Company News

Aspera Mobile launches low-cost AS6 4G dual-SIM smartphone and new F42 4G flip phone

Full-featured phones for just $99 and $149 Aspera Mobile has launched the latest in its range of full featured and cost effective mobiles – the feature-packed, 5.99” large screen AS6 smartphone which features face recognition, a fingerprint sensor, dual-SIM and 4G for just $149 and the F42, 4G flip phone with pre-loaded social media apps and easy to use large buttons at only $99. Aspera Mobile MD Allan Robertson explained, “In the AS6 Aspera has kept its brand promise to bring a great value, budget-priced smartphone to consumers and we have specifically designed it to suit anyone looking for a large screen, full Android phone that won’t break the bank. Also, to get face recognition and a fingerprint sensor in a full-featured smartphone for $149 is exceptional value and very rare indeed.” Robertson takes his and Aspera Mobile’s commitment to Australian consumers very seriously and the company has continued to forge ahead in a very competitive market for close to a decade with local Australian-based customer service backing up its range of high quality, unlocked, reliable, and budget conscience phones. He continued, “In an age where the price of some mobile phones is running into thousands of dollars despite them being locked to a network, our success over the last ten years has proven that there is an increasing demand for high quality, low-cost alternatives. The AS6 gives you that in a smartphone and the F42 is ideal for the young or elderly, budget-conscious user wanting a simple phone with easy-to-read large buttons and the most commonly used social media apps – including WhatsApp™ and Facebook™ – already installed.” As all Australian telcos continue to wind down their 3G networks, having a new 4G phone is not only critical but makes good and practical sense. At just $149 the Aspera […]

DECO Australia new Innovation Centre at Minto

Leading manufacturer of aluminium building products and industrial finishes DECO Australia has invested in a new Innovation Centre at its Minto manufacturing facility. The architecturally-designed display centre, which showcases DECO’s leading line of aluminium building products, highlights its extraordinary capabilities as an Australian manufacturer. The wide range of non-combustible, timber-look products are creatively incorporated into the display, resulting in an informative, interactive space where customers can visualise how products will look on their projects and develop new design concepts. In addition, the Innovation Centre will showcase DECO’s line of industrial surface finishes, including its low-temperature hard anodising, powder coating and specialty finishes for the manufacturing, engineering, defence and commercial food industries. These quality finishes maximise protection and performance for a wide range of manufactured parts and components, and are tested to Australian and International standards to ensure ultimate durability and longevity. Industrial manufacturers visiting the Innovation Centre can tour the facility, observing DECO’s finishing processes and solutions first hand. DECO’s investment in its showstopping new display centre highlights the growth of Australian manufacturing, as well as the diligence and inventive nature of Australian manufacturers. DECO has been dedicated to providing attractive, compliant and quality products and finishes for over 15 years and its new showroom illustrates how the company is willing to go the extra mile for its customers.

Dematic to commission new automated national distribution centre for Woolworths in Sydney

Dematic today announced it has been selected by Primary Connect – the supply chain arm of Australia’s largest supermarket, Woolworths Group – to supply a state-of-the art automated fulfilment system for the new National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Moorebank Logistics Park, Sydney. Dematic, a global leader and innovator in warehouse automation, has a long history with over 50 years presence in Australia serving the supply chain industry. “Our local capability with over 600 employees and a manufacturing facility in Belrose, Sydney, ensures we continue to provide quality service and systems to our customers,” said Michael Jerogin, CEO of Dematic APAC. “We are very proud to be a trusted partner of Woolworths and thrilled to be building on this partnership by playing a key role in Woolworths’ automation strategy.” The Dematic solution for the new NDC will build store-friendly pallets for Woolworths’ retail stores. The Flexible Mixed Case Order Fulfilment system, powered by the Dematic iQ Warehouse Management System (WMS), will handle 9,000+ products from 900 suppliers, delivering daily to over 1,000 stores nationally. The 40,700 square metre Moorebank NDC is planned to feature wall-to-wall automation, providing the flexibility to cater for seasonal and other peaks in demand, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to deliver store orders, catering for Woolworth’s expected growth with built-in scalability and modularity. The transport advantages alone are expected to provide benefits to Woolworths, helping to remove at least 26,000 truck movements between Woolworths facilities from New South Wales roads annually. “The investment at Moorebank is designed to transform the way we serve our stores, strengthen our network and deliver on our ambition to create Australia’s best food and grocery supply chain,” said Paul Graham, Primary Connect Managing Director and Woolworths Group Chief Supply Chain Officer. “Cutting-edge automation will build tailored […]

Comment on GDP growth rate announcement

Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s GDP growth rate announcement this morning, CreditorWatch Chief Economist Harley Dale shares his thoughts on which sectors most contributed to the economic recovery and how this will impact government support and stimulus measures. “Household spending was the big driver of the GDP bounce-back. As consumers continue to arise from their involuntary, COVID-induced slumber, it is looking increasingly likely that they will drive a sustainable economic recovery. CreditorWatch data shows that the retail sector was in a deep hole earlier in the year, so in coming months the sector’s performance will provide a key indication as to the pace of our national recovery. “There were some industry winners in today’s GDP result. As the COVID shackles started to come off there were big gains made by Accommodation and Food Services (+41%), Arts and Recreation Services (+14.7%), Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services (+7.7%) and Transport, Postal and Warehousing (4.7%). These are all high employment industries that suffered disproportionately under the cloud of COVID, as CreditorWatch data demonstrated. A sustained recovery in these industries will assist in managing the transition away from government support for businesses. “The JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs have played an integral part in protecting Australia from the worst impacts of COVID. Now that we are receiving increasingly positive updates on the Australian economy, it is appropriate that the Federal Government consider a more refined and nuanced approach to its stimulus measures. “The Governor is right to caution that it will take some time to bring our nation’s unemployment rate back down. That will remain a key focus of the RBA in 2021 however, these results are better than most people anticipated until only a few months ago and so give us a great foundation to build on.”

Banana waste technology begins to bear fruit for Aussie company

A publicly-listed company that has spent more than two decades perfecting its system of turning banana plantation waste into wood and paper products says it has proven the profitability of the technology and is preparing for a global expansion. Papyrus Australia, which is based in Adelaide, has watched its share price triple this month after announcing L39 as a cornerstone investor and reporting that its Egyptian factory has become profitable for the first time. The company has developed technology to process banana waste into a range of products including veneer for furniture and musical instrument manufacture, moulded products such as food containers and plates, liquid fertiliser and garden peat. It now aims to increase production in the Sohag factory, hire key staff and embark on a significant capital raise with the help of L39 Capital, which will allow it to manufacture ‘turn-key factories’ and sell them to banana plantations in developing countries around the world. Papyrus Australia was founded in Adelaide in the mid-1990s after Ramy Azer moved to Australia with his Adelaide-born wife Phoebe to complete a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide. He soon developed a technique for producing veneer from banana tree trunks and has since expanded the technology to include all parts of the waste banana plant. “The question is always asked ‘what is an Adelaide company doing in banana land’?” Azer, the company’s managing director said. “But we are not banana processors, we are machine builders and technology makers so what the Adelaide company is actually doing is designing and building machines for export and commissioning in banana producing countries.” Unlike other fruit trees such as apples and oranges, a banana palm takes 6-8 months to grow to maturity, producing one large bunch. The tree is then cut down and left to […]

Getting the right information to the right place

The AVR Lab, a leading supplier of augmented and virtual reality (AVR) technology and services announces their partnership with Gemvision, bringing the Gemvision’s Communication Platform as a Service (CPAAS) to the Australian and New Zealand markets. The Gemvision (CPAAS) platform gives engineers, healthcare workers, electricians, technicians, that are hands-on workers, their hands and of course their mind to get the job done. Well-trained employees are getting harder to find, while service and maintenance standards are getting higher. Effective communication, fast remote resolution times and first-time-fix-rates are extremely important for keep the client happy and the costs in check. This is not limited to industry. Whether it be healthcare, maritime, protective services or manufacturing, we find similar use cases where the Gemvision solution fits seamlessly to support business excellence. With Gemvision you can: § Give and receive remote work instructions and connect to remote colleagues to ’share your view’ through smart glasses or mobile devices. § Remotely control the camera of smart glasses and mobile devices during support video calls § Live annotate, capture pictures, record video streams, share your screen and more to get the right information to the right place. § Do routine maintenance checks and inspections with workflows to rapidly access checklists, audit forms, troubleshooting guides and easy submission when fulfilled. § Capture and share expert knowledge with field workers § Offer standardised workflows for employee training § Offer on demand access for field workers for procedures, manuals, checklists, workflows etc. § Integrate with management software that manage your jobs, tasks, work orders etc. § Use voice commands to be truly hands-free while working with smart glasses in the field. § Integrate with a multitude of CRM, IoT, ERP, Analytics and Service platforms, providers and technology. “When we identify new partners for the ANZ territory they not only […]

Australian manufacturing exposed to cyber security vulnerabilities

The vulnerable critical manufacturing sector accounts for many cyber security threats according to recent researchfrom Kaspersky with higher levels of risk identified in ICS systems. Kaspersky’s latest report on the state of industrial cybersecurity has some ominous warnings for Australian manufacturers. This is a significant issue with the Australian federal government addressing it with new legislation. The draft Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020, which is open for consultation, addresses some of the issues and includes a security obligation for critical infrastructure entities and enhanced cyber security obligations for systems of national significance. Kaspersky recently surveyed 337 global senior leaders including 60 from the Asia Pacific region across all major industries including oil, gas and chemical, manufacturing and energy generation. Of the businesses who participated, 61% had more than 5000 staff. The survey found 75% of global organisations stating they are very or quite likely to suffer an industrial cybersecurity attack. Of greatest concern is the finding that 27% of respondents from the Asia Pacific fear cyber incidents could lead to loss of life, through service disruption or explosion. “Unlike our Asian neighbours Australia hasn’t suffered a large-scale cyber-attack that has caused loss of life. But the Australian Government is investing a massive $1.67 billion over the next 10 years to ensure a more secure online world for Australians, their businesses, and essential services,” explains Mr Neil Royle, Cyber Security Consultant, Kaspersky. “Australia has recently suffered a number of recent cyber-attacks targeting the Australian manufacturing sector, notably the Toll incident, BlueScope Steel being hit by a cyber attack that shutdown its operations globally and the attack on Lion that compromised the production of milk and beer locally,” explains Mr Royle. In August, the Australian Government released a new framework with security obligations for […]

Very smart Australian manufacturing

Solar-powered furniture offers off-grid connection South Australian outdoor furniture brand Sedi has developed bespoke benches and shelter options for smart cities and regional areas. Bronte Modra, the director of Adelaide-based modular engineering company Specialised Solutions, created the Sedi range of park benches, parklets and bus stops in February 2019. The smart shelters are built from sustainable timber and steel and have solar-powered lighting, integrated charging ports, WIFI and informational screens that all run off a battery. Modra said he created Sedi to fill a large hole in the Australian manufacturing market created by the burgeoning smart city movement. “People want to be connected to the furniture and to the web, and the greater society,” said Modra. “Everyone talks about smart cities but no one is really delivering a piece of smart furniture here. “We just saw a real need and something that we could make out of our existing facility.” The Sedi office is located at the Tonsley innovation district alongside technology companies such as SAGE Automation, which, together with JPE Design Studio, helped develop the furniture. Modra decided to make the units “off-grid” to attract buyers who couldn’t connect to a power source. “It being solar-powered gives us a lot more flexibility to where the Sedi is placed,” he said. “With Sedi we can go to regional, remote locations and open up connectivity there. “It’s also cost-saving measure for councils to install in the park [as] service connections are fairly expensive.” Modra said they weren’t “reinventing the wheel” with the furniture’s individual technological features, however these add-ons were compounded to develop a new brand of smart furniture fit for a multitude of environments. “We would like to see them absolutely everywhere: the typical bus stops on your streets, your typical parks, council parks and reserves,” he said. “But we’re really trying to tap into […]

Linzner-family-50-years-in-business-Nov20

3rd generation family business survives Covid-19 to mark 50-year milestone

While many small businesses have unfortunately succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Linzner family are resolved to fight through no-matter-what using their 50-years of experience. This November, 3 generations of the Linzner family mark 50 years running their manufacturing business in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a seriously tough time for all during this global pandemic, however, this story of endurance offers a glimmer of hope in the strenuous world of small business. Following an apprenticeship in working with wire back in 1949, hard-working immigrant Jakob honed his hands-on manufacturing skills. In 1970 Jakob teamed up with his son Jake to take the plunge and launch their own manufacturing business, located in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Father and son worked tirelessly together in their single-story brick factory sandwiched between a laneway and residential houses. They specialised in manufacturing deep-fryer baskets, trays, racks, animal traps and other wire products, supplying large wholesalers and direct to store. Even during those early years, they focused on manufacturing premium quality products combined with personal and attentive service to their customers – no matter large or small. This led to a growing and positive reputation within the community. A decade later, they sought larger premises and relocated to Keilor East, which allowed for expansion to manufacturing chain. The next 20 years saw them outgrow their space and move 3 more times and further diversifying their range of chain and wire products. Jake’s son Michael officially joined the family business in 2010. Learning that diversity of products was integral to keeping afloat, they took the calculated risk of purchasing additional warehouse space and further expanded to sell concrete reinforcing, balustrading, marine fittings, load restraint equipment, general hardware – and just about everything in-between. In March 2020, as Covid-19 was sweeping the world, a new and much improved online store (chain.com.au) […]

Cybersecurity risks of re-onshoring Australian manufacturing

The global economic impact of Covid-19 has changed the Australian manufacturing industry forever. Australian supply chains were disrupted as organisations became unable to source materials that were essential for domestic manufacturing and consumption. This highlighted the importance of Australian supply chains, with local manufacturers forced to swiftly pivot to meet demands. Australian manufacturing has gone from 30 per cent of GDP to approximately six per cent in 30 years.1 Covid-19 has forced a large percentage of manufacturing to come back onshore, and the rapid adaptability of these manufacturing companies prove that Australia is capable of ramping up the sector. The Australian government is investing $1.5 billion via the Modern Manufacturing Strategy that was announced in the 2020-2021 federal budget.2 The Australian government is also providing a further tax incentive that will write off the value of assets for businesses, with more information yet to be released. Steve Hunter, senior director, systems engineering, Forescout, said, “The Australian manufacturing industry is set to undergo rapid digital transformation, with the funding helping to bring manufacturing back onshore, modernise and improve operations, as well as increasing the opportunities with new technology, which could include investment in the Internet of Things (IoT), for example. “The pandemic has increased the relevance of Industry 4.0, with technology being a higher priority at a board level. As manufacturing is re-onshored in Australia, boards must ensure that they prioritise cybersecurity from the start.” As technology such as IoT, robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) reshape the manufacturing landscape, organisations are simultaneously put at an increased risk of a cyberattack. Steve Hunter, said, “The convergence of traditional IT with operational technology (OT) and IoT means previously air-gapped systems are now connected, giving cybercriminals more entry points to a company’s network. This creates more risk across the board. […]

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