Company News

What do field service workers have to do with manufacturing?

-Paul Baptist, Senior Director, Solution Engineering, APAC, Salesforce We’re seeing manufacturers increasingly invest in their customer service and field service teams as customers demand the types of experiences companies like Airbnb provide. Anytime, anywhere, frictionless and personalised experiences are what customers demand. The lines between B2C and B2B customers have also blurred, meaning your experience must match the very best that’s out there, no matter your end buyer. The stakes have never been higher. The Salesforce 2018 State of the Connected Customer report, revealed 66 per cent of buyers say they are likely to switch brands if they are treated like a number instead of an individual. Every touch point a manufacturer has with a customer has to deliver the best possible, personalised experience. In-between buying cycles, field service is often your most important and regular touch point with customers. That’s why we’ve seen our manufacturing customers like KONE, Schneider Electric and Fisher & Paykel invest in their customer service experience. What’s the impact of field service workers in manufacturing? A good example of investing in your field service team is KONE. It is working towards a future where the operating condition of more than 1.1 million of its escalators and elevators is linked with real-time customer information and maintenance schedules. This will be provided to its team of 20,000 field service technicians around the world. By owning the quality of service and empowering its field service technicians, KONE is turning a service request or product break down into an opportunity to provide an outstanding customer experience. What is the ‘customer experience crisis’? Customers judge your business based on their most recent and best interaction. Think of the companies that deliver outstanding service and repair experiences, like KONE or Fisher & Paykel for example. All manufacturers are judged by this […]

Global collaboration gives rise to 3D printed field test kit

A three-cornered collaboration between South Australia, Texas and Ethiopia is using 3D printed technology and design innovation to efficiently diagnose a deadly disease that infects a million people every year. -Jim Plouffe The kit to diagnose leishmaniasis is being trialled this month by the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of a program to revolutionise the way diseases are tested and treated. Working with Austin-based infectious disease virtual incubator PandemicTech and the New Venture Institute (NVI) at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, Dr Endalamaw Gadisa has been able to quickly iterate his knowledge of a better way to test for leishmaniasis into a practical and cost-effective design. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease spread through the bites of sandflies. The World Health Organisation estimates that up to 1 million new cases and 30,000 deaths occur annually, usually among malnourished people living in poverty and or unsanitary conditions. Although it can lead to ulcers and death, leishmanias is curable if diagnosed and treated early. Addis Ababa-based Dr Gadisa identified several difficulties in testing for the disease in Ethopia, leading to the need for more effective and practical diagnostic equipment. The difficulties with the current system include the cost of a liquid medium (reagent) used for testing, the fragile test tubes used to store the reagent, the challenge of viewing the samples under available microscopes, and the length of time it takes to get results, which can be more than a week. He developed a design for a test tube that requires significantly less reagent (10 microliters versus 25 millilitres) and could provide results in as few as three days, but he lacked the ability to build his prototype in Addis Ababa. Andrew Nerlinger, the director of PandemicTech in Austin, offered to work with Dr Gadisa as one of the incubator’s […]

BAE Systems wins $35 billion bid to build war frigates in South Australia

ASC Shipbuilding will build nine anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Australian Navy in Adelaide after BAE Systems was chosen as the preferred tenderer for the $35 billion SEA 5000 project. – Andrew Spence The Global Combat Ship – Australia is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 frigate, one of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warships, which the company is currently constructing in Glasgow for the British Navy. The BAE Systems design was selected over Italian company Fincantieri and Spanish ship builder Navantia for the SEA 5000 project. The ships, named the Hunter class, will be built at ASC’s headquarters, the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, South Australia. ASC Shipbuilding, currently wholly owned by the Australian Government, will become a subsidiary of BAE Systems during the build. At the end of the program the Commonwealth will resume complete ownership of ASC Shipbuilding. The Hunter class will have the capability to conduct a variety of missions independently, or as part of a task group, with sufficient range and endurance to operate effectively throughout the region. The frigates will also have the flexibility to support non-warfare roles such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Incorporating the leading edge Australian-developed CEA Phased-Array Radar and the US Navy’s Aegis combat management system, with an Australian interface developed by Saab Australia, the Hunter class will be one of the most capable warships in the world. The project is expected to create and sustain 4000 highly skilled jobs, providing a significant contribution to the development of Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding capability and a boost to the nation’s manufacturing industry.

Embrace the fourth industrial age—or become a backwater

By Albert Palazzo The world is on the cusp of a new industrial age—the fourth. As with previous industrial ages, those who embrace it first stand to become the dominant powers of the future and will seize the right to set the rules that define the age. Those that are late to the party will struggle to secure their place and avoid a decline into humanity’s future backwaters. Australia has a choice to make: whether to undergo the social, political and cultural disruption that will result from the embrace of emerging technologies, or to continue to support an economy based on the status quo. In making this choice, Australia will also determine its security future. One of the likely changes of the fourth industrial age to which Australia will need to adapt is the decline in relative value of primary resources and manufactured goods compared to information. The rapid growth of additive manufacturing (3D printing) demonstrates this point. 3D factories, using very few staff, are coming into existence. These factories have certain advantages over current means of production. Being additive, 3D printers are very efficient and require less feed stock—iron ore for example—than traditional subtractive manufacturing. They can also be located anywhere, and be arrayed as individual units or in their thousands. That will promote distributed manufacturing. Many countries in Asia, including China, have chosen to lift their people out of poverty by becoming the manufacturer to the ‘Walmarts’ of the world. That model will come undone when every Australian, European, American and even Asian home has a 3D printer with which families can print whatever they want, from food to high-quality clothes and beyond. Value will cease to reside in the product, but will be found in the design. And as the economic foundations of the developing world fail, instability and social collapse […]

New Enerpac leader brings best-in-class products and strong customer service focus

Mr Rustin Dring A Sales and Marketing Business Leader with extensive international experience in channel management and new product innovation has been appointed to head the Australasian operations of globally successful high-pressure hydraulic tools manufacturer – Enerpac. Mr Rustin Dring will lead Enerpac’s long-established teams in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea as they introduce a stream of new product, technology, services and distributor support initiatives. Under Dring’s leadership, Enerpac will be looking to expand their value proposition to distributors and end-users by offering world class customer support for high-pressure hydraulic tools, controlled force products and solutions for precise positioning of heavy loads. Mr Dring – BsC, MBA and a member of Enerpac’s Global Leadership Team – takes overall responsibility as the General Manager of Enerpac Australia and New Zealand. He will manage the introduction of several new product platforms, new strategic initiatives, and drive regional expansion while continuing to evaluate the best way to support Enerpac’s customers and distributors in Australasia. “This is an exciting time to be leading the highly experienced Enerpac commercial and operations teams. We will be working very closely with our strong distribution network to bring new and innovative ideas to the market and back them up with the world class support known by our customers from around the world. As we continue to push the envelope of new product innovation we always keep a keen focus on the safety, productivity and durability of our world class products and solutions, in areas such as: Safety – several new Enerpac product designs incorporate lighter weight materials, reduced sound and vibration levels, improved operator feedback, and testing to the highest level of safety standards. Productivity – Enerpac tools are more efficient through our designs and various new technologies. We look to eliminate wasted time from our […]

Australia must embrace transformation for a sustainable future

Judy van der Velden/Flickr, CC BY-NC Shirin Malekpour, Research Leader in Strategic Planning and Futures Studies, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Last Friday, the Australian government released its first report on our progress towards meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. These 17 goals are a call to action to ensure economic prosperity and social inclusion, while protecting the planet. They cover issues ranging from health to reducing inequalities and clean energy. According to the report, Australia has made some steady progress towards most of our goals. However, to achieve the goals in just 12 years from now, we need transformative actions. These are missing in the report. Without a strong vision and new models of partnership between government, industry and communities, we will not meet the 2030 deadline. What the report says In 2015, most of the world’s nations signed up to the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda. In July this year, Australia will present its first voluntary review of progress towards the goals at the UN. These reviews are a crucial component of accountability. Australia’s Voluntary National Review (for which I facilitated a consultation workshop to give input from the university sector) is a showcase of policies, actions and initiatives from across different sectors that are, in the report’s language, “relevant” to achieving the goals. The report highlights that Australia is a prosperous and generally healthy country. But it also acknowledges significant challenges, such as improving the health and prosperity of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and helping workers in the resources or manufacturing sectors who are facing technological and industrial transitions. The report highlights that local councils, statutory authorities, businesses and universities are taking actions that are explicitly aligned with the global goals. For example, a number of Australian universities have signed a […]

IVECO Australia appoints new General Manager of sales

IVECO Australia has announced the appointment of Scott Slater to the position of General Manager – Sales, effective 1 June. Mr Slater replaces Geoff Buswell who will take on a new position within the CNH Industrial Group in Australia. The new role will see Mr Slater assume sales responsibility for both IVECO’s National Key Accounts as well as Dealers. Prior to being appointed to the position, Mr Slater spent 18 months as IVECO National Key Accounts Manager and before that was General Manager at IVECO Dealership, Melbourne Truck Centre. In total, he has been involved in commercial vehicle sales for over 18 years. Mr Slater said he was looking forward to the challenges and opportunities the new role would bring. “It’s an exciting time for IVECO in Australia, the product offering is the strongest it’s been in many years and this positions us well for future sales growth,” he said. “The brand has performed strongly in the light market over the past 12-18 months and during this time has also set solid foundations for this momentum to continue across to the medium and heavy segments. “Having the IVECO heavy duty range with models such as the Stralis and ACCO being made locally, provides a real advantage for customers in terms of the flexibility and customisation levels we can provide them. I’ll be focusing on promoting these benefits to prospective IVECO customers in the months ahead,” he said. IVECO Australia Business Director, Bruce Healy, thanked Geoff Buswell for his contribution to IVECO, and also said that Mr Slater was well credentialed to take on the new role. “Geoff did a great job over the last three years in strengthening IVECO’s Dealer Network and played a pivotal role in introducing successful new initiatives such as Daily specialist Dealers to the network,” Mr […]

Tradie’s IVECO Daily 4×4 ideal for work and play

For his 60th birthday, Sydney painting contractor, Peter Avery, treated himself to a new Daily 4×4 and in doing so, he found a dual purpose vehicle he could use for both his business and spare time. As the owner of Innerwest Painting Services, a company specialising in residential, heritage, commercial and industrial painting, Peter previously operated a van to carry his materials and equipment. But when the time came for an upgrade, he thought outside the square and began to research a vehicle that could replace not only his van, but also his recreational four wheel drive. “Whenever I’d go away on weekends camping or four wheel driving, my wife would always complain that she’d be left without the car,” Peter said. “This lead me to start looking for a vehicle that could serve both purposes – something that would be suitable for work, but that I could also use to get away on weekends and on longer trips.” After much research, Peter settled on the Daily 4×4 Dual Cab and then sought to customise the truck to meet his trade and camping needs. The Daily now features an aluminium canopy with heavy duty roof racks, a dual battery system, 240 and 12V power sockets, a long range fuel tank, an under tray water tank with pump, and a bull bar and winch. A reversing camera also helps Peter squeeze the truck into tight parking spaces in the inner city, where most of his work is done. “The canopy has plenty of room for paint, along with various sanders, pressure washers and other equipment, it also has a net that acts as a mezzanine type level where I can carry lighter equipment such as brooms and poles,” Peter said. “Access to the inside is via gullwing-style doors that have integrated […]

First Pacific Patrol Boat launched

The first of 21 Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boats to be designed and built by Austal has been launched. The launch of the first vessel comes just two years after the contract was awarded to the Australian shipbuilder. The first vessel is now scheduled for delivery to Papua New Guinea in late October 2018. The launch of the first Pacific Patrol Boat is a milestone for Austal, with the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) program marking the company’s first steel ship program. “Austal is proud to be delivering the PPB-R program for the Commonwealth. This is the first steel ship program we have managed and we are doing so on time and on budget,” Austal chief executive David Singleton said. “It is a testament to the skills, experience and management of the Austal PPB-R team that the first vessel has met its project milestones for design and build, on schedule. The overall construction program is well underway, with vessels two and three in build and the fourth vessel commencing construction in June.” Singleton said the program will support 200 direct jobs at Austal and 200 indirect jobs in the broader Australian industry in a program that now extends out to late 2023. This employment is in addition to several hundred jobs at Austal created by a number of large commercial export contracts currently under construction and planned for construction at the Henderson shipyard. “We are already working on export opportunities leveraging off the Pacific Patrol Boats, which will assist Australia to sustain its sovereign naval shipbuilding industry. Austal has already delivered over 40 patrol boats to international customers around the world,” Singleton said. The Pacific Patrol Boat contract was awarded to Austal in May 2016, worth $305 million for the original 19 vessels and associated in service support, with a further […]

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Konica Minolta at National Manufacturing Week

Konica Minolta is offering manufacturers a first look at revolutionary technology that will propel them into the future at National Manufacturing Week, from May 9-12 in Sydney. Konica Minolta is offering manufacturers a first look at revolutionary technology that will propel them into the future at National Manufacturing Week, from May 9-12 in Sydney. Marc Brandon, 3D and Robotics Marketing Manager, Konica Minolta, said, “Konica Minolta is showcasing a new wave of technologies for Australian manufacturers that will accelerate operations and reshape businesses. These technologies – spanning additive manufacturing, material sciences, software, and robotics – are advancing and intersecting at such a rapid rate that they are for the first time, a reality for industry-leading organisations.” Konica Minolta is partnering with 3D SYSTEMS to make 3D production a reality for the Australian manufacturing industry, with the new Figure 4™ system. This new, high-speed digital moulding system will redefine manufacturing by accelerating production, automating manufacturing processes and producing flexible and scalable production, through a new processing technology known as Digital Light Printing (DLP). In an Australian-first preview, Konica Minolta will showcase the 3D SYSTEMS Figure 4 Standalone system, part of a wider family of Figure 4 technologies, at National Manufacturing Week 2018. These cutting edge DLP systems, deliver the industry’s first scalable, modular, fully-integrated 3D printing platform with ultra-fast speed, enabling throughput improvement up to 15 times and up to 20 per cent lower parts cost. Matthew Hunter, National Manager 3D, Konica Minolta said, “Konica Minolta is already engaging with industry and organisations that are willing to partner with us in bringing this and other additive manufacturing production systems to the market. By working together, we can expedite its arrival, while leveraging Konica Minolta’s industry leading support capabilities, to the benefit of all manufacturers in Australia.” Another technology that is making […]

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