Company News

IVECO to preview Euro6 ACCO at TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show

Attendees at this month’s TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show will get a first look at IVECO’s all new Euro6 ACCO model, which will be previewed at the event prior to its launch in the coming months. The new range – of which several models are currently undertaking real-world trials with selected customers in New Zealand – features the latest in Euro6-rated engines as well as industry-leading safety features and driver appointments. Manufactured at IVECO’s Melbourne production facility and sharing their basic architecture with the soon-to-be-launched X-Way, the new model also ACCO retains some of the best features of the previous generation trucks, which made it a favourite for tough vocational applications. Available in 6×4 and 8×4 configurations, the vehicles will be equipped with IVECO front axles, tapered two-leaf parabolic suspension and rear IVECO 8 bag Electronically Controlled Air Suspension (8×4 models also receive front Electronically Controlled Air Suspension), with Meritor tandem drive axles featuring Active Traction Control and driver controlled diff locks. For refuse collection applications, IVECO will continue to offer a factory dual control system, and has consulted extensively with the waste industry to develop a variety of body mounting and chassis layout options to suit a variety of bodies. The model is also available with a Parker Chelsea PTO, a favourite for waste collection work. The latest ACCO will feature SCR Euro6, Cursor 9 engines with between 310 and 360hp and 1300 and 1650 Nm of torque, with emission control handled via IVECO’s Hi-eSCR system. The engines will be matched to the Allison Generation Five 3200 Series, 6-speed full automatic transmission. Aside from the adoption of cleaner, more efficient Euro6-rated Cursor engines, the new ACCO range has also made significant gains in the area of safety, which will position the model as one of the safest available. Included […]

‘Lady Tradies’ to boost economic growth

The trade industry has long-been male dominated, however, in recent years the industry has welcomed a rise in the number of women who are keen to swap designer clothes for a pair of steel cap boots. By improving the overall rate of women in the workforce, particularly in male dominated industries like construction, research conducted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) indicates that Australia could potentially increase its economic growth by $25 billion over the next 10 years. In 2014 Beth Moresi did just that, bidding farewell to her days in fashion, heading to a world of building and construction where she would swing hammers, carry timber and play in a space where she’d often be the only female on site. While Moresi battled fierce stigma from colleagues and clients, she enjoyed the freedom of working outdoors and seeing projects take shape, proving that women truly can do what traditionally was regarded at ‘men’s work’. Now with her own company, BethBuilds, Moresi services commercial and domestic building projects around Melbourne, Victoria and is one of the many ‘lady tradies’ set to shake up the industry. “I’ve always had a passion for being hands on in my work and building something really beautiful. Acknowledging women’s place in construction and how integral it is to the industry is long overdue, and it’s down to innovative, reputable brands such as Blundstone that work tremendously hard to showcase what we do in the industry. “Women have an extremely valuable but most importantly, equal role in the construction sector and I am so grateful to have found a profession I love,” says Beth. Building and construction is the nation’s second largest industry, but with women currently making up only 11% of the industry’s total workforce and only 1% of building trades, the industry […]

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Road freight industry set for disruption with launch of Loadsmile

Full steam ahead for start-up striving to tackle issues crippling one of Australia’s oldest industries Sydney:In a move set to disrupt the Australian road freight industry, Sydney-based start-up Loadsmile has launched its technology platform designed to empower the long tail of struggling small to medium-sized carriers. Loadsmile CEO and Co-Founder Geoffroy Henry said the sector is riddled with inefficiencies, most of which are addressable through technology. “Today’s road freight industry is incredibly wasteful ― millions of empty kilometres are being driven, trucks are underutilised, and overheads have increased. Currently, 30% of trucks in Australia are running with empty loads, and even when a truck has a load, it is rarely entirely full,” Henry said. “What’s more, we have spoken to hundreds of small and medium carriers who have said their drivers and trucks on average spend 2.8 days per five-day week (40%) without work2, and almost one-third (30%) of the costs they spend on resources are going to overheads not directly related to the truck or driver2. “This is due to an imbalance of power in the market, which is placing even more pressure on the small to medium trucking companies that are already chasing their tails to compete with the larger players.” In order to address the significant issue of wastage in the industry, Loadsmile’s digital platform live matches quality shippers with vetted and reliable carriers ― reducing empty miles and idle time for small to medium businesses and ultimately providing better service at a lower price. Funded by global incubator and investor Rocket Internet, this tech start-up has already secured interest from one of Australia’s largest shippers — BeCool, the last mile logistics arm of HelloFresh, will use Loadsmile’s services from day one. Loadsmile has on boarded more than 100 carriers already, providing access to thousands of trucks. […]

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 […]

The case of the missing microns

With 85% of Australia’s population living within 50km of the coast, sand and fine grit are ever-present problems in municipal and industrial water and wastewater systems. At the Ozwater’20 exhibition Stand N04 (to run from 5-7th May in Adelaide), local wastewater and screening authority CST Wastewater Solutions will be showcasing the latest advances in fine screening, grit removal and clarifier technologies, including globally proven Smith & Loveless technologies, for which it is Australian distributor. According to Smith & Loveless, as much as 40-80% of the grit contained in municipal wastewater is in the 105-200 micron size range, but most grit removal systems are designed to remove grit in the 200-300 micron range. “This discrepancy has meant that grit removal systems have been stuck in the 20th Century, but Smith & Loveless has new, superior technology to advance grit removal and improve local wastewater systems,” says Mr Michael Bambridge, Managing Director of CST Wastewater Solutions. Bringing grit removal into the 21st Century Smith & Loveless’ latest PISTA® VIO™ system removes 95% of grit down to 105 microns, and features full variability of the inlet and outlet channels. This technology – which CST will be displaying at Ozwater’20 – features a hydraulic vortex grit chamber design that utilises a new baffle system. This type of grit removal system – one of the first of its kind in the industry – provides the ability to design the inlet and outlet channels at any variable angle up to the full 360° of the chamber. Designers can arrange the system to fit existing sites, or maximise space during construction on new sites. The choice is clear for clarifier technology In addition to grit removal, CST will also be displaying its range of Smith & Loveless clarifier technologies at Ozwate’20, including centre feed clarifiers, peripheral feed […]

Workshops to help minimise virus risks

With Prime Minister Scott Morrison activating Australia’s emergency response plan to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Risk Management Institute of Australasia (RMIA) have moved to host a series of one-day workshops to help businesses minimise the operational, financial and reputational risks the virus poses. The sessions, which will be hosted in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in mid-March, are designed to assist risk managers, occupational health and safety managers and human resources develop plans to protect the health and safety of their employees, deal with the challenges in their supply chain and keep their businesses operating as the dangerous contagion spreads. The RMIA’s CEO and Executive Director Jason Smith said: “The workshops will be led by industry experts who will deliver comprehensive information and tools to help organisations manage their business continuity and crisis plans in order to mitigate against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The crisis around the coronavirus has clearly moved to the next level with the Australian Government expecting the virus to move to a pandemic phase and stepping up measures to prepare authorities for what is likely to be a sustained period of instability and disruption. A pandemic outbreak could last up to 10 months, 40% of the country’s workforce could be sidelined by illness or caring for family members, and Australia’s GDP could take a 10% hit. “From what we understand, emergency measures are set to be deployed at hospitals, schools and aged care facilities. Some hospitals are preparing coronavirus specific wards, while schools are expected to be prepped for a pandemic response that could result in classes being reduced or cancelled. Border Force personnel have been called in to escalate screening at airports, as cases of the flu-like virus grow across the region. “Our workshops will help managers identify the issues most likely […]

Morrison government will use purchasing power to encourage plastics recycling

The Morrison government will use its procurement policy to encourage the recycling of plastics, as well as committing financial assistance for upgrading infrastructure to boost the capacity for this waste to be reused. Scott Morrison will announce the initiatives to a national conference in Canberra today that is looking at the challenge of dealing with this escalating and environmentally destructive problem. The meeting is attended by industry, government and community representatives. The prime minister, who has previously highlighted better management of plastics waste as a priority for his government, will emphasise that for major change “the only way forward is in partnership – working with our neighbours; state, territory and local governments; industry, our manufacturing sector and supermarkets; waste operators, and with consumers and communities”. In a speech circulated ahead of delivery he proposes “three pillars” for tackling the problem: taking responsibility for the waste; encouraging demand for recycled products; and expanding industry capability. Plastics “are choking our oceans. Scientists estimate that in just 30 years’ time the weight of plastics in our oceans will exceed the weight of fish in our oceans. That’s appalling. “Taking responsibility means recognising the problems we are contributing to – and it also means keeping faith with the Australian people who recycle,” Morrison says. “Only 12% of plastic put out in the yellow bin for recycling is actually recycled. Australians don’t expect their waste to be exported to someone’s village or waterway.” Morrison will meet state and territory leaders at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) next month to finalise a ban on the export of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres. He stresses this isn’t to ban the export of value-added recyclable materials. Morrison says more investment is much needed in the recycling industry; this and collection systems are under “severe strain”. Investment […]

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 […]

Cheap, lookalike hydraulic cylinders give companies headaches

Global advanced industrial tools and services leader Enerpac says the NZ market is falling victim to cheap, lookalike hydraulic cylinders that are causing significant headaches when they fail in service. Enerpac New Zealand Hydraulic Specialist, Mr Neville Stuart, says that unlike genuine Enerpac branded gear, lookalike cylinders have not been engineered for rugged conditions and optimum durability and are not backed by Enerpac’s nationwide service and warranty commitments. “Everyone is conscious of working within budget limitations, so when a $2,500 cylinder is available for under $500, it looks like a good deal. But what costs are incurred when that cylinder breaks down prematurely?” asks Mr Stuart. “It can be ten times that amount in terms of lost time, and hundreds of times that amount in terms of safety liability if they fail.” “Not only does production grind to a halt, but you now have to seek a replacement part, because there is no warranty or service with lookalike brands,” he says. Enerpac equipment is used in major projects where safety, precision and uptime are critical, in industries such as building, construction, civil and mechanical engineering, electrical utilities, manufacturing, mining and exploration, metal processing, oil and gas and transport maintenance. “At the end of the day it’s a case of ‘cheap comes out expensive’ because when you add up all the bills, a lookalike cylinder ends up causing far more costs, downtime, delays and other problems.” Mr Stuart has been raising awareness of New Zealand’s lookalike cylinder problem for years but says that the lookalike brands are persistent because they know they can make a quick dollar, then disappear before things go wrong. “The lookalike cylinders are usually painted in an almost identical yellow, and catalogues can even use similar part coding systems, but at the end of the day, if […]

How 3D printing will transform design and engineering in the future

3D printing is now mainstream within schools and businesses because of its flexibility and ability to unleash users’ creativity. 3D printing offers a fast, inexpensive way to create prototypes, test ideas, and even manufacture components and products for commercial sale or use. This is triggering a change in the way organisations build and design their products. The results include cost reductions and the ability to improve products by applying design thinking principles such as latticing, part consolidation, and light weighting. On top of this, savings in supply-chains, product storage, and waste can be realised. 3D printing is maturing and changing quickly, and so too is the future of engineering and design. For example, the automotive industry can now benefit from much shorter lead times when using 3D printing, which allows for much faster development and testing of components. As 3D printing technology evolves, and new materials are developed, products that were previously not viable to print because of size, accuracy and material constraints become feasible. There has been a huge surge across the industry recently towards end-use parts. 3D printing’s ability to manufacture and combine parts has become more effective and is increasingly being integrated into an augmented manufacturing process. For example, dentistry companies can embed 3D printing into manufacturing process to create digitally engineered moulds for patients. 3D printing has made this process much more cost effective. Eric Holtsmark, general manager – strategy, transformation and technology, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “The future of product development can also be aided by 3D printing. The design of consumer goods such as electronics depends heavily on current market needs. As these needs change, 3D printing not only offers manufacturers a way to adapt quickly by shortening the design stage, but also the ability to produce cost-effective short production runs to test the […]

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