Business

Immersive booths to bring business expos to life

Technology that brings standard exhibition booths alive with video projections has launched this month. The immersive booth technology is the brainchild of Andy Roberts, the founder of Rogue Lumens, a technology company in Adelaide, South Australia. In a previous role, Roberts had travelled the world attending conferences and was constantly uninspired by the static displays of posters and logos on show. “At an exhibition in October 2016 I was standing there and it occurred to me that we could do a lot more in a booth by introducing new technology,” said Roberts. He first looked into incorporating augmented or virtual reality but found the technology was not ready for a mass market. “The uncomfortable interruption of having someone ask you to put something over your face in a crowded room is such that you just can’t do it. But we wanted to find a way we could produce an immersive type experience without having to interrupt someone naturally,” he said. Roberts and his team came up with a software program that allows projectors to seamlessly turn the three sides of a standard 9sq m booth into screens. “We built our own software and web portal to solve how we would populate this size of screen,” said Roberts. The web portal allows users to see what their booth would look like from all angles as people approach the stall, and incorporates a human outline to ensure the scale is correct. “It is all put together with a bespoke interface that companies can make with their own content – such as photos and video – and the software scales it,” said Roberts. “We’ve had the luxury of actually being in the position of being at exhibitions so we are solving a problem we’ve had ourselves. We were thinking about the tools we […]

Joint venture uses united technology to reach record heights

In the picture: One of the Haulotte boom lifts United rented to SBP-Retracom Joint Venture, to assist with the safe and efficient installation of insulated panels. In a Victorian cold storage project, an SBP Australia and Retracom joint venture has utilised United Forklift and Access Solutions’ safe and versatile access equipment in the construction of Australia’s highest insulated panel building, standing 38 metres tall. The New Cold 2 project in Truganina Victoria consists of a chilled warehouse with an adjacent despatch and packaging building, totalling 23,500m2. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017, with nearly all external panels installed already. United telehandlers, straight booms and electric scissor lifts were used to install PIR insulated panels at various heights, including the apex of the roof, 38 metres high. “United have also been quick to respond to any issues, including service, maintenance and site challenges. This is a challenging project and we’ve had to work together to overcome different issues relating to the machinery, the site and the weather,” said Mr Bill Thompson, Project Manager, SBP-Retracom Joint Venture. “One issue that arose earlier this year is that a new set of site requirements was introduced requiring a crush bar to be configured onto all booms to protect the operator. United were straight onto it, and promptly replaced all booms that were not fitted with the crush bar with new machines that had one already fitted.” United Forklift and Access Solutions’ Rental Manager, Mr Jason Thompson, said United forged a productive partnership with the SPB-Retracom Joint Venture through a series of key initiatives tailored to their needs, including: Tailored lines of communication by way of a Dedicated Account Manager to handle all aspects of the account and to facilitate speed and ease of communication as per the client’s […]

Medical devices give hope to traditional manufacturers

By Caleb Radford Manufacturing companies in Australia are finding niches in the medical technologies sector as their traditional markets of mining and automotive diminish. Lower production costs and more robust large-scale capabilities offshore are playing a major role in the exit of mining and automotive component manufacturers from Australia. However, industry and government support have helped some firms evolve their advanced manufacturing skills and enter the medical device market. Medical device production in Australia has grown by 1.3 per cent annually since 2012 and is now valued at AU$3 billion a year according to IBISWorld. South Australia is emerging as a hub for the medical devices industry and is home to the Tonsley Innovation Hub and the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, a $3 billion tripartite health hub comprising a major hospital, research centres and educational institutions. The Tonsley hub is located on the site of a former Mitsubishi car manufacturing plant and major tenants include medical device manufacturer Micro-X, Siemens and ZEN Energy. International optical and optoelectronics firm ZEISS is also about to move into a new $6 million premises at the hub. The downturn in world commodity prices has forced South Australian company Plastico and Hackett Engineering to shift its focus from mineral analysis equipment development to components for orthopaedic implants. The company first dabbled in medical devices in 2014 but has now decided to make it a major focus following collaboration with another Adelaide-based firm, Austofix. Plastico and Hackett Managing Director David Schiller said 20 years’ experience making mining components had it well placed to succeed in the medical field. “The decline of the mining industry in Australia has forced us to look at other things,” he said. “China seems to be commanding a large chunk of the mining components manufacturing and we have seen our business move […]

Bungala solar project achieves ‘clean energy’ firsts in Australia

Australia has taken another significant step forward in improving its reliance on clean energy with the recent financial close of the first of two phases of the 300 MWac Bungala Solar Photovoltaic (PV) project near Port Augusta, South Australia. The project, which is being sold to two of Europe’s biggest investors in renewables, the Italian Enel Green Energy and the Dutch Infrastructure Fund, has achieved several industry ‘firsts’. One of several large-scale solar projects proposed for South Australia, it will be the first to begin construction. It is also amongst the first large solar farms to participate in Australia’s frequency control and ancillary services (FCAS) market, using inverter technology to provide voltage control for the grid. Once fully operational, the project will generate sufficient energy for approximately 130 000 homes and assist the grid with ancillary services. Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has been engaged by the EPC contractor Green Light Contractors, subsidiary of Elecnor Australia, to provide design services for Phases One and Two of the solar farm, including preparation of management plans as well as assisting with commissioning of the project. These phases of the Bungala Solar Project form part of a number of large scale solar farms to be built in Australia in 2018. Next year, six new large scale solar farms in Queensland, five in New South Wales and one in Western Australia are set to be constructed. “The Bungala Solar Project will support Australia’s commitment to a greener economy and create a number of jobs in the Port Augusta region for years to come. The project is being fast-tracked and we will be able to see the tangible results within a short amount of time, with the first electricity to be supplied to the grid by the first quarter of next year, with […]

Air Springs boosts customer service

Australia’s leading supplier of air springs and associated technologies for heavy vehicle suspensions and industrial actuation and isolation, Air Springs Supply, has relocated to a new and customer-responsive facility at Unit 18, 38-46 South Street in Rydalmere, NSW, to better serve its customers. Air Springs Supply, which is the exclusive national distributor for Firestone Industrial products and Pronal Elastomer products, says the new facility is more centrally located for their customers, as well as providing efficient room for inventory and spare parts. The facility – which will also include the HQ of All-Air Suspension – is configured for speedy and efficient responses to OEM and spare parts, industrial and transport orders and to meet the needs of local manufacturing customers. “We wanted our new headquarters to have better access for all our customers and additional space for our products to improve availability and lead times. At Rydalmere we found a place that ticked all the boxes and looked bright and professional at the same time,” said Air Springs Sales and Marketing Manager, Mr James Maslin. “We spent more than a generation at our previous office, so it may take some getting used to, but the team is excited about the benefits this new place will offer to our valued customers,” said Mr Maslin. Air Springs’ products range from the tiny Airomatic polyactuator that stands just 11mm (.45in) high deflated for ultra-compact installation in light load applications through to heavy duty Marsh Mellow springs, which are fabric-reinforced solid rubber isolators used for quiet isolation of machinery vibration and for general shock absorption throughout industry. Versatile range: Air Springs products range from the tiny Polyactuator (left) to the heavy-duty Marsh Mellow rubber spring (right). Their core range of air springs (shown below) are used in heavy transport as well as a huge […]

“Manufacturing is dead in Australia?” We don’t think so

John Sheridan, CEO at Digital Business insights. When we asked people across our industry networks two years ago, “Is manufacturing dead?” the answer was resoundingly “No.” But it is in transition. It is not just manufacturing that is changing. All our industries are being disrupted to a greater or lesser extent. And that is intimidating for many. The digital revolution continues to disrupt, largely in ways that are ill understood by politicians. Industry sectors are impacted and transformed. Jobs disappear daily. And nobody knows who to blame. Internet. Email, The World Wide Web. Google. Multiple apps and devices. Take your pick. The use of connected wisdom and insights (joined up thinking) to manage the disruptive change is absent without leave. Governments and businesses postpone action and wait and see. And “Leadership?” is a cry for help from populations across the planet. This is no time for dickering around. Another year has almost gone. The political news side-show alley in the US, Europe and Asia is super sticky and attractive day by day, but really just a shell game hiding the deep and fundamental issues of digital change that are a million times more disruptive than presidents and brexits could ever be. And to address that we need strategic and thoughtful action, not side-shows. We have to recognise and then understand what is changing and then do what we can about it. Which surprisingly is rather a lot. Because with the shift of power from vendor to customer, old world to new world, and “command and control” to collaboration, most useful action is now starting at the grass roots. Born of frustration. But also born from the recognition of the positive power of network connection and collaboration. Two years ago there were a number of comments from ministers in Canberra about […]

Made in China: Chinese business has evolved from imitation to innovation

Bruce McKern, Honorary Professor, Business School; Recently Visiting Fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University and Oxford University, University of Sydney. Most of us use products made in China every day and are aware of its growing economic power as a factory to the world. But China intends to become a developed nation by mid-century and integral to this ambition is its intense focus on innovation. In a very few decades, Chinese companies had evolved from imitators to imaginative and effective innovators. As part of my research with my colleague George Yip on this issue, we identified three key phases in China’s development: 1. From Copying to Fit for Purpose 2. From Followers to World Standard 3. From Seeking New Resources to Seeking New Knowledge Chinese companies now pose a challenge to established multinationals, as they enter the markets of the developed world to become insiders. Since China’s former leader, Deng Xiaoping, implemented market-oriented economic reforms to China in 1979-80, the driving forces of this transformation have been the customer and the culture. Chinese customers have an insatiable and rapidly growing demand for products, as the large, diverse population seeks better lives. This has stimulated many companies to develop affordable products for those needs. And a culture of entrepreneurship in the business sector has been facilitated by a far-sighted government with a strong drive for independence and economic development. The Chinese government has fostered an innovation ecosystem across the country, consisting of some 100 science and technology parks, universities and government research institutions, which provide support for new enterprises. The Chinese government and business invested some US$190 billion in research and development in 2013, which is around 40% of the annual R&D investment in the United States. China’s research and development expenditure represents just over 2% of its GDP, which is slightly […]

New innovations for NMW 2016

National Manufacturing Week, Australia’s largest, longest running manufacturing industry event, returns to Sydney (May 11 – 13), with industry ‘firsts’ to help propel the industry into the future. Key to this year’s program are co-located events, high profile industry figures presenting case studies and new ideas, as well as exhibitors from around the world with innovative products and services. To enhance the value of attending for industry professionals, NMW2016 will be co-located with headline events showcasing new possibilities for manufacturers, including the Safety First Conference & Expo. Safety First is Australia’s first one-stop safety event that provides a rare opportunity to see safety solutions and talk with leading safety thinkers. NMW will also co-locate with Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo, the Australian education of the world-leading event that will bring new strategies, stories of success and more to help local companies make the most of game-changing 3D printing technologies. Inside 3D Printing will showcase next generation 3D printers and companies that can help businesses open up new worlds of possibility. The showcase will include Konica Minolta Business Solutions’, with 3D technologies that help companies create working prototypes, parts and custom-made products in a fraction of the time currently required, with industry leading service support by Konica Minolta’s national service organisation. The showcase will also include energetic local businesses – including Bilby 3D and Sydney 3D Printing – backing global technologies with advice and support for companies looking to leverage new opportunities from this game-changing technology. NMW to showcase innovations across the exhibition floor NMW will be home to over a thousand innovative products and services, from some 200 European, Asian and local companies. Among the new solutions on offer in 2016 will be – in the Welding Technology Product Zone – the latest in welding solutions from Kemppi. Kemppi […]

Rio Tinto iron ore: delivering unrivalled value through the cycle

Rio Tinto has demonstrated how the completion of its world-class iron ore expansion project in Western Australia will deliver significant shareholder value as the sector transitions through the ongoing volatility in global commodity markets. At an investor seminar in Sydney today, Rio Tinto outlined the next phase in its long-term strategy to capitalise on the growing global demand for high-quality iron ore through a relentless focus on productivity and efficiency, technology, and people development to drive costs lower at its Pilbara operations. Rio Tinto also revealed new detail on the data underpinning its projections for 2.5 per cent average annual growth for steel demand across China and the rest of the world over the next 15 years. This rigorous analysis confirms that Chinese crude steel production is expected to reach around one billion tonnes by 2030. Emerging markets will also play an increasingly significant role in the iron ore market, with non-Chinese steel demand expected to increase by 65 per cent by 2030. Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Andrew Harding said “As we move into our 50th year of exports from Australia, Rio Tinto is embarking on a new phase in our iron ore business. “We have spent the past decade building the best iron ore business in the world – a project that has come in on time and below initial cost estimates. We intend to optimise these new assets to deliver maximum value for shareholders and stakeholders as markets transition. “Our long-term strategy is supported by comprehensive market analysis, leadership in people, world-class technology and an unrelenting pursuit of productivity improvements. Rio Tinto has some of the best tier one mining assets in the world and our workplace culture of chasing new efficiencies will ensure we remain the best iron ore producer in the industry. “We are […]

IoT Asia 2016 – Closing the Gap: From Vision to Reality

IoT Asia 2016 30-31 March 2016, Singapore EXPO www.internetofthingsasia.com Closing the Gap: From Vision to Reality The Internet of Things is opening up a world of opportunities for everyone from connected cars to connected healthcare to smart cities and even home automation. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2020, about 50 billion things will be connected. In short, the Internet of Things adds an entirely new dimension to transform governments, businesses and societies and advancing humanity in ways we cannot yet imagine. Since 2014, IoT Asia has been a key industry platform for governments, industry and technology leaders to foster closer partnerships and in turn create opportunities for the public and private sectors to embrace the Internet of Things. This tradeshow will highlight key areas critical to the development and the future of Internet of Things in Asia. Smart Cities * Wearables * IoT Data Analytics* Design Applications * Enablers * Industrial IoT What to expect at IoT Asia 2016? • 2,500 attendees • 80 sponsors and exhibitors • More international Country Pavilions • Thematic Zones for a richer attendee experience • Live product demos • New product launches • Focused conference tracks on Design Applications, IoT Data Analytics, Industrial IoT, Smart Cities and Wearables Organised by SIAA and SingEx Exhibitions, the 3rd edition of IoT Asia is an event developed by the industry, for the industry. Online visitor pre-registration and conference registration opens in late 2015. For more information, visit www.internetofthingsasia.com

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