Business

More than meets the eye: Turning transformer trouble into sustainable success

What started as an unexpected failure on a key piece of machinery has ended as one of the most ambitious and successful recycling projects Meridian has ever undertaken. A failure in one of two transformers at Meridian’s West Wind site last May left the team with one working transformer and scratching their heads about what to do with the other one – all 100 tonnes of it. “We decided that it wasn’t cost effective to repair,” says West Wind Site Owner Hamish Walker. “One of the questions we asked was, what’s best for business? Do we pick this failed transformer up, plonk it next to it, and just leave it there?” Ultimately, the decision was guided by a combination of economics and environmentalism. Senior Project Manager Jade Lloyd says the team quickly found that the best and only acceptable option was to salvage as much of the failed transformer as possible. More than meets the eye: turning transformer trouble into sustainable success – YouTube Of the roughly 100-tonne transformer and 36,000 litres of oil, it’s estimate that just three tonnes of wood, oil-soaked wood and paper were unable to be repurposed, recycled or reused. Lower Hutt-based supplier Macaulay Metals was engaged to assist with the removal of the transformer. Because its enormous size made it very hard to transport it on the winding rural roads leading from West Wind, it was dismantled into its component parts on site. “They took the tank away, pulled all the copper out, and that’s going away and getting recycled. And they pull all the steel laminations, which is the majority of the weight there. Then they get chopped into smaller laminations and get reused in smaller transformers,” says Hamish Walker. Following five months of meticulous planning, the scrapping process took just two weeks, starting […]

Samsara Eco secures $100M in Series A+ funding to help end plastic waste

The funding will increase the scale-up’s global recycling capabilities and divert millions of tonnes of plastics from landfills and incineration Canberra- Samsara Eco, the enviro-tech innovator has raised AUD$100/USD$65 million in its latest funding round. Led by global investment company, Temasek and Australian deep tech investment fund, Main Sequence, as well as a cohort of new and existing backers including Wollemi Capital, lululemon, Hitachi Ventures, Titanium Ventures (formerly Telstra Ventures) and DCVC, the funding brings Samsara Eco one step closer to eliminating plastic waste, and ensuring it never ends up in landfill or incinerated again. The capital will help Samsara Eco scale its enzymatic recycling capabilities, with new commercial facilities to be built in South East Asia in the next few years. The facilities will recycle millions of tonnes of plastic waste like discarded textiles and packaging, to produce tens of thousands of tonnes of monomers (the molecular building blocks of plastics), which will be turned into brand new products, creating a truly circular loop. The company will also scale-up its global team of chemists, engineers and technicians, as well as increase its library of plastic-eating enzymes. “Plastics have been an environmental disaster with almost every piece of the 9 billion tonnes ever made still on the planet. But almost all plastic is reusable and recyclable with the right technology. We’re on a mission to end plastic waste and with it, repair our climate, said Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco. “The ability to infinitely recycle plastic in an environmentally friendly way is a game changer for brands and our planet. Our enzymatic recycling technology makes it easy for brands in almost every industry to meet their sustainability and decarbonisation goals by creating a circular loop for plastics. We’ve already made significant traction in the textile space but […]

ImpexTrack redefines global container and shipment visibility

ImpexDocs, a leading Australian GTM (Global Trade Management) software company headquartered in Sydney, has launched ImpexTrack, a revolutionary software solution designed to redefine container and shipment visibility for exporters and importers worldwide. With ImpexTrack, businesses can now experience unparalleled insight into international shipments through real-time container event tracking, including dynamic Estimated/Actual Time of Arrival (ETAs/ATAs) and Estimated/Actual Time of Departure (ETDs/ATDs), thereby revolutionising shipment visibility in the global trade landscape. Manish Desai, CEO of ImpexDocs, emphasises that the introduction of ImpexTrack marks a significant milestone in the company’s dedication to empowering customers with actionable insights and streamlined logistics processes. “Real-time container event tracking goes beyond mere shipment monitoring; it’s about comprehensively understanding its journey, anticipating its Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA), and proactively responding to potential disruptions,” he elaborates. “ImpexTrack represents a game-changer, enabling our customers to optimise logistics planning, drive operational efficiency, and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction.” The development of ImpexTrack stems from a strategic collaboration with a trusted industry partner, leveraging their expertise and cutting-edge technology to deliver a seamless and efficient digital trade solution for shippers. By consolidating shipping container event information into a single, user-friendly platform, ImpexTrack eliminates the need for customers to navigate multiple shipping line portals or manually track details in spreadsheets, thereby streamlining their workflow and enhancing productivity. In light of recent global challenges, the significance of real-time, up-to-date information has become increasingly apparent. Mr. Desai underscores, “In today’s dynamic trade environment, relying on outdated, static data is no longer viable. Each shipment’s data is now as critical as the shipment itself.” Tejas Oza, Chief Revenue Officer of ImpexDocs, highlights the collaborative benefits of ImpexTrack, particularly in fostering stronger partnerships between exporters and importers. “ImpexTrack facilitates seamless collaboration between exporters and importers, empowering importers to independently access comprehensive shipment information via the Customer […]

Advanced, energy efficient computing cluster speeds up science

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has worked with Dell Technologies to build a high-performance computer (HPC) system which will speed up scientific discoveries and help grow Australia’s industry and economy. Named Virga, the HPC system is built on state-of-the-art Dell PowerEdge XE9640 servers and is the first deployment of its kind in Australia, designed to optimise artificial intelligence (AI) workflows while also being power-efficient using direct liquid cooling. Professor Elanor Huntington, CSIRO’s Digital, National Facilities and Collections Executive Director, said Virga will provide the critical computing infrastructure needed for machine learning and AI to grow Australia’s industry and economy. “CSIRO is proud to be a steward of some of Australia’s most important pieces of research infrastructure,” Professor Huntington said. “AI is used in practically all fields of research at CSIRO, such as developing world-leading flexible printed solar panels, predicting fires, measuring wheat crops and developing vaccines, just to name a few. “High-performance computing systems like Virga also play an important role in CSIRO’s robotics and sensing work and are crucial to the recently launched National Robotics Strategy to drive competitiveness, and productivity of Australian industry.” The HPC cluster, which is housed at CDC’s Hume Data Centre in Canberra, is named Virga after the meteorological effect of rain that evaporates before it reaches the ground and was named in recognition of CSIRO’s decades of research into cloud and rain physics. CSIRO’s new, powerful and energy-efficient high-performance computer (HPC) Virga (below)is speeding up science, working alongside THE other HPC Petrichor. Dr Jason Dowling from CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre said the increase in medical imaging data coupled with the growing complexity of diagnostic techniques has led to an urgent need for advanced computational power and data processing for medical image analysis. “The new HPC facilities will allow researchers in our Australian e-Health […]

DroneShield Pyrmont Global Headquarters AUS MN

DroneShield triples sovereign defence R&D and manufacturing capacity to $400m with new global headquarters

Following DroneShield’s recent $115m capital raise, the new site in Pyrmont, NSW, cements and scales DroneShield’s fully sovereign R&D and manufacturing capabilities DroneShield (ASX:DRO) has opened its new headquarters, tripling its research and development (R&D) and manufacturing capacity to more than AU$400 million in hardware and software per year as the company works to convert a sales pipeline of over $500 million. The new site is located in Pyrmont, NSW, where the company’s 120 local staff are based. The facility includes a dedicated floor for high-tech R&D, engineering and manufacturing to fulfil orders from government, defence and commercial customers in 70 countries. Funded by DroneShield’s recent $115m capital raise ($30m of which is subject to shareholder approval), which positions DroneShield – with around $700m current market capitalisation – as the second largest publicly-listed defence company in Australia, the new headquarters enable the company to expedite the build-up of inventory to support strong demand from high-quality customer opportunities. This includes a pipeline of over $500m with more than 90 qualified projects at different stages and $27m in orders currently being fulfilled. “The threats that drones can pose are finally being taken seriously,” said Oleg Vornik, CEO at DroneShield. “Whether it’s due to the turmoil they can cause on the battlefield, or the countless ways they can disrupt everyday life – at airports, prisons and public events, for example – drone deterrence is now a priority for government agencies and authorities, in Australia and abroad. “We are seeing a major push for comprehensive counter-drone and counter-UAS capabilities – predominately from the US, but broadly across Five Eyes and allies, and slowly but surely in Australia. However, our equipment is sophisticated, AI based technology that can take up to four months to build, containing up to 200 components that must be manufactured, assembled […]

Over 30 trades represented at 47th WorldSkills International

The refrigeration industry will be among over 30 trades represented at the 47th WorldSkills International tournament, a global movement dedicated to promoting the skills excellence of young tradespeople playing a crucial role in the visibility, development, and empowerment of tomorrow’s experts. WorldSkills Australia competitor, Bailey Loenneker, a fourth-year refrigeration apprentice from the Sunshine Coast, and his Expert Carl Balke will represent Australia in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning category on the global stage in Lyon, France in September to compete against the best young apprentices in the world. The contingent of apprentices, trainees, and students, known as the Skillaroos, is the largest delegation of competitors, trainers, officials, and team management ever sent to an International Competition. Refrigeration represents a crucial yet often overlooked trade. Despite the vital role refrigeration tradespeople play in maintaining the cold chain essential for food safety, healthcare, comfort cooling, air quality, and numerous industrial processes, their numbers are significantly lower compared to other trades on offer. This is one of the reasons that the WorldSkills Australia initiative is supported by Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) and like-minded organisations committed to the promotion and development of skills excellence in Australia. Kylie from Refrigerant Reclaim Australia says this disparity highlights the need to elevate the profile of refrigeration professionals, by increasing awareness and appreciation for their specialised skills.” “Our longstanding partnership supporting WorldSkills helps to Promote the importance of refrigeration tradespeople and underscores their contribution to public health, safety, and the economy”. Carl, WorldSkills Australia Expert, emphasises the transformative impact of the competition on young apprentices and highlights the importance of the competition in promoting refrigeration apprenticeships to the wider sector. “The competition is not only great for the young apprentices coming through, but it also lifts the profile of refrigeration apprentices which historically has remained unseen”. In addition […]

Kemppi Australia’s Art of Welding Competition is on again

Kemppi Australia has launched its Art of Welding Competition for 2024. The competition showcases “welding art” which can take the form of a welded sculpture, pattern design, a motif or an object. The welding process involved to create the art piece can be manual or use more advanced techniques such as robotics, lasers or friction welding. Now in its fifth year, the competition is keenly contested by both professional artists and amateurs alike. “It’s great to see the artistic talent that is flourishing not just among professional metal artists but also welders, apprentices, teachers, tinkers and hobbyists,” said Mark Shaw, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia. This year, the competition again features a dedicated amateur category. Entrants can win from a pool of four great prizes. The prizes include state-of-the-art Kemppi welding equipment and helmets, as well as clothing and gloves. The competition will run until Monday 30th September and is open to anyone in Australia and New Zealand over the age of 18. For more information on how to enter visit the Kemppi Australia Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages or message Kemppi Australia’s social media pages directly. Alternatively, email skettos@skettos.com.au for a copy of the competition flyer.

Fine Food Australia returns in September

Visitor registration is now open for Australia’s largest food B2B event for the foodservice and hospitality industry, Fine Food Australia. Fine Food Australia will return to Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday 2nd of September, spanning over four days until Thursday the 5th of September, 2024. As the trade event celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024, the show is set to be more expansive than ever, already featuring more than 425+ Australian and international exhibitors representing the food industry, across categories including foodservice, hospitality, catering, bakery, retail, import, export, distribution, and manufacturing. With the show floor already 85% sold out, Fine Food is set to be sold out soon. Reflecting upon the event’s 40th Anniversary, Diversified Communications Managing Director, David Longman remarks “As we celebrate Fine Food Australia’s 40th year, we reflect on how it has evolved, embracing innovation, trends & challenges of the culinary industry here in Australia. From humble beginnings to a large-scale international trade event, this milestone symbolises not just longevity but resilience & adaptability of the Australian food industry. “Fine Food Australia is testament to the enduring spirit of culinary excellence and the platform’s role in shaping the future of food in Australia. With the unwavering commitment of the food industry, we look forward to honouring this journey and embracing the opportunities ahead as we continue to elevate the gastronomic experience for another 40 years and beyond.” Fine Food Australia Commercial Product Manager, Sinead Kavanagh, added “We are so excited to deliver Fine Food Australia 2024. With over 40 years of connections and stories to tell it’s going to be a huge edition where we celebrate the people and businesses in this incredible industry. We’re also excited to be launching two new features to the show that will enhance the experience for our visitors and help their businesses thrive, […]

Aussie innovators recognised at CSIRO’s ON Accelerate 8 Showcase

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, celebrated the progress and achievements of its latest ON Accelerate 8 cohort at a showcase in Melbourne yesterday. ON Accelerate breaks down the challenges that often prevent deep tech ideas and research from evolving into real-world applications and market-ready ventures. The showcase highlighted the impressive strides made by the 10 deep tech teams from the latest ON Accelerate cohort since commencing the three-month program. They were selected for their work in addressing critical areas of innovation; including global health challenges, championing sustainability through circularity and pushing the boundaries of advanced manufacturing and AI. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton said the ideas, innovations and advancements delivered by this year’s ON Accelerate program were truly inspiring. “These researchers are working at the cutting edge of technology to tackle some of society’s greatest challenges,” Dr Hilton said. “CSIRO’s proud to play a pivotal role in unlocking success pathways that ensure the translation of ideas into real solutions, products and companies. “We are committed to continually breaking down barriers for researchers to foster the next era of Australian inventiveness.” Dr Grant Lynch of EMU Systems from the University of Sydney, and one of the Accelerate 8 teams, was announced as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Stanford Australia Foundation (SAF) award scholarship. The scholarship provides ON Accelerate alumni with the opportunity to benefit from the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program. Stanford Australia Foundation Chairman, Aaron Bilston said, “The SAF award scholarship will empower its ON Accelerate 8 researcher recipient, Dr Grant Lynch from EMU Systems, to advance their innovation and commercialisation skills, driving impactful solutions from research to real-world applications, ultimately boosting Australia’s global competitiveness and fostering economic growth.” Notably, Cytophenix Co-Founder Dr Christine Carson from the University of Western Australia was awarded the CSIRO Impactful […]

Evan Thomas, Channel Director, ANZ, Armis AUS MN

Securing OT key to unlocking Australia’s manufacturing vision in an ever-growing threat landscape

Evan Thomas, Channels Director, Armis The recently unveiled ‘Future Made in Australia’ heralds an exciting new chapter for local manufacturing. The Australian government is committing to partnership with the private sector to build new industries to protect against unreliable foreign supply chains. However, one critical area for success is the concurrent commitment towards manufacturing’s cyber resilience. Managing the cyber threat landscape is crucial to realise the potential of the FMIA vision and the future success of Australia’s manufacturing sector, as cyber threats continue to escalate with the industry’s dependence on Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS). It is vital for businesses to deploy better cybersecurity, platforms and protocols if they are to mitigate the risk faced from cyber criminals. Securing OT and IT in ICS and Manufacturing environments The risk-based challenge with OT environments is that more recently, they are connecting to traditional enterprise IT and wireless networks. No longer being ‘air gapped’ or isolated, control systems are at higher risk of being compromised. This is because threat-actors now have the opportunity to breach OT systems through IT networks, particularly as OT typically lacks adequate security measures to protect from attack. To complicate matters further, OT devices in industrial and manufacturing environments have no built-in security. It is also not possible to install an agent on many of the legacy devices, as they were designed by manufacturers who were operating on the, now invalid, assumption that these devices wouldn’t be connected to any other networks. Unfortunately, the convergence of IT and OT means this is no longer the case, exposing OT devices to numerous threats. Without the right security capabilities designed with all types of assets (OT, IT, and IoT) in mind, practitioners are limited in their visibility into what devices are on their networks, what risks each device poses […]

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