Business

Award winning fashion agency brings Cactus Leather to Australia

Slyletica offers wide range of eco fabrics including the new vegan leather ‘Desserto’ to entrepreneurs & influencers looking to start an athleisure brand; interest has surged due to Covid-19 and casual ‘work from home’ attire. Slyletica, a leading fashion agency and pioneer in the manufacturing space, is excited to announce they are introducing the latest innovation in sustainable fabrics, Desserto cactus leather, to Australia ahead of Earth Day on April 22nd, 2020. Founded in Mexico, the cactus leather Desserto won the international Green Product Award 2020 in Germany just last month. The organic material is made from turning nopal cactus leaves into vegan, cruelty-free leather. Older leaves are taken from organically grown nopal cactus plants, cleaned, crushed, and left to dry in the sun for three days prior to manufacturing. The material is sustainable, organic, soft, durable enough to make clothing and accessories and partially biodegradable – unlike other vegan leathers which are made from PVC or plastic. Working closely with the supplier of the leather, Slyletica is proud to add another eco-friendly option to its diverse library of materials and offer it to their growing database of clients looking for environmentally friendly fabrics for their lines. Slyletica’s range of eco-fabrics includes materials like wool, tencel, linen, organic cotton, hemp, modal, bamboo and most recently Econyl yarn by Carvico – a fabrication made from repurposed and recycled fishing nets. Slyletica is Australia’s leading fashion agency and the only in the world that offers a complete end-to-end solution for anyone wanting to start a fashion brand. Specialising in athleisure and sportswear, Slyletica will work with over 250 influencers and entrepreneurs by the end of 2020 in an industry that is thriving during Covid-19 and the surge of ‘work from home’ attire. Slyletica was recently named the Business News Australia Young Entrepreneur […]

What to do with 1 billion hours of time?

COVID-19’s impact on the Australian labour market has been dramatic and multifaceted. Some sectors of the economy have been almost completely shut down by government order. The demand in many industries has collapsed, while a few others have seen an increase. As many as one million jobs are under threat. Such estimates came before the government’s extraordinary JobKeeper scheme, which will undoubtedly reduce this figure considerably. Despite that, many who will keep their jobs may not actually have much to do at work. The economy will be in “hibernation” or on “life-support” for some time to come. We’ve gained about 1 billion hours of time If the economy has shed the equivalent of one million jobs, then we’ve gained about one billion hours of available time, and that’s just over the next six months. The full impact of the crisis could be even larger. What should we do with this time? Many of us are spending more time with children who are no longer physically at school. Some of us are doing tasks which our older relatives previously did. Netflix is also a compelling option. From a human capital perspective, the crisis presents a unique economic opportunity to re-train and up-skill Australia’s labour force. The Australian government jumped on board on Sunday, announcing funding that would cut the price of new six-month, remotely delivered diplomas and graduate certificates in nursing, teaching, health, information technology and science provided by universities and private tertiary institutions. Economists have long observed that investment in human capital (education, skills) tends to increase during recessions, because there aren’t as many well-paying alternatives. We can use it to get ahead of the curve In the current recession, the opportunities for training are greater. Even those of us who will remain employed but have little to do can use the time to invest in training. Our […]

Launching Australia’s first digital shipbuilding class

Australia is launching its first digital shipbuilding course to ensure the nation’s workforce is ready to tackle the $35 billion Hunter Class frigates program. The partnership between BAE Systems shipbuilding business, ASC Shipbuilding, and South Australia’s Flinders University will shore up important digital technology skills for the country’s $90 billion naval shipbuilding plan. Its first 53 recruits are finishing up jobs on the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer program and the course, which began this week, will save vital experience and upskill workers for new builds in South Australia. “The face of modern shipbuilding is changing and the Diploma of Digital Technology will enable current shipbuilders to keep pace with the latest trends while ensuring they are equipped for the future,” ASC Shipbuilding managing director Craig Lockhart said. “Not only does this course equip our employees with the skills that will be in demand at our digital shipyard at Osborne, but it guarantees we retain the shipbuilding skills between the end of the current shipbuilding programs and the ramp up of the Hunter program.” The newly-created Diploma of Digital Technology based in South Australia is funded by the State and Federal governments. “Our partnership with Flinders University means we will upskill shipbuilders on the latest in Industry 4.0 technologies and techniques, benefiting not only the Hunter Class Frigate Program but the broader shipbuilding industry,” Lockhart said. “Flinders has responded very well to the COVID-19 situation and converted most of the tuition to online which is embracing the new technologies that we will require in a modern data-rich shipyard.” Training is also being supported by TAFE SA and the Naval Shipbuilding College with a focus on building the world’s most advanced digital shipyard in South Australia. “We are delighted to once again be partnering with ASC Shipbuilding to apply our research […]

Manufacturers keep boosted sanitiser supply in local hands

South Australian companies are ramping up hand sanitiser production to fill local shortages While some are traditional manufacturers increasing production, a number of distilleries are also filling the void to supply emergency services and health staff as they try to slow the spread of COVID-19. Iconic South Australian hair and beauty guru Arturo Taverna is quarantining its increased supply of hand sanitiser and hospital grade disinfectant to fill local shortages. Before demand spiked in Australia last month, the company was scrambling to fill export orders for countries reeling from the effects of COVID-19 but now director Andrew Taverna said Artav Australia was doing its best to only supply Australian clients from its Regency Park factory. “From the moment we heard there was a need here we have moved production to supply locally,” Arturo’s son Andrew Taverna said. “The problem is we are struggling to get vital ingredients, so if we can only produce small quantity at a time we are trying our best to prioritise the product between the most in need.” A second shift has been added at Taverna’s family company Artav Australia to fuel the production increase as coronavirus empties Australian warehouses and supermarket shelves. The company has also reduced production levels of some of its other hair and beauty lines so it can focus on its its Dispel sanitising products. It now employs 60 staff and Taverna said it was committed to retaining and employing more people as many businesses closed their doors with new social distancing rules around the virus. “For us the importance of doing business is two-fold, we want to get as much product as we can produce to the most important places,” Taverna said. “We’re trying to understand and to identify the key places to provide our disinfectant and hand sanitiser.” Hand sanitisers […]

Coronovirus drives sales Aus Asia MN Websites

Coronavirus drives sales of hi-tech mobile x-ray units

The Adelaide-based company reported to the Australian Securities Exchange that sales of its flagship lightweight mobile x-ray machine had reached $1.8 million for the quarter with $1 million worth of sales in the past 20 days. With two weeks of the March quarter remaining, the result has already dwarfed December quarter DRX Revolution Nano sales of $384,000 and is almost on par with the $1.9 million in sales achieved in the entire 2019 financial year. There is a requirement for urgent delivery of the latest batch of orders within a four-week time frame. These additional purchase orders are for delivery to Asia and Europe. The company said while the orders through its distributor Carestream Health did not specify the end customer, it was understood that due to the size and urgency of the orders, some of these Nano units were to be deployed in connection with the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. While the standard lead time for the delivery of a Nano is between 8-12 weeks from order date, Micro-X says it has been able to deliver its recent February orders within a time frame of approximately four weeks from order date. Early-stage diagnosis of coronavirus is by a blood test to confirm the infectious agent, and a chest x-ray is used as an essential part of diagnosis of the development and progression of the severity of the illness. Like with pneumonia, a chest x-ray is used to detect fluid in the lungs, particularly with patients presenting with severe acute respiratory distress. Micro-X managing director Peter Rowland said the mobile x-ray imaging units offered a flexibility of use most suited to the requirements of infection control procedures and also the nature of temporary hospital quarantine buildings. “With the alarming state of this growing epidemic, we are pleased that our Nano […]

Historic French city gets a 3D makeover from Australia

Groundbreaking 3D modelling of an old French city and its historic castle is attracting European interest in the South Australian aerial mapping business commissioned for the job. The city of Pau in southern France launched an international search last year before choosing Adelaide-based Aerometrex Limited to partner with its local company IGO SAS to complete the work. The landmark modelling project has now been unveiled for the city known for its art and history – with the model produced at a resolution approaching a few millimetres per pixel. “This project illustrates the global reach of our 3D modelling service as well as the degree of 3D technical excellence that now exists in the company,” Aerometrex’s managing director Mark Deuter said. “The 3D model of the city of Pau has set a standard that will attract the attention of every other municipality in Europe. “We intend to capitalise on this exposure by working closely with our sales channel partners in Europe and the USA in 2020.” Adelaide-based Aerometrex implemented the science of massive multi-ray photogrammetry for the job, this involved the geometric reconstruction of more than 100,000 2D images taken from helicopter, drone and on foot. Now users can get a new visual experience of Pau, the birth city of King Henry IV and one of the regular venues for the Tour de France cycling race. “The combination of very high-resolution shots and the surface treatment make it a first on a European scale,” Marc Serraf, Director of AEC Informatique, the company in charge of project management assistance, said. It also now gives planners in the French city the ability to deliver architects or engineers a better understanding of the position of buildings in Pau before construction firms can also deposit digital sketches within the framework of building permits. The mapping […]

Defence companies vie for slice of $35 billion Australian frigate pie

Detailed planning for Australia’s Hunter Class Frigate Program is well underway as local companies vie for a slice of the $35 billion project. Nine anti-submarine warfare frigates will be built by ASC Shipbuilding at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia in what is being described as the largest surface ship project in Australia’s defence history. Construction of the first test blocks for the project will begin towards the end of this year with defence companies now being short-listed to carry out part of the work. Among them is Adelaide defence company AFL services, which has been down-selected for lucrative blast and paint work. AFL services was one of four Australian companies recently invited to tour global defence company BAE Systems’ world-class shipyards in Scotland to inspect painting processes used on the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. This is the reference ship design for Hunter class. “AFL Services has a proud history of working on defence projects, from land vehicles with BAE/Tenix toll defence, and components for Navantia to the Collins Class submarines,” General manager Adam Levi said. AFL Services now has more than 60 staff and winning a slice of the Frigate work would boost projections. ASC Shipbuilding won the head contract to provide the design and build framework of the nine anti-submarine warfare frigates that will be replacing the nation’s eight Anzac Class frigates. ASC Shipbuilding has become a subsidiary of BAE Systems throughout the build process before ownership is returned to the Commonwealth at the completion of the project. The two-year first building of five test blocks at the world-class digital shipyard in Osborne, Adelaide, is beginning in December this year with building of the first frigate expected to commence in 2022. “We appreciate that BAE System is embracing Australian industry content and helping small businesses reach their […]

Australian Iot company buddy’s up with major lighting manufacturer

Buddy Technologies Limited has licensed its software suite to Hong Kong-based Eastfield Lighting as part of a 10-year multi-product agreement. The agreement provides for a non-refundable payment of US$250,000 to initiate the arrangement, and further provides for a license fee per piece of manufactured product powered by Buddy’s LIFX platform. Buddy listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in December 2015 and established its Australian headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia in 2016. It announced the acquisition of smart lighting technology company, LIFX, earlier this year. Eastfield is a prominent manufacturer of lighting products in southeast China, manufacturing well in excess of 10 million lights per year, including the company’s LIFX brand of smart lights. Buddy’s founder and Chief Executive Officer David McLauchlan spent 15 years working for Microsoft in Seattle, founding Buddy Platform, and acting as an advisor to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation before moving to South Australia. In addition to manufacturing consumer lighting products, Eastfield is also a prominent manufacturer of high bay lighting, outdoor lighting, streetlights and other commercial products. “Having spent a lot of time at Eastfield’s factory in Shenzhen and seeing the vast scale at which they manufacture lighting products, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with Eastfield on making their products smart, and delivering even greater value to their customers globally,” McLauchlan said. “The fastest way for us to place our technologies into some of the most prominent brands and products in the world, is to do so via partnerships with their manufacturers such as this. “This agreement is a big win for our commercial licensing team and for future customers of Eastfield’s lighting products.” Buddy’s consumer business trades under the LIFX brand and has established a leading market position as a provider of smart lighting solutions. The company’s suite of Wi-Fi […]

Harting solutions for the machine building industry

The Harting Technology Group accompanies you through technological transformations. Innovative components, consultants, services and systems help guide customers into the digital future. As a single-source solution, the company offers everything from individual components to custom-fit systems. Harting is advancing the digitalisation of the machine building industry with innovative, scalable interface solutions for all types of power, signal or data connections in machinery. These solutions can take advantage of demands in practically any industrial sub-segment. Selected machines in the key sub-segments of the machine building industry are catered for and advice offered for configuring interfaces for power, signal or data The solutions are well suited for use in other sub-segments – if the application requirements and the applicable standards are comparable. Typical machines that use Harting solutions include: Plastics and rubber machinery Printing machines and machines for print finishing Metal-forming machines (including punching and laser machines) Metal-working machine tools Wood-working machinery Machines that produce semiconductors Food processing and packaging machinery Robotics Handling and assembly Electric cranes Mobile machines Han-Modular – The market standard for modular connectors With the Han-Modular series, you can optimally design connectors to supply machinery and equipment. This is made possible by combining individual modules for different transmission media. Signals, data, power and compressed air – in standard-sized industrial connector housings. Han-Modular offers easy-to-handle, highly flexible solutions with a small footprint and versatile functionality. Hygienic and robust: Connectors for the food industry With Han F+B, Harting has created a range of connectors especially designed for the requirements of the food industry. Smooth surfaces make it harder for bacteria to accumulate. The hoods, housings and seals are robust and protect the internal contacts against hose water and aggressive cleaning agents. Hygiene and safety are particularly important in food processing. Machines and equipment must be designed so that they are […]

Commercial pilot projects fast track green cooling technology

Industrial cooling systems that utilise solar energy, thermal storage, smart technology and non-toxic refrigerants will be trialled at three major commercial sites. South Australian company Glaciem Cooling Technology has received $2 million in Australian government funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to demonstrate the technical and economic value of integrating thermal energy storage with renewable energy into Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) applications. The trial systems will be installed in South Australia at Pernod Ricard’s Rowland Flat winery in the Barossa Valley and Ceravolo Orchards in the Adelaide Hills, as well as in the Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Queensland. The $4.95 million project will allow Glaciem to field test its Thermal Energy Storage solution in commercial and industrial HVAC&R settings. Glaciem and the University of South Australia have spent a decade developing a low cost thermal energy storage technology to store and discharge energy using a heat transfer process. This occurs at a temperature suited to the specific application using special material. The technology has the added benefit of using natural refrigerants rather than commonly used synthetic refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide, which are harmful to the environment. The air-cooled CO2 refrigeration system has been operating at The Bend Motorsport Park, about 100km southeast of the South Australian capital Adelaide, for about 15 months, providing UniSA and Glaciem with more than a year’s worth of clean data in a commercial setting. Glaciem’s technology also uses an advanced control and forecasting system to optimise the system’s operation based on weather forecasts, electricity price forecasts, and customer demand forecasts to allow the storage system to maximise savings. Glaciem CEO Julian Hudson said the three projects all demonstrated different applications across a variety of industries and would provide valuable data to prove the financial model in the field and drive the cost of […]

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