, this philosophy has been brought to life within their own advanced manufacturing facility.

Embracing Industry 4.0 digitalisation, Integra developed the Integra K4.0 Kiosk range to establish a seamless digital thread unifying their operations from design through to production.

Acting as a virtual job bag, the K4.0 integrates directly with ERP and CAD systems while capturing live production data from the floor.

This ensures every stage of manufacturing is visible, lean and fully aligned. The result is a highly

+ Empower & unify your workforce with a single, trusted hub for information and workflow

connected workflow where their teams operate with the same accurate, real-time information, which eliminates uncertainty and enables rapid, informed decisions.

Today, the Integra K4.0 has evolved into a commercialised solution helping Australian manufacturers strengthen sovereign capability, embrace Industry 4.0 and remain competitive on the global stage. By bringing digital tools directly to the point of work, the K4.0 is enabling manufacturers to unlock smarter, more connected and more resilient operations.

Integra Systems integrasystems.com.au

How machine vision enhances automation safety and efficiency on factory floors

By Rich Miron, senior technical content developer, DigiKey

Machine vision is a collection of technologies that give automated equipment a high-level understanding of the immediate environment from images.

Without machine-vision software, digital images would be nothing more than simple, unconnected pixel collections.

Machine vision allows computers to detect edges and shapes within images to let higher-level processing routines identify predefined objects of interest.

Images, in this sense, are not necessarily limited to photographic images in the visible spectrum; they can also include images obtained using infrared, laser, X-ray and ultrasound signals.

Today, one common machine-vision application in industrial settings in Australia is to identify a specific part in a bin containing a randomly arranged mix of parts. Here, machine vision can help pick-and-place robots automatically pick up the right part. Of course, recognising such parts with imaging feedback would be relatively straightforward if they were all neatly arranged and oriented the same way on a tray.

However, robust machine vision algorithms can recognise objects at different distances from the camera as well as in different orientations.

The most sophisticated machine-vision systems have enabled new and emerging designs far more

sophisticated than bin picking.

The term machine vision is sometimes reserved to reference more established and efficient mathematical methods of extracting information from images.

In contrast, the term computer vision typically describes modern and computationally demanding systems — including black-box approaches using machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI).

However, machine vision can also serve as a catch-all term, encompassing all methods of high-level information extraction from images.

Many machine-vision systems progressively combine techniques by starting with low-level operations and then advancing one by one to higher-level operations.

At the lowest level, all of an image’s pixels are held as high-bandwidth data. Then, each operation in the sequence identifies image features and represents information of interest with relatively small amounts of data.

The low-level operations of image enhancement and restoration come first, followed by feature detection.

Where multiple sensors are used, low-level operations may therefore be carried out by distributed processes dedicated to individual sensors.

Once features in individual images are detected, higher-level photogrammetric measurements can occur, as can any object identification or other tasks relying on the combined data from multiple images and sensors.

is how machine vision now complements industrial-plant safety systems that sound alarms or issue audio announcements when plant personnel enter a working zone without a hard hat, mask or other correct protective equipment.

A direct computation in the context of machine vision is a set of mathematical functions that are manually defined by a human programmer.

These accept inputs such as image pixel values to yield outputs such as the coordinates of an object’s edges.

In contrast, learning algorithms aren’t directly written by humans but are instead trained via example datasets associating inputs with desired outputs.

Functioning like black boxes, machine learning now employs deep learning based on artificial neural networks to make its calculations.

Simple machine learning for industrial applications is often more reliable and less computationally demanding if based on direct computation.

Of course, there are limits to what can be achieved with direct computation. For example, direct computation could not execute the advanced pattern recognition required to identify individuals by their faces, especially from a video feed of a crowded public space.

In contrast, machine learning deftly handles such applications. It’s no wonder that machine learning is increasingly being deployed for lower-level machine-vision operations including image enhancement, restoration and feature detection.

Machine vision is no longer a niche technology, and is experiencing the greatest deployment growth within industrial applications.

The most dramatic development

Machine vision can also complete systems that announce when mobile machinery, such as forklifts, get too close to people.

These and similar machine-vision systems can sometimes replace hard guarding around industrial robots to enable more efficient operations. They can also replace or enhance safety systems based on light guards that simply stop machinery if a plant worker enters a workcell.

When machine vision monitors the factory floor surrounding the workcell, it is possible for robots in such cells to gradually slow down as people approach.

The designs of industrial settings are evolving to accommodate collaborative robots and other workcell equipment that are safe for plant personnel to move around, even while that equipment operates.

These and other systems based on machine vision will become a much more common part of factory processes.

By understanding how to design and deploy smart machine-vision systems, engineers and manufacturers in Australia can smartly integrate visual intelligence tools on the factory floor, enhancing safety and efficiency.

As technology evolves at a rapid pace, DigiKey continues to offer innovative automation solutions from IoT to AI and machine vision.

DigiKey - digikey.com.au

Why smart forecasting can help manufacturers get ahead

By Becks Simpson, Mouser Electronics

Most forecasters are statistical or deep models trained on the target series alone. That approach works when future data points are expected to look like past ones.

However, they falter when the signal depends on outside forces or if historical data contains anomalies that require explanation to understand their impact, such as retail promotions, weather, outages and policy changes.

A model that learns from numbers alone will miss these real-world driving forces, but large-language models (LLMs) trained for advanced reasoning can change this workflow. By combining the numerical data with a concise domain brief, these models can integrate real-world context, produce forecasts and explain the “why” behind them.

Time series forecasting models perform well with sufficient data and when the past contains most of what the future will look like.

However, because these models learn patterns from the numbers alone by implicitly capturing elements like seasonality and trend, they struggle when important drivers live outside the series.

This can happen for various reasons, such as a short history of available data, future events expected to affect predictions and even past activities that caused anomalies in the data that may not count as outliers.

In these cases, while the model tries to infer the “rules” of predicting this time series from the data, it will be unable to. With insufficient data, such models cannot determine if particular data points should be given more weight.

For instance, if mid-year and endof-year data are crucial but only one year of monthly data is provided, it will be impossible to derive that knowledge.

Equally, if a new marketing campaign or promotional event is known to drive sales by a certain percentage, or if a failure occurs that will cause predictions to drop, models that only learn from time series data will be unable to account for these factors.

The other major pitfall of classical forecasting models is their blackbox nature, which means that it’s not clear how these models make decisions from the data given, and the reasoning behind certain

predictions is not easily known.

When users seek to understand why a model made a specific forecast but are unable to gain this knowledge, their trust in the results is often called into question.

To take into account these various kinds of domain knowledge when forecasting, developers can repurpose LLMs to provide predictions based on prior data as well as contextual information.

The method involves selecting an appropriate LLM, establishing a baseline prompt template and injecting relevant historical data with the specific context required to forecast well for that target.

Following what a subject matter expert (SME) might do, the process of forecasting involves several logical steps, like reviewing the data, understanding how it might move as a result of the given domain knowledge, and then applying both to form a prediction for a future time point.

As such, the models that can replicate this type of behavior the best tend to be reasoning models, such as Gemini Pro 2.5 and GPT o4-mini or GPT-o3, which typically perform some kind of chain of thought to establish and then work through the steps of a process.

Contextual information to be paired with numerical data can

include elements like “intemporal” information, such as constraints on values or seasonalities that have more extended periods than the duration of available data.

Historical facts that cannot be inferred from the series should also be included.

For example, sensor maintenance that caused a dip, or a work stoppage that suppressed volume, should be tagged as spurious so the model does not extrapolate the anomaly unless a similar event is expected to recur.

Context-aware LLM forecasters excel when rules are describable and the domain has known external drivers, such as retail with promotional calendars and energy with weather forecasts.

They are especially attractive when you need interpretability, since reasoning-oriented models can return a natural-language rationale.

However, these can fail more significantly than other models, for example, by producing values that under or overshoot the ground truth by up to 500 percent, as researchers found.

Additionally, cost and latency matter.

Bigger models often reason better, but they also consume more tokens, so picking the smallest model that

meets accuracy and interpretability needs is important.

Moreover, combining traditional forecasting methods with LLMbased ones can also limit the impact of errors, a common technique known as ensembling.

Pure time series models are efficient pattern learners, but they underperform when known, external factors drive the future.

Context-aware LLM-aided forecasting closes that gap by encoding rules, constraints and dated interventions to align with the numeric history to produce both a prediction and a defensible rationale.

The approach is strongest when clear causal notes with concise and relevant background information can be provided, and when interpretability is part of the requirement.

While the accuracy of these models can dramatically exceed that of models trained on numerical data alone, they can fail more significantly, so it is recommended to pair a capable numeric model with a well-briefed reasoning model to get forecasts that are both smarter and easier to trust.

Mouser Electronics Australia au.mouser.com

New cleanroom energy chain could be a ‘game changer’ for manufacturing

The demand for electric cars and the use of AI are growing, so that more and more lithium-ion batteries and microchips are required.

As these technologies have to deliver performance that continues to increase, they are also becoming more sensitive and place high demands on production environments.

With the e-skin soft ESD, Igus are now launching a new energy chain for cleanrooms that is both abrasion-resistant and dissipative.

It could be a game changer for design engineers as it allows for significantly more flexibility and saves space in energy supply systems.

Tiny electrostatic discharges (ESD) are invisible to the eye, but can damage sensitive products in semiconductor and electronics production.

It is therefore important that all machine components used in the vicinity of these products have ESD protection.

However, this is not a matter of course when guiding power and

data cables as they are generally not dissipative.

“Many design engineers realise special kinds of shielding, but this wastes valuable space in cleanrooms,” said Kira Weller, Product Manager for e-chains and Cleanroom Expert at Igus.

An equally impractical alternative is to keep a large distance from the product, which can also lead to space problems.

To solve this dilemma, Igus has developed a new version of the cleanroom-compatible e-skin soft energy chain: the e-skin soft ESD, a compact e-chain that is both abrasion resistant and dissipative thanks to additives in the material.

Electrostatic charges can be dissipated via the mounting brackets, similar to a lightning conductor.

“The new energy chain is a game changer for design engineers as it can be used close to the product without additional shielding,” said Weller.

The e-skin soft ESD has a compact design and requires very little installation space. It consists of an

upper and a lower shell, which form a closed pipe housing that securely encloses pipes, cables or media guides.

It is made from high-performance plastic, which allows for tight bend radii of 55mm.

The inner height varies between 20mm, 24mm, 28mm and 40mm depending on the version, the inner width between 33mm, 48mm, 68mm and 85mm.

Another thing that makes it special: thanks to its oval geometry and defined stiffness, the e-skin soft ESD can also realise unsupported lengths, unlike conventional corrugated hoses.

This makes a guide superfluous. In addition, the energy chain is particularly durable and achieves a service life of more than 20 million double strokes.

The e-skin soft ESD fulfils the strictest cleanroom requirements.

“The high-performance plastic is extremely abrasion-resistant, so that no particles are produced during operation, even during fast movements,” said Weller.

Particles from the cables cannot escape either as the upper and lower shells can be joined together to form a closed pipe using the zip principle.

“This guarantees both cleanroom suitability and fast filling and maintenance of the cables,” added Weller.

The new energy chain has already passed tests in the in-house cleanroom laboratory in Cologne, which was realised together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) with very good results.

The official certification will come into effect in the coming weeks.

Treotham Automation treotham.com.au Igus are

Right product, right supplier: Why matching matters in manufacturing

Finding the right product for the right job is a constant challenge in manufacturing. In electronics, it is perhaps even more difficult.

It’s why there are so many operators in the sector who solely exist to service that need, such as OnBoard Solutions.

They’re a specialist supplier supporting Australia’s electronics, micro-electronics and renewable energy manufacturing sectors with the appropriate equipment including process material solutions.

Over the past two decades, the company has built a reputation for technical guidance and trusted relationships.

Their portfolio spans tier-one Surface-mount technology (SMT) machinery, process materials including cleanroom consumables for the controlled production environment used by medical device manufacturers, semiconductor facilities, research institutions and defence programs.

At the core of their business is a simple but powerful message: manufacturing grows when the right technology and the right people come together.

“OnBoard Solutions began with the goal of supporting electronics manufacturers with the right mix of equipment, materials and technical understanding,” said Peter Ruefli, Founder and Managing Director of OnBoard Solutions.

“In the beginning, it was mostly SMT consumables, but the vision was always bigger.

“Manufacturing only thrives when suppliers understand the processes behind the customers’ product, and that mindset has shaped everything we do.

“We have three strong divisions today: equipment, performance materials and cleanroom.

“Each developed because customers were asking for more support. Cleanrooms in particular took us into medical devices, pharmaceuticals, universities and the semiconductor sector.

“It is a wide spread for a small team, but the portfolio and the relationships have allowed us to work across industries that need reliability, compliance and continuous improvement - and as a result, we are one of the very few suppliers being ISO 9001 certified.”

Peter Ruefli, Founder and Managing Director of OnBoard Solutions

At the core of OnBoard Solutions’ business model is partnerships, which are vital to maintaining trust with clients.

“Strong partnerships are essential,” said Ruefli.

“Our long-standing relationship with Rehm Thermal Systems, F&S Bondtec and Panasonic Connect are good examples.

“We represent global brands that sit at the top of the industry, but we also work hard to maintain those connections. We travel to meet suppliers, understand where their technology is heading, and bring that insight back to Australia.

“I also visit all important industry tradeshows. For example, at the end of last year, I went to Productronica in Germany, the world’s largest electronics manufacturing trade show.

“Meeting suppliers face-to-face keeps us connected to new technologies before they reach the wider market.

“I facilitate direct introductions between our Australian customers and the brands we represent, which builds trust and ensures customers get the right technical support.”

Being a good partner means knowing the market inside out, so OnBoard Solutions can offer the best

possible advice.

“I see two key aspects,” said Ruefli of the most recent changes in his industry.

“In recent years, manufacturing has gained real momentum in Australia, especially around sovereign capability, a global response since the pandemic.

“This shift has been strongly backed by the Australian Government, providing manufacturing grants, it is a good thing for our domestic industry.

“At the same time, new technologies are emerging faster than ever, whether in renewables, optoelectronics, additive manufacturing, quantum technologies, or anything AI-assisted.

“Fifteen years ago, the big topic was lead-free soldering. Today, the spectrum is so much broader, creating enormous challenges and opportunities.

“For OBS, finding the right level of technology for our customers is critical. That is where we see real opportunity.

“Sustainability in manufacturing is driven by CO₂ emissions and international regulations around materials that can impact the environment.

“We support this by working with suppliers who invest in responsible chemistries and by running our own recycling program for certain solvents.

“Customers send us their used material, we distil it, remove the impurities and return the clean solvent back to them, which significantly reduces waste.

“It is not only commercial though. Everything starts with the everyday waste we all generate. I feel strongly about making things easy and practical for people.

OnBoard has been around for 25 years now, and Ruefli reflected on the learnings of that journey.

“It comes down to service and people,” he said.

“We had customers who trusted us early and stayed with us throughout the journey. We are led by a simple motto: go the extra mile helping customers and deliver on time in full every time.

“We are a mid-size company supporting very large sectors, and the only way that works is through trust, transparency and long-term partnership.”

SMCBA - smcba.asn.au

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•

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Lapp customers set to benefit as Tosibox rebrands and expands

Aleading industrial automation company has undergone a major rebrand, with Tosibox set to be known as Tosi from now on.

The name change is a reflection of Tosi’s expansion from a hardware supplier to a full cyber physical systems (CPS) platform provider.

The word “Tosi” means “true” in the organisation’s home country of Finland, which is representative of the company’s commitment to engineering excellence, delivering proven hardware with game-changing software that can be deployed in minutes, not months.

“The new Tosi brand embodies the company’s strengths: Finnish engineering excellence, speed, simplicity, innovation and proven reliability,” they said in a statement.

Tosi are a major partner of cabling experts Lapp Australia, who will be able to access greater services for their customers as a result of this rebrand.

New features will include:

1. Stronger capabilities, deeper integration: The shift to a full

CPS / OT platform means Tosi’s solutions will better integrate with broader industrial architectures, enabling Lapp customers to build end-to-end secure OT systems.

2. Faster deployment, less complexity: With the renewed emphasis on speed, simplicity and robust software capabilities, Lapp customers can deploy secure OT connectivity in minutes instead of weeks or months, reducing operational friction and risk.

3. Enhanced support and services: Through TosiCARE, customers will gain tiered support, training and professional services options. Lapp Australia will continue to facilitate and deliver these locally with deep domain knowledge.

4. Local reassurance, global backing: With Tosi’s expanded U.S. presence and global momentum, local customers gain the confidence of working with a brand that combines global scale and engineering

depth with Lapp’s local service and market insight.

5. Future-ready roadmap: The announced plans for new asset management capabilities (Q4 2025 / Q1 2026) position both Tosi and Lapp Australia to jointly support advanced use cases – condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, digital twins and more.

with a global rollout commencing soon.

“After achieving record growth and innovation milestones, the new Tosi brand establishes the company as a leader in securing OT networks,” said Lapp Australia Managing Director Simon Pullinger.

“The change won’t affect existing products or services, with seamless support and operations continuing from Lapp as a platinum partner of Tosi.

“We will see an expansion of the Tosi offering, including TosiANTA (Advanced Network Traffic Analytics) to bring deeper visibility into OT and network behaviour,

“As one of Tosi’s platinum partners in the region, Lapp Australia views this evolution as a strengthened foundation for collaboration, innovation and customer value.

“We believe this evolution strengthens our joint proposition: to equip industrial and critical infrastructure businesses with cybersecure, efficient and future-ready OT networks.

“We look forward to working closely with Tosi and our customers to unlock the full potential of connected, protected and controlled operations.”

LAPP Australia lappaustralia.com.au

Segregation saves lives: Verge boosts manufacturing site safety

Safety, like so many other aspects of manufacturing, is all about solutions.

Verge Safety Barriers were tasked with finding one for Pinnacle Hardware, who operate a high-volume warehouse in support of an extensive national supply chain.

Within the facility, a pedestrian walkway ran directly through a busy pick-and-pack area, creating ongoing safety challenges as foot traffic intersected with forklifts and vehicle routes.

To address these issues, Verge were engaged to redesign the internal traffic flow and implement a fully segregated system that would enhance safety, improve operational efficiency, and maintain visual consistency throughout the site.

The Challenge

Pedestrians and forklifts were sharing the same zones, leading to a high potential for near misses and workplace accidents.

The existing layout provided no physical separation between people and

vehicles, causing congestion and workflow interruptions during busy periods.

Pinnacle required a safety solution that would:

1. Deliver complete separation between pedestrians and forklifts.

2. Integrate quickly without major disruption to operations.

3. Maintain a professional, brandaligned appearance.

4. Offer long-term durability and minimal maintenance requirements.

The Solution

Verge carried out a detailed site audit and developed a tailored traffic management strategy to ensure complete segregation between pedestrians and vehicles while maintaining warehouse efficiency and a cohesive visual standard.

To achieve this, Verge supplied and installed:

• Verge HD Barrier approx. 120LM

- Designed for areas with heavy forklift activity, the Verge HD Barrier delivers exceptional impact resistance and durability.

It provides a robust physical divide between pedestrians and moving vehicles, significantly reducing collision risks in high-traffic zones.

• Verge Eco-Rail approx. 100LMThe Verge Eco-Rail is a lightweight yet strong pedestrian guidance system, ideal for defining walkways and low-impact areas. It combines excellent visibility and ease of installation with a cost-effective solution for controlling pedestrian movement.

• Verge Pedestrian Gates x 18 units - Verge’s Pedestrian Gates provide controlled access between segregated areas. Built for frequent use, these self-closing gates enhance traffic flow while ensuring pedestrians can only enter and exit at designated, safe points. All components were finished in a custom powder-coated colour to match Pinnacle’s branding palette. This attention to detail ensured the final installation delivered both superior safety performance and a refined, professional finish across the facility.

The Result

The completed project transformed Pinnacle’s warehouse into a safer, more efficient workspace. Pedestrian routes are now fully separated from forklift operations, significantly reducing safety risks and improving workflow efficiency. The solution delivered:

• Enhanced on-site safety with full vehicle-pedestrian segregation.

• Durable, low-maintenance systems designed for long-term performance.

• A cohesive, branded finish that complements Pinnacle’s professional image.

Pinnacle Hardware was highly satisfied with the quality of workmanship, efficient installation and the striking visual outcome. This project stands as a strong example of how Verge integrates safety, functionality and design to achieve exceptional results.

Verge Safety Barriers vergesafetybarriers.com.au

Creating safer working environments

Proudly Australian Made

Why Verge?

The Verge range of Safety Barriers & Gates is designed and made in Australia to suit Australian conditions and standards.

Our national team are ready to guide you through the complete process from a free project assessment to supply and installation across Australia!

Steel & Polymer Heavy Duty Forklift Barriers

Pedestrian and Vehicle Gates

Mezzanine Handrail & Safety Gates

Loading Dock Safety Gates

Asset Protection Barriers

Expert Support and Consultation

Sepsis scare sparks new workplace safety solution

Iwoke up to find a team of nurses and specialists around me. “You dodged a bullet, Ron,” one of them said.

“Up to 50% of people your age die within the first year.

“We blasted you with antibiotics, and luckily for you, we have available to us a team specialising in detecting specific microbial strains, one of which they isolated and now we’re treating you for a specific strain that’s exacerbating the problem”.

Phew! Lucky!

So what happened? Well, a few days before being admitted to hospital, I attempted to manually move a very heavy tandem trailer weighing around a tonne, and in a confined space.

Pulling and twisting at the same time, I eventually moved the trailer a few metres.

I thought nothing of it until a couple of days later when my family noticed some changes in me.

Absent minded. Saying and doing strange things (more than usual). My wife insisted I go to the hospital for a check up.

After an examination they said I had sepsis and I needed to stay. I didn’t realise that it was serious.

Apparently, whilst manoeuvring the heavy trailer I had ruptured my stomach wall and some serious bugs

had entered my blood stream. I felt disoriented and light headed, but I still functioned.

The viral specialist said that a bombardment with general antibiotics is the first line of attack for sepsis, but isolating any particularly nasty bug(s) is key to halting the infection totally.

Talk about right time, right place. A great hospital with access to a microbiological research team. How lucky! Ten days later, I was discharged.

One of the reasons I chose to add Tow Tugs to the Pack King range of packaging and handling products was so that no one would attempt to do what I did - over-stretch your physical limitations when there is a simpler, more efficient way of moving heavy wheeled items.

Pack King have since supplied some of the biggest companies in Australia, and many more smaller ones with Tow Tugs.

All of whom are putting their employees’ welfare first. There is no room these days in industry for brute strength. Get the right tool for the job and save backs, aches and strains – and sepsis!

AI vision sets new standard for forklift safety in Australian manufacturing

In manufacturing plants, warehouses and logistics hubs across Australia, forklift incidents remain a costly and persistent challenge, particularly in mixed-traffic environments with limited visibility.

With Work Health and Safety (WHS) expectations tightening and operational pressures rising, companies are increasingly seeking solutions that go beyond traditional controls to deliver measurable, technology- driven safety outcomes.

Against this backdrop, OmniPro Vision AI has emerged as a next-generation collision avoidance and operational visibility solution tailored to the realities of Australian worksites.

Its design directly responds to the challenges highlighted in national research: obstructed visibility, complex warehouse traffic patterns, environmental hazards and the significant cost of safety incidents, both human and financial.

Forklifts operate in complex, high-movement environments where traditional controls alone can fall short.

OmniPro Vision AI addresses this gap with real-time detection of pedestrians, vehicles and obstacles, all without requiring RFID tags, transponders or wearable devices.

This tagless approach supports the practical adoption of safety systems and aligns with increasing expectations for broad accessibility and consistent worker protection across diverse job roles.

Where many systems stop at warning signals, OmniPro Vision AI goes further by supplying the situational data companies need to strengthen WHS performance over time.

Every event, from a near miss to a zone breach, is logged through a central dashboard.

Safety and operations leaders gain access to:

• Risk-zone mapping that pinpoints high-risk areas

• Automatic event logs that capture near-misses and interactions

• Clear safety dashboards that translate data into actionable metrics

• Trend insights that reveal emerging risks and behaviour shifts

For manufacturers facing rising

insurance scrutiny and expectations of evidence-based risk mitigation, this depth of insight is increasingly valuable.

Australian manufacturing extends far beyond metropolitan areas.

Regional plants are more likely to operate in dusty, low-visibility and weather-affected environments where traditional sensors can struggle.

Many sites also run mixed fleets making OEM-specific solutions impractical. OmniPro Vision AI was engineered with these realities in mind.

Why OmniPro:

• Rapid installation to minimise operational disruptions

• OEM-agnostic compatibility, scalable across makes, models and environments

• Reliable performance in challenging lighting and weather conditions

• Customisable detection zones to suit unique facility layouts

These features ensure safety improvements can be deployed quickly, with minimal downtime, a key consideration for manufacturers balancing production demands and operational commitments.

Across industry, there’s a clear shift toward proactive, technology-supported safety. Workforces increasingly expect employers to invest in modern safeguards that meaningfully reduce risk, not just manage it administratively.

OmniPro Vision AI directly supports this cultural shift by enabling operators, managers and safety teams to work from the same set of real-time insights, strengthening communication, accountability and trust on the floor.

Beyond its safety value, companies are embracing AI- driven collision avoidance because it improves operational continuity.

Fewer incidents mean fewer work stoppages, less equipment damage and reduced downtime; benefits that are particularly important for high-volume manufacturers and supply- chain operators.

The resulting efficiency gains can translate to lower incident costs and stronger compliance results, reinforcing the system’s long-term ROI.

As the industry continues its transition toward smarter, more automated operations, technologies like OmniPro Vision AI are setting a new benchmark for what effective

safety management looks like. By combining advanced detection, AI-powered insights and the flexibility needed for Australian worksites, this system delivers a practical and future-ready path toward safer, more resilient operations nationwide.

Supported by Matrix’s ISO

9001- certified quality processes and ISO 27001- certified information security standards, OmniPro Vision AI is developed and delivered under frameworks that ensure dependable, secure and standards-aligned safety performance.

Matrix Team - matrixteam.com

Why provenance is everything in polymer forklift barriers

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to manufacturing safety products, it pays to know that you are getting the original.

It’s a problem that A-Safe are more than used to dealing with. They have been in the polymer safety barrier game for over 25 years, have seen the market grow from almost zero to a multi-billion dollar industry, and claimed a significant share within that on the back of products that only they can manufacture.

Their instantly-recognisable yellow and black polymer barriers can be found all over the world, from Volvo, Volkswagen and Land Rover factories to our very own Coles warehouses, but with their success has come a raft of imitators.

“It might look like a duck, walk like a duck and quack like a duck, but that does not mean it is a duck,” joked A-Safe Managing Director Mark Collins.

“It is as simple as that. Just because it is yellow and black and polymer does not mean it is the same.

“You can now buy what is essentially our Gen Two product under a different name, while we are already on Gen Three and planning for Gen Four later this year. We have not produced that earlier version for over ten years now.

“These other barriers might look like ours, but they perform differently. Ours perform the way they do because they have been designed in-house, engineered in-house, manufactured in-house and tested in-house, then tested to recognised segregation standards.”

A-Safe can be that unequivocal because they were part of the process that created the standard, the PAS 13 Code of Practice, alongside another forklift barrier company and a host of end users and regulators in the UK.

Their products are also PFAS compliant, making them ideal for food manufacturing, which is one of the largest sectors of Australian industry.

“People should ask about provenance,” said Collins.

“What is the origin of the product? What is the design? What sort of polymer is it? It is not just plastic.

“Is it a specially blended polymer engineered to sustain impact, prevent degradation and resist UV attack? If people ask those questions and the supplier cannot answer them, that tells them something.

“We can say our product is hygienically safe within wet environments and food environments because it has seals. These are the little things people need to look at.

“For example, they might see that one barrier has a seal on the bottom

rail but not on the top rail. They need to ask those questions.

“We can confidently stand behind the quality and value because we control the entire process.”

Knowing where a product is from is key, and knowing where it is going matters too.

Any safety product, users need to know that it will work when required and that it will not degrade over time.

This is particularly true in the polymer forklift barrier space, and which holds a significant advantage over traditional steel product when it comes to durability.

While a polymer barrier can be more expensive initially, it will pay that off over the length of use, as they generally require little servicing.

“We have a customer who speared one of our posts with a forklift tine,” explained Collins.

“They have had the product for eight years, nearly nine. The cost of repair was around $850 on approximately 100 metres of barrier, which works out at roughly $100 a year in ownership cost. That shows the value of investing in quality.

“You might buy a higher quality forklift that costs more because you know that in five years’ time you understand your cost of ownership and know it will still perform to the peak of its performance.”

‘You would not buy something that becomes obsolete in five years or requires upgrades because the technology has fallen behind.

“If you are going to buy a barrier today, and it has been designed and built correctly to a standard and tested accordingly, then in five years’ time it should still be performing the same as the day it was installed.

“If it fails within five years because it was not engineered, not properly tested and not designed for impact, you are back to replacing it. You may as well purchase steel.

“People will put a steel barrier in and run it indefinitely, even if it is in poor condition.

“No one reports the near miss. No one budgets for repair and maintenance, but those small things add up to the cost of ownership, whether it is a forklift, a truck or pallet racking.

“If you do not get your racking certified every year, you are putting your business at risk. Barriers are the same.

“If you install a barrier and do not service and maintain it to ensure it continues to provide proper segregation, you are putting people at risk. If the barrier cannot perform in five years’ time, you are putting people at risk.”

A-Safe - asafe.com

PVC doors support booming food manufacturing sector

Australia’s booming food and beverage manufacturing sector is proving to be a very lucrative market for one Melbournebased door manufacturer.

MTI Qualos has been designing and making PVC industrial doors in Melbourne since 1970, and today, the company is reaping benefits from its decision to bring all its manufacturing operations in-house.

Mil Lozanovski heads up the MTI Qualos door manufacturing operation.

“We’re now at a stage where all our doors are manufactured here, and we use upwards of 85% of locally made components, including all the steelwork and the vinyl,” he said.

“There are a few parts we have to bring in, like some door seals, but we buy them in huge bulk so that we’ve always got stocks.”

Two types of doors are proving to be particularly popular: PVC strip curtains and the company’s flagship SI163 VSD internal Roll-Fast door.

“The PVC curtains are a great low-cost way of keeping bugs out of

food-safe areas,” said Lozanovski.

“And that’s really down to the quality of the PVC rolls that we use. It’s so good that we’re even supplying it to our competitors.”

For food manufacturers with a little more to spend, the SI163 internal high-speed door comes with a variable-speed drive as standard and a newly improved motor/gearbox

combination that enables opening and closing speeds of 1200-1500mm/s and virtually non-stop operation.

MTI Qualos - mtiqualos.com.au

Industrial Door SolutionsClearly

INDUSTRIAL DOORS

How thermal shutters can lead to productivity gains

Door specialists EBS recently supplied and installed 12 insulated sectional doors for a heavy vehicle workshop operated by a major transport company.

These Isotherm panel doors deliver more than just access - they offer thermal efficiency, helping maintain a comfortable working environment year-round.

The doors ensure cooler summers as well as warmer winters - and when workers are more comfortable, higher productivity follows. For end clients, this means:

• Better working conditions for staff

• Lower energy costs in temperature-controlled spaces

• A smarter long-term investment in operational efficiency

For builders and architects, EBS Isotherm doors offer:

• Clean industrial aesthetics

• High thermal performance for compliance and sustainability goals

• Seamless integration into work-

facility designs

In temperature-controlled environments like workshops, warehouses or production areas, these doors also support energy savings

and cost efficiency - a smart investment in both people and operations.

If you are designing, building or operating industrial spaces

- remember that thermal performance matters.

EBS Entrance Solutions ebssolutions.com.au

Customers flock to business after ATDC installation

The doors are often the first thing that a customer sees when approaching a business - so it makes sense to invest in the best.

The Australian Trellis Doors Company can offer that, with a new range of eye-catching entrance options.

Take the Alphatec Switchboard Orange Gloss powdercoat finish roller shutters which ATDC recently installed a set for Pappa Flock Chermside near Brisbane.

The project managers for this installation were Bowen Hills, Brisbane-based Trust Projects, and the four electric-operated roller shutters installed were fabricated from extruded aluminium joiner bars and linkages.

The maximum span in any one single section is 5500 mm and access control through the tenancy entry was provided by installation of an external key switch.

The slotted curtains on these shutters allow for maximum through vision and ventilation of fresh air making them ideal for securing tenancies for fast food businesses.

Why entrance security is becoming a strategic asset to manufacturers

Manufacturing facilities often contain valuable equipment, unique IP and critical operational data while effectively managing a broad range of workers and visitors on any given day.

As technology progresses, these facilities are only becoming more advanced, and there is a greater need to prevent unauthorised entry and manage traffic flow to the right areas.

“Clearly, protecting machinery and data worth hundreds of thousands – even millions – of dollars is important, but even greater than that is the duty of care that the owner or manager has towards employees, contractors, visitors and their own clients, to protect them from harm while inside the building,” said Michael Fisher, Managing Director, Boon Edam Australia.

Boon Edam Australia is part of the 150-year-old Royal Boon Edam group, which specialises in providing a comprehensive entrance security suite, ranging from access gates and speed gates to control foot traffic and send alerts, right through to high security revolving doors and

portals to completely prevent unauthorised access to sensitive areas.

“Further, manufacturers are facing increasingly complex and constantly evolving insurance obligations –including OH&S – relating to maintaining a safe workplace,” said Fisher.

“Entrance security can play a vital role in meeting those requirements and adapting to changing conditions.”

As land prices continue to rise across Australia’s major cities, many manufacturers are finding efficiencies in consolidating their office, manufacturing and warehouse operations into one location.

“While this consolidation makes good financial sense, there are important considerations around how to keep employees in their correct section of the building,” said Fisher.

“You only want authorised people around machinery, data, financial records, IP and distribution details, for example.”

Boon Edam’s range of speed gates are an ideal way to control foot traffic in mixed buildings.

Entry can be authorised using an

ID card or other technologies can be seamlessly integrated, including facial recognition, palm scanning, card reader, barcode reader, phone reader or biometric devices.

For facilities requiring higher levels of security, Boon Edam’s Circlelock high security portal and Tourlock high security revolving door are designed to completely prevent unauthorised entry.

“These technologies can protect highly sensitive areas, where you want to control precisely who enters. Biometric scanning determines it is the correct person – and only that person – inside the door or portal, before granting access to the secured side,” said Fisher.

“An example where we see these higher security technologies deployed is when companies have their own enterprise data room, and they want to keep this totally secure.”

“Importantly, entrance security should complement operational efficiency rather than impede it.

“By selecting the appropriate combination of entry solutions,

Boon Edam are at the cutting edge of entrances

manufacturers can create a layered security strategy that addresses both high foot traffic areas and sensitive or high security areas within the same facility.

“As the manufacturing sector continues to modernise and evolve, entrance security will play an increasingly strategic role in facility management.

“With a comprehensive entrance solutions suite that spans foot traffic management through to unauthorised entry prevention, Boon Edam Australia supports manufacturers in protecting their people, assets and operations.”

Boon Edam - boonedam.com.au

THE COMPREHENSIVE ENTRANCE SECURITY SUITE FOR MANUFACTURERS

FROM TRAFFIC FLOW TO 100% PREVENTION OF UNAUTHORISED ENTRY

ENTRANCE SECURITY FOR MANUFACTURERS

Whether

The packaging partner delivering world-class solutions to Australian manufacturing

Since its founding in 2006, Graph-Pak has been at the forefront of supplying worldclass machinery and consumables for the print, packaging and postpress industries.

Built on a foundation of innovation, reliability and service excellence, the company has become a trusted partner for businesses across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the surrounding islands.

Graph-Pak offers an extensive range of equipment, including die-cutting, folder-gluing, bookbinding and case-binding machines, as well as guillotines, strapping and banding systems and the latest on-demand box-making machinery for eCommerce and short-run production.

Complementing these are high-quality consumables such as BOPP and PET laminating films,

adhesives, double-sided and tabbing tapes, rubber rollers and cleaning solutions, ensuring customers have everything needed for seamless production.

What sets Graph-Pak apart is its dedicated engineering and service network, providing expert installation, maintenance and technical support across all states.

Customers gain not just access to cutting-edge machinery, but also the peace of mind that comes with dependable, long-term support.

Representing a portfolio of globally renowned brands - including Autobond, DGM Global, Boxway, APR Solutions, Rollem, SMYTH and more - Graph-Pak delivers solutions that enhance efficiency, quality and sustainability in production processes.

Nearly two decades in the industry have allowed Graph-Pak to understand the evolving needs of

By combining advanced technology, trusted brands and outstanding service, the company continues to empower businesses to innovate,

optimise and succeed, solidifying its position as a true leader in the print and packaging sector.

Graph-Pak - graph-pak.com.au

How manufacturers can stay cool in the age of AI and big data

As industrial and digital systems become more compact, powerful and decentralised, the demand for cooling capacity and flexibility continues to grow.

From machine enclosures and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to edge IT deployments, modern applications require cooling systems that perform reliably in a wider range of conditions, with higher precision and lower energy use.

To meet these evolving requirements, Rittal have expanded its Blue e+ Chiller range.

The platform now includes three specialised variants, offering scalable cooling for industrial manufacturing, harsh outdoor environments and small to mid-sized IT installations.

Blue e+ Chiller – Precision for manufacturing

This model delivers cooling capacities from 1.5 to 7 kW, with a wide operating range (–5 °C to +50 °C) and ±0.5 K temperature accuracy. Inverter-controlled performance reduces energy use by up to 70%, while microchannel technology cuts

refrigerant volume by 55%.

Blue e+ Outdoor Chiller – Built for external deployment

Available in 4 to 7 kW, this variant features a weather-resistant aluminium housing, a protected touchscreen and an integrated heater for operation in temperatures as low as –20 °C. Ideal for external or decentralised machinery cooling.

Blue e+ Hybrid IT Chiller –Optimised for Edge IT

With free-cooling capability, this variant supports loads up to 30 kW, delivering energy savings of up to 90% in cooler conditions or partial-load operation.

All models are compact, efficient and fully compatible with IoT integration and global power standards. Now available across Australia and New Zealand, the expanded Blue e+ Chiller range is supported by local technical teams for configuration and system design.

Rittal - rittal.com

Why keeping a low profile can help conveyors rolling along

Pronal lifting jacks, distributed in Australia by Air Springs Supply, are being used as simple, compact and highly effective conveyor brakes to slow conveyors used in manufacturing, production, processing and packaging applications.

The ultra-thin (20 mm) and easily washed-down Pronal jacks – in standard capacities from 1-65 tons – can be used in applications as diverse as food and beverage handling, consumer products manufacture, packaging and industrial and consumer product process automation applications requiring a compact, low-maintenance alternative to taller conventional cylinders incorporating rods and seals.

Inflatable brake rollers are used to safely slow down and control the speed of goods like boxes, pallets and products being processed as they travel down inclines. They can handle heavy loads, and can be integrated into systems to provide a safe and controlled flow of materials within warehouses or

within compact production and processing spaces.

One of the latest low-pressure (2 bar, 29 psi) applications of Pronal square 120 x 120 mm lifting jacks involved their use in the manufacture and processing of rail vehicle seats beneath a roller conveyor system which could neither accommodate taller cylinder rods nor obtain from rod cylinders a large enough contact area to lift the rollers without warping them.

The aim of the production engineering staff working on this application was to slow down the conveyor line without stopping it, increasing the efficiency of the production line.

The solution required had to provide a thin starting (deflated) height, a 30 mm stroke and a large contact surface to obtain regular and steady lifting without warping.

Pronal’s low-profile solution (seen above, from head-on) was to provide sets of two of the tough rubber-and-fabric lifting jacks to slow each roller, involving a total

How safer oxygen controls are helping manufacturers breathe easy

Protect-Air’s OxyReg delivers exceptional safety and reliability for oxygen regulation in medical, food and drinking water applications.

Designed for environments where health and hygiene standards are critical, it ensures consistent performance while eliminating the risks associated with traditional brass regulators.

Built from Grivory GV-5 FWA, a high-performance, FDA-certified synthetic material and high-grade stainless steel, OxyReg provides a durable, lead-free solution that complies with DIN 50930-6/FDA/EU drinking water directives.

and respiratory systems, food preservation and nitrogen filling.

of 12 jacks to provide the smooth low-maintenance system required to function reliably without posing damage and downtime hazards.

Unlike rod cylinders, Pronal lifting bags don’t need to be checked and maintained in this application, where they aren’t permanently fixed and can be easily removed,” said Air Springs Supply Technical Product Manager Vinh Lam.

The thickness of Pronal square lifting jacks varies by model, but the single-stage VER HP K1 model is 20 mm thick.

Other high-pressure, high-capacity square models (such as the CLT series distributed by Air Springs Supply) have a maximum deflated thickness of 25 mm or a consistent 22 mm, while some low-pressure quarry cushions can be as thin as 8 mm when deflated.

Pronal inflatable jacks, or lifting bags, are rugged pneumatic systems made of quality elastomers or plastomers.

Manufactured from aramid fibre coated with elastomer and assembled by vulcanisation, the range of lifting bags is used in addition to or in replacement of the traditional means of lifting.

Pneumatic lifting bags have a larger contact surface with the load, enhancing safety and stability while distributing thrust evenly.

Their thin profiles and low weights (0.6–22 kg for 1–65 ton CLT cushions) make them suitable for vehicle recovery, quarry rock splitting and emergency or rescue services.

Air Springs Supply airsprings.com.au

Built For Industry Blue e+ Chiller from Rittal

Efficient. Scalable. Industry-ready.

1.5–7 kW | –5 °C to +50 °C | ±0.5 K accuracy

Up to 70% energy savings with inverter tech

55% less refrigerant via microchannel design

Compact footprint, global voltage compatibility

Its factory-preset, tamper-proof design maintains constant outlet pressure regardless of inlet fluctuations, providing accurate, maintenance-free operation and protecting connected equipment from overpressure.

Compact and lightweight, OxyReg is easy to install across a wide range of applications, including anaesthetic

Available from Compressed Air Australia in pressure settings from 1 BAR to 8 BAR, it offers dependable performance wherever precise oxygen or gas control is required.

The Protect-Air OxyReg combines innovation, compliance and ease of use - helping industries operate safely, efficiently and lead-free.

Compressed Air Australia caasafety.com.au

For machinery, process control, and industrial enclosures.

Learn more

PRODUCTS

Master powder dispersion and hydration in liquid processing

Uniformly dispersing powders into liquids is one of the most persistent challenges for manufacturers in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, dairy, beverages and functional foods.

While the end goal is simple - a lump-free, stable, homogeneous mixture - the reality is rarely straightforward.

High-molecular-weight hydrocolloids, cellulose gums, proteins and starches often resist wetting, disperse unevenly, and can form clumps and “fish eyes” - hydrated shells trapping dry powder inside.

These issues can lead to:

• Long batch times

• Incomplete hydration

• Foaming and aeration

• Ingredient waste as more powder is required

• Downstream quality defects

The Mixquip Series 620 PowderLiquid Mixer tackles these challenges at the source. By introducing powders inline rather than into the process vessel, it prevents lumps and ensures immediate, uniform wetting.

Its high-shear rotor-stator design creates a controlled vacuum that draws powders directly into the liquid stream.

The result is instant, uniform dispersion, reduced aeration and a faster, more complete hydration of all powder, as well as flexible single-pass or recirculation processing.

The intense shear at powder incorporation eliminates the need for pre-wetting steps, non-aqueous dispersion mediums, extra mechanical agitation and specialised dispersion aids (in many cases).

This can cut process times by up to 50%, improving output, consistency and operational efficiency - all while reducing waste and simplifying clean-up with hygienic stainless-steel construction.

The Series 620 works across lab and pilot environments, and is applicable in both small-scale craft production and high-capacity industrial processing.

It integrates seamlessly into existing lines and adapts to both recirculation and continuous production workflows.

Powder dispersion doesn’t have to be a bottleneck. For faster batch cycles, higher product consistency, lower ingredient waste and improved efficiency, the Mixquip Series 620 addresses the root cause of dispersion challenges - not just the symptoms.

Mixquip have 50 years’

experience of designing and manufacturing mixers to solve a vast array of mixing issues across Australia. Upgrade your powder-liquid mixing process and see one of the most significant ROI opportunities across your production line.

Mixquip - mixquip.com

Let there be lighting: New partnership to expand LED access

Electrical componentry experts

Element14 have announced a new global deal to expand access to Fulham products within Australia.

Fulham, who produce advanced LED drivers, emergency lighting and intelligent control solutions, will now distribute via Element14 within the APAC region, enabling more availability to engineers and manufacturers.

“Element14 has a strong commitment to adding value for our customers, and this partnership expands both choice and access to innovative lighting technologies,” said Jose Lok, Global Product Categovry Director – Onboard Components & SBC, Element14.

“By working with Fulham, we are enabling customers worldwide to source advanced LED drivers, emergency lighting and control solutions through a trusted global distribution partner.”

Fulham are an American company with manufacturing based in India. They operate globally and,

thanks to this new deal, will have greater reach in Australia.

“Fulham is extremely excited to embark on this new relationship with Element14,” said CEO Antony Corrie.

Why continuous lubrication boosts manufacturing uptime

GreaseMax continuous automatic lubricators provide an effective solution for improved fan bearing lubrication and reliability.

Often the operating conditions in manufacturing facilities can be hot, humid, or, on occasion both. Correct lubrication is therefore a critical reliability factor in machinery.

GreaseMax uses continuous lubrication to ensure that lubrication-related failures are eliminated or minimised.

It also ensures that grease degradation issues arising in difficult operating conditions, such as where heat and humidity are factors, are eliminated. Physical access issues are also reduced.

GreaseMax lubrication offers increased reliability, operational efficiency, simplicity of use and cost-effectiveness.

The GreaseMax product is simply and easily installed and operates without needing maintenance or adjustment, and has no electrics or mechanical items and is completely reliable.

Its steel body handles pressure and heat, and can be used on moving and vibrating applications, feed lines and underwater.

It is intrinsically safe in all situations - including for static discharge - and at the end of its operating period, it is quickly and simply changed over.

Greasemax - greasemax.au

“The partnership brings together shared values, strong heritage and a commitment to global innovation.

“Element14 in APAC will be selling Fulham’s LED drivers, emergency battery backup solutions, exit signs and UV-C power systems across their global customer base.”

element14 Australia au.element14.com

Upcoming Events

Australian Manufacturing Week set for Brisbane debut in 2026

TAirshows Downunder Shellharbour

6-8 Mar 2026

Shellharbour Airport

Workplace

25-26 Mar 2026

BCEC

May 2026

RotorTech Helicopter and Uncrewed Flight Exposition

1 Jun 2026

ACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast

Electronex 3-4 Jun 2026

Rosehill Gardens Event Centre, Sydney

CeMAT Australia

23–25 Jun 2026

Melbourne, Australia

FoodPro

26–29 Jul 2026

MCEC Melbourne

Land Forces 2026

6-8 Oct 2026

Perth, Western Australia

he biggest week of the year for the manufacturing sector has a new home, with Brisbane set to welcome Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) in May 2026.

The event, hosted by AMTIL, will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 12-14 May 2026, with manufacturers from across the country and beyond expected to flock to Queensland to attend.

The event will include six dedicated product zones: Machine Tools, Additive Manufacturing, Robotics and Automation, Welding and Air Technology, the Australian Manufacturers’ Pavilion and Manufacturing Solutions.

A comprehensive speaker program will run alongside the exhibition, offering insights into emerging technologies, industry trends and practical strategies for business development.

“Manufacturing is evolving

ARBS

Nrapidly across Australia, and Queensland is no exception,” said Lorraine Maxwell, CEO of AMTIL.

“Queensland is home to a growing number of innovative manufacturers. AMW 2026 will highlight the strength of this local industry while continuing to serve as a national platform for showcasing excellence in advanced manufacturing.”

The Queensland Government is a major sponsor of AMW 2026, working in partnership with AMTIL to ensure the event reflects the state’s growing capabilities and ambitions in manufacturing.

“We’re proud to host Australia’s leading manufacturing event here in Queensland,” said Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development Deputy DirectorGeneral Jason Kidd.

“AMW 2026 is a valuable opportunity to connect with a highly engaged

AMTIL is set to break new ground in Queensland

national audience of industry leaders, and it represents a strong investment in the continued growth of Queensland’s manufacturing sector.”

Registration will open in late 2025, with further details available directly through AMTIL’s channels as well as here in Industry Update, an official media partner of the event.

AMTIL - amtil.com.au

Awards return for 2026 with expanded categories and formats

ominations have opened for the ARBS Awards 2026, Australia’s leading celebration of innovation and achievement in HVAC&R, building services and technology.

Widely regarded as the industry’s highest honour, the ARBS Awards recognises the projects, products and professionals shaping the industry.

For 2026, the ARBS Awards will feature additional categories in a new two-stream format: the ARBS Industry Excellence Awards and the ARBS Future Leader Awards.

“Every two years, the ARBS Awards shine a light on the best and brightest driving Australia’s HVAC&R, building services and technology industry forward,” said Amanda Searle, CEO of ARBS.

“The new format for 2026 allows us to celebrate excellence from across all areas of our industry.”

David Eynon of the ARBS Foundation, added: “The ARBS Foundation is proud to support the next generation of talent with a $5,000 Foundation scholarship for each Future Leader Award recipient.

“This funding is designed to help emerging professionals take the next step in their careers through further education, training or research initiatives.”

ARBS Industry Excellence Award Categories:

• Major Project Excellence Award

Large HVAC&R projects over $5 million demonstrating innovation, sustainability and environmental performance.

• Minor Project Excellence Award

Small Australian HVAC&R projects under $5 million demonstrating innovation, sustainability and environmental performance.

• IBTech Project Excellence Award Australian projects that successfully integrate intelligent-building principles for high-performing, sustainable outcomes.

• IBTech Product Excellence Award

Intelligent building technologies and services that improve performance, connectivity and user experience through smart design or digital innovation.

• HVAC Product Excellence Award

New or enhanced HVAC products that deliver innovation, sustainability and proven industry impact.

• Refrigeration Product Excellence Award

Refrigeration technologies that demonstrate innovation, sustainability and outstanding performance in real-world applications.

• Education & Training Excellence Award

Initiatives that advance skills, education and professional growth in the HVAC&R and building services industry.

• Hall of Fame Tribute to individuals whose

leadership, service and contribution have left a lasting legacy in the HVAC&R and building services sector (nomination via ARBS associations).

ARBS Future Leader

Awards Categories:

• HVAC&R Tradesperson Award

Two awards acknowledging outstanding tradespeople who demonstrate excellence, professionalism and dedication in the delivery of HVAC&R services.

• Young Achiever Award

Emerging professional (aged 30 years or under) demonstrating outstanding leadership and commitment in the HVAC&R, IBTech and building services sector.

• Outstanding Female in Industry Award

Exceptional female professional who has made a significant impact within the HVAC&R, IBTech and building services industry.

Winners for the ARBS Future Leaders Awards will be announced at the ARBS Future Leaders Forum on 7 May, as part of ARBS 2026. Winners for the ARBS Industry Excellence Awards will be awarded at our gala dinner on 6 May, during ARBS 2026 in Melbourne.

ARBS - arbs.com.au

Supply chain specialists and F&B giants take out major award

Intralogistics specialists Swisslog and global snack food leader Mondelēz International aer celebrating after picking up an Australian Supply Chain and Logistics Association (ASCLA) award for their new automated distribution centre (DC) in Truganina, Victoria.

Swisslog’s new automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) for Mondelēz International won the “automation, robotics, or emerging technology award” category at the 2025 ASCLA awards.

This award category recognises an organisation that has made a significant impact to the supply chain through devices, robotics, automation, wearable or other emerging physical technologies.

The ASCLA Awards is Australia’s most prestigious recognition of supply chain and logistics excellence.

“This is a fantastic achievement, and a testament to the hard work of the entire Swisslog team, who created a flexible and efficient solution tailored to the current and varied potential future needs of Mondelēz,” said Swisslog Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Dan Ulmamei.

“This is Mondelēz’s first national DC in Australia, and it was developed and implemented by Swisslog’s local teams for sales, design, engineering, controls, software and integration.”

Swisslog’s automation solution for Mondelēz involves the latest generation of best-in-class ASRS cranes, including 11 Vectura vertical stacker cranes, each 32m tall, with double-deep load handling forks, and an inverted monorail circuit equipped with 22 dual-load trollies.

It also features 16 dual pallet flow lanes, 490 metres of pallet conveyor, 56,100 pallet locations in the high bay (with room to expand the ASRS up to 62,000 in the future as the business grows), and Swisslog’s SynQ software, which will be used as the Warehouse Execution System (WES).

The system’s designed throughput includes 218 total inbound pallets per hour and 255 total outbound pallets per hour.

The double deep ASRS solution provides a high level of flexibility in operation for both storage utilisation and selectivity.

Swisslog and Mondelēz staff with their award

A double deep rack design is also economical due to simpler, safer, and quicker lead time to delivery, and installation procedure.

The system has been designed with additional throughput capability in cranes, monorails, and conveyors for operational redundancy, creating a future-ready solution.

“Mondelēz International is investing in the future of our supply chain capabilities and strengthening our operations through the opening of a national distribution centre, creating efficiencies to offset rising costs, while increasing our network storage capacity and overall productivity,” said Mohammed Ali Idrees, Vice President, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Supply Chain, Mondelēz International.

“Swisslog was able to present the best solution for the long-term benefit of our operations.”

Swisslog - swisslog.com