Company News

Study paves way for architectural use of end-of-life tyres

A new study by The University of South Australia has tested and verified the structural integrity of walls constructed from tyres packed with earth, with the results potentially providing new opportunities for the reuse of end-of-life tyres in the construction industry. Tyre waste represents a major sustainability challenge globally, with Australia alone generating an average of 55 million (450,000 tonnes) end-of-life tyres each year. While earth-packed tyre walls have been used in niche construction scenarios for decades, there has previously been no strong empirical data available to support their use, a fact that has limited their wider uptake by architects and engineers. Supported by Tyre Stewardship Australia, a UniSA team consisting of Yachong Xu, Martin Freney, Reza Hassanli, Yan Zhuge, Mizanur Rahman and Rajibul Karim, has rigorously assessed the structural integrity of a test tyre wall to examine how the structure performed under various stressors. According to Dr Martin Freney, the wall proved to be as structurally sound as conventional walls used in residential applications. “The wall we tested was the first of its kind to be scientifically tested in this fashion, and all the data indicates tyre walls can be extremely strong and safe structures,” Dr Freney says. “While that structural integrity has been observed for many years in applications such as the retaining walls in earth-sheltered, Earthship homes, the lack of supporting data has prevented wider uptake of tyre walls by engineers and architects, and we’re hoping this study will change that and expand the range of projects in which these walls are used.” In considering expanded uses for tyre walls, Dr Freney suggests several unique characteristics of the structures may offer benefits over some traditional building approaches, particularly for retaining walls. “Not only are the tyre walls as structurally sound as concrete or wood sleeper retaining […]

Aus Steel selects SYSPRO Cloud ERP to drive efficiencies

Australia’s number one residential steel frame supplier, Aus Steel has selected global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) specialist, SYSPRO, to help the company drive efficiencies in its build process and improve the scheduling of its precision engineered frames. Headquartered in Cameron Park in Newcastle, Aus Steel has been an innovator in the residential steel frame and truss industry since 1992. The company produces custom frames with cutting edge technology using the highest quality G550 steel on its roll form machines. ⁠Aus Steel has seen unprecedented growth due to the residential property boom. The increased demand has resulted in two new production sites in Crestmead in Brisbane and Goulburn in New South Wales, with more sites planned along the east coast of Australia. “We’ve spent years perfecting our steel frame system and we’re constantly looking for ways to evolve and improve the total build process to make it more efficient. We have ambitious plans to grow the business further, so we’ve looked at innovative ways to improve our manufacturing and achieve our vision of challenging the way Australia builds,” said Lewis Onley, Chief Operating Officer at Aus Steel. Aus Steel took the decision to implement a cloud-based ERP system to replace its manual systems which are currently based on unlinked databases and Excel spreadsheets. The company looked at several options in the market and then shortlisted three ERP systems. “We ultimately selected SYSPRO Cloud ERP due to its superior manufacturing capabilities complete with advanced planning and scheduling through the SYSPRO MOM (Manufacturing Operations Management) system as well as the team’s deep understanding of manufacturing and Aus Steel’s specific needs,” said Onley. SYSPRO will be implemented across Aus Steel’s core business processes including Manufacturing, Distribution and Finance and will enable the Aus Steel team to efficiently schedule production processes, provide more accurate costing information to clients […]

Digitally lead supply chain resilience

By Scott Philbrook, MD ANZ, RS Components With pandemic subsiding and being seen as a situation we will have to live with for many years, the economy is now shifting back towards growth. Many manufacturers are seeking to invest in order to position themselves to manage increased demand: supply chain resilience is an integral piece of the puzzle they will have to get right. In the next 3-4 years, fluctuating internal costs, increased competition, and demand variability will all be factors that manufacturers will need to manage. Manufacturers in 2022 will need to maintain flexibility in their supply chains, with the ability to shift dynamically to cater for volatile shifts in demand. An obvious example of this scenario is the spike in domestic toilet paper demand, with manufacturers having to rapidly cater for a hike in domestic demand, whilst shifting production away from commercial. This is an example where suppliers were not agile enough to cater for demand, and in an unpredictable global geopolitical environment, manufacturers will need flexibility and resilience in their supply chain to cater for rapidly changing market circumstances. Manufacturers that have invested in digital capabilities are likely to be well placed in 2022 and beyond. RS Components have evolved their sales channels heavily towards digital technology. Manufacturers looking to 2023 and beyond are investing in data capture and dashboarding, and evolutional capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI) based forecasting and predictive maintenance, and data driven dynamic optimisation that drives organisational priorities. The analytics behind data forecasting gives manufacturers insights that will improve sales, shipment, pricing, and time to market. They can use these analytics to improve transportation costs and create scenario planning to future proof their supply chain. Manufacturers that will thrive in uncertain economic times will be those with a digital first approach to their […]

Made in Australia – Kickstarting a resilient local IT Supply Chain is critical

-Phil Straw, CEO, SoftIron The world has been through a fundamentally transformative time that has demonstrated the fragility of supply chains. Talk to anyone you know in any field, and virtually everyone is dealing with issues of a supply chain that is struggling. This is true for Australia, but also the world at large. SoftIron is a company working to bring sovereign resilience to Australia where mission-critical data infrastructure is concerned. Whether it’s transportation, food, medical facilities, or critical supplies, computers have become the critical infrastructure for virtually every industry that enables the way we live. It’s imperative that data infrastructure be readily available, regardless of geopolitical events disrupting supply chains; and governments and industry leaders operating in today’s climate must start paying more attention to this matter for their longevity. SoftIron is currently in the process of establishing a local manufacturing facility and audit centre equipped to deliver critical data infrastructure for Australia and the region at large. It will be the first-ever base-level computer manufacturing facility on Australian soil – a game-changer. We are funding this facility, in part, via a Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grant from the Department of Defence, complemented with an initial investment on our part of around AUS$2M. We believe we can uniquely contribute to the security of Australia’s Critical Infrastructure and Systems of National Significance in very substantive ways. We liken the current global situation to a detrimental “addiction” that had not only become practical, but unavoidable. The addiction of which I speak is the IT industry’s current reliance on cheap technology design, supply and manufacturing from foreign nations, including China. While things were great for a period of time, events like COVID-19 have sounded the alarm bells about the necessity of sovereign capability in building critical infrastructure. In the aftermath of this […]

Contactless monitoring of igus cables in e-chains

From Treotham, i.Sense CF.D sensors use high-frequency technology to detect defects in bus and data cables, preventing expensive system downtimes. Smart monitoring of igus bus and data cables goes into the next round: the latest generation of i.Sense CF.D monitoring sensors from Treotham checks the electrical condition of chainflex cables in e-chain systems – without contact and without intervention in the existing harnessing. This allows real-time monitoring without any extra cores and, in combination with the new i.Cee: plus II evaluation module, allows even more efficient predictive maintenance for protection against expensive system failures. The latest CF.D generation facilitates the entry into predictive maintenance of chainflex bus and data cables in igus e-chain systems. The smart system consists of two sensor units clipped onto the cable before and after the chainflex cable to be monitored. They are small enough to fit into the distribution box on the moving end side and into the control cabinet on the fixed end side. During operation, the sensors continuously check the cables’ transmission properties. High-frequency technology detects the smallest changes in state without contact The new generation of igus monitoring sensors from Treotham uses high-frequency technology that works without additional sacrificial cores and without contacting existing cores. “This technology allows the sensors to reliably measure even the smallest transmission deteriorations in cables and connectors,” says Richard Habering, head of the igus smart plastics business unit. “This allows effective predictive maintenance in moving industrial applications in which cables and connectors are subjected to continuous mechanical stress. The new generation of CF.D sensors is compatible with most bus and data cables in the igus chainflex cable range. “Condition monitoring enables machinery and equipment users to detect and replace cables approaching their wear limit at an early stage, significantly enhancing plant safety.” It is a small investment […]

Clean energy conference to tackle renewables, hydrogen

Global companies will gather in South Australia later this year to discuss how industry can transition to clean energy. Future Energy Week will bring about 400 delegates from national and international companies, governments and academia for the event in November. It’s the second year the Tonsley Future Energy Consortium has hosted the event, which is hosted at the Tonsley Innovation Hub in Adelaide, South Australia. On the table for discussion are topics around hydrogen energy, the future of mobility, food, energy and water and the “energy trilemma”, which refers to making energy affordable, sustainable and reliable. The Tonsley Innovation Hub is a 6.1-hectare site in Adelaide’s inner south that houses a wide range of companies wanting to rethink the traditional thinking around manufacturing. The energy consortium formed four years ago and comprises industry, government and education sectors to promote collaboration. The two-day event will involve keynote speeches and some panel and workshop sessions to allow delegates to collaborate. Engineering companies with national and international footprints, such as SAGE Automation and AZZO, will be represented at the forum. Founder and event director Quentin Roberts said Future Energy Week is not just another “talkfest”. Roberts said it was an opportunity for companies big and small to discuss some of the challenges facing the energy sector. Last year, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, Dr Angela Wilkinson, made a keynote address, and Roberts hopes the global forum will again take part. “They can get involved in helping to shape the future as well,” Roberts said. “We need that transition to clean energy to happen sooner rather than later, and this is really like a catalyst for that action to occur. “It’s important to create these spaces to have the dialogue because there might be challenges we need to try and meet, but […]

Namoi Cotton on the upswing post-drought

After three years of drought, including two years of pandemic-induced economic disruption, Namoi Cotton, Australia’s largest cotton processor, is back to ginning up new business, making a compelling case for cloud migration. The company has adopted Oracle’s OCI technology to help ramp up production and meet growing demand. Following drought and pandemic-induced economic disruption, cotton growers have ramped up production, pushing to near capacity Namoi Cotton’s 10 ginning facilities and three warehouses across New South Wales and Queensland. Namoi Cotton is aiming to gin 1.1 million to 1.2 million bales in 2022, 40% above its sustainable average volume. Prices for lint cotton—the raw fibre from the cotton plant after the ginning process removes the seeds and other unwanted material—are at their highest levels in years due to pent-up demand and the continued supply chain challenges stemming from the global pandemic. Namoi Cotton’s business, including its marketing and logistics joint ventures, is on the upswing, with the company reporting positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) last year. “We are in a good position at the moment…you don’t often see high prices and high volumes at the same time,” said Neil Johns, Namoi Cotton’s executive general manager of strategy and business development, on the company’s earnings call in late April. ‘Technical debt’ With Namoi Cotton’s business on the rise, so are the demands on its IT systems. Throughout the drought and into the pandemic, however, Namoi Cotton accumulated “technical debt”—systems it hadn’t upgraded in years because finances were tight. Exhibit A was the company’s core applications for managing accounts receivable, accounts payable, and spare-parts inventory. Those on-premises applications, part of the Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.1 suite, were past their end of life and thus were expensive to maintain and no longer eligible for security patches, bug fixes, and […]

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Shift to shared office and distribution centre model increases demand for security

A shift in commercial real estate mentality is increasing the demand for security, to separate previously unconsidered areas, thereby ensuring the protection of all staff, visitors, equipment, and product. With e-commerce continuing to grow, and as more workplaces offer a flexible work from home balance, companies are beginning to combine their offices with their distribution centres, to add convenience and cost-savings to their operations. “These combined workspaces are often closer to employees’ homes, and companies can lease a single building, instead of having to lease two separate ones – it makes good economic and social sense,” says Boon Edam Australia Managing Director, Michael Fisher. “However, with this combination, comes risk. There’s a new need to separate people from product, or customers from a warehouse space. Having the right security in place will be essential to companies seeking smooth and safe operations at these combined facilities,” he said. Boon Edam Australia is a local leader in elegant architectural entrances and integrated security solutions for leading companies, including Fortune 500 companies in 27 countries where its reputation for quality and service is valued highly by architects and security specifiers. It is backed by the family-owned 150-year old Royal Boon Edam group. In addition to having one of the world’s most extensive ranges of revolving doors and security entrances integrated from one source, the other major consideration is appearance, says Fisher. “These combined facilities are often major brands and household names. They are seeking not only reliable and functional security solutions, but technologies that match the elegance and style of their brand,” he says. An elegant and secure solution A solution that seamlessly integrates elegance with security is Boon Edam’s Speedlane Lifeline range of speed gates. The Lifeline range has been a global market leader for years, and offers one of the slimmest […]

Clean H2 Steam for Australia

North America based Jericho Energy Ventures Inc. and Australia’s LINE Hydrogen (Australia) Pty Ltd (LINE Hydrogen) are bringing to Australia leading hydrogen boiler technology, DCC Boiler. Hydrogen Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of JEV, has patented a breakthrough method for burning hydrogen and oxygen in a vacuum chamber to create high-temperature water and steam with zero greenhouse gases. With the only by-product being water, the Dynamic Combustion Chamber Boiler (DCC Boiler) harnesses the power of hydrogen for commercial heating, hot water and industrial steam boiler applications. In an Australian first, LINE Hydrogen and JEV will collaborate to bring DCC Boilers to Australia. LINE Hydrogen will also provide JEV and customers with a priority supply of green hydrogen and look to enter into Offtake Agreements for the supply of LINE Hydrogen’s green hydrogen produced at the George Town Green Hydrogen Plant. It is expected that industry partners will be announced in the coming months with the first DCC Boiler expected to be installed and commissioned in Tasmania in 2023 to match LINE Hydrogen’s green hydrogen production. Brian Williamson, CEO of JEV, said “Change starts with the end-user, and our zero-emission DCC Boiler delivers immediate emission reductions that is the catalyst for decarbonisation hubs. “We’re incredibly excited to work with LINE Hydrogen as we continue to transition to a clean energy future. By partnering up with LINE Hydrogen, we can provide end-users with surety of supply to make the transition to clean energy a win-win.” Each DCC Boiler installed removes the CO2 equivalent of 2,500 cars per annum (or about 4,400 tons of CO2 per annum). The parties will build a consortium of end users. LINE Hydrogen will also investigate advanced manufacturing opportunities to manufacture the DCC Boiler in either Tasmania or elsewhere in Australia. LINE Hydrogen’s Managing Director, Gina Bozinovski, said […]

Gold Coast training academy established to support luxury marine industry

The academy at the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard (GCCM) will begin turning out an in-demand pipeline of skilled marine trades workers to fill labour shortages across the $80-billion industry, from marine labourers, to trade assistants, trimmers, fabricators, painters, electricians, carpenters, shipwrights and plumbers. GCCM CEO Trenton Gay said the marine sector had grown at an unprecedented rate, offering a massive spread of sophisticated and innovative job opportunities. “The marine industry is fast-paced, multi-layered and ever-evolving so for those seeking out new career paths, the academy is an ideal way to get the right advice and appropriate training,” Gay said. “Australia is being recognised internationally now for the quality of marine trades we offer, so it is important that we enhance the flow of job opportunities and talent within the industry.” Close to 40 superyachts have been brought into Australia in the past year, compared to around 10 superyachts in a “normal” year, with the Gold Coast and Queensland a key gateway to the influx. Among the lavishly appointed arrivals was 68-metre Lady Christine superyacht, worth $82 million, that arrived at the Gold Coast for a multi-million-dollar, six-month facelift. Owned by British billionaire, Lord Irvine Laidlaw who is a former member of the House of Lords and founder of the Institute for International Research, the craft was also used by George Clooney and Julia Roberts for their latest blockbuster, Ticket to Paradise, being filmed on the Gold Coast and around Queensland. The GCCM is part of the 250-hectare Gold Coast Marine Precinct, the largest refit and repair yard in the Southern Hemisphere. More than 90 businesses operate from the precinct, covering all aspects of marine refit, maintenance, and construction for vessels. Local employment and training specialists, DGT Employment and Training, will head the GCCM Marine Trades Academy program to deliver tailored support […]

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