Covid-19

Resourceful Living 2 Jess Hodge Hunter Awards

Made in the Hunter, for the world

HMA announces 2023 finalists and presentation night Mid-September put a spring in the step of Hunter manufacturing. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Varley Engineering at Carrington to make a significant announcement regarding the National Reconstruction Fund, and Hunter Manufacturing Awards announced its 2023 finalists. While Mr Albanese was suiting up in Newcastle’s traditional industrial heartland with safety glasses and a personalised rail safety vest to reboot manufacturing, selected HMA finalists were checking their black-tie arrangements and after-five options. HMA will announce the winners of its prestigious accolades at a gala event on Friday 20 October at NEX, in Newcastle. The awards inspire and encourage vibrant and enduring manufacturing and the event shines a light on the region’s leaders and innovators making a mark in their fields. The 2023 awards theme is “made in the Hunter, for the world” and HMA chair Jacqui Daley says it is important to recognise the growth of manufacturing in the region and to celebrate innovations and commitment as companies make a global push. “Hunter companies are transforming traditional manufacturing processes,” Ms Daley says. “Many are now increasing the levels of design for technologically complex, innovative, reliable, affordable, and available products, which are better, more sustainable, and solve a variety of society’s problems. It enables them to compete globally.” Many of this year’s finalists are first timers, such as Hey Zomi, Herb Urban, and new Hunter start-up No Thru, while others are “old hands”, such as Hedweld, Resourceful Living, Whiteley, and Tomago Aluminium. The No Thru interlocking security system is an innovative reimagining of the traditional temporary construction fence. Designed to address the shortcomings of current options, No Thru prioritises enhanced security, safety, and streamlined installation efficiency. “Our main target markets are construction, building, and hire companies,” says No Thru founder James Vadas. “This system eliminates […]

Businesses’sharing’ staff to make the most of downtime

A Gold Coast company’s match-making service is helping businesses make money by ‘filling the gaps’ in rapidly evolving workplaces. Peaks and troughs are part of the ride for any business, but a company based on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia is helping those troughs potentially become valuable money-earners. Technology provider BenchOn, has re-imagined its “staff sharing portal” to help companies manage their workforces in new ways. Established by the City of Gold Coast, The Gold Coast Business Portal uses the established technology to further strengthen the local business community, connecting local companies experiencing high demand for specialist talent with those that have talent to spare. Springing out of the pandemic, the platform links businesses and helps them tap into another organisation’s under-utilised talent, or offer up their own staff, for profit, to help others fill the gaps. Founder and CEO Tim Walmsley said while the company started six years ago, it had hit its stride as massive change tipped traditional workplace operations sideways. “The foundation of BenchOn is all around workforce management and ensuring that we smooth out the peaks and troughs in business so we can match the workforce capacity to where it’s needed across industry,” Walmsley said. “The collaborative platform system allows businesses to request support or offer out staff if they have capacity. “The AI (artificial intelligence) algorithm matches companies that need staff with a company that has a person available at the right time and at the right price, and it works as a business-to-business subcontract, providing the support of a certain skill set for a certain period of time.” As the world’s first business talent sharing platform, BenchOn sits firmly within the modern-day share economy. It supports more than 3,000 companies from global firms to banks and energy providers, through to small-to-medium businesses and start-ups […]

The impact of China’s COVID lockdowns on Australian agriculture

Current strict lockdowns in many major cities in China – as the country tries to eradicate the spread of COVID – are not only affecting its local citizens, but also having flow-on impacts on trading partners, including Australia, according to agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank. Speaking in a recently-recorded podcast, What’s the Impact of China’s Lockdown Wave?, RaboResearch general manager for Australia and New Zealand Stefan Vogel said, in particular, there are four specific impacts of the lockdowns that are set to have increasing ramifications for Australian agribusiness – disruptions to freight logistics, Chinese corn plantings, dairy demand and hog pricing. Freight logistics “The already-stressed global container logistics situation is becoming more complicated due to massive delays around the Shanghai port,” Mr Vogel said. “The dry container index, which tracks average prices paid for the transport of dry bulk materials across more than 20 international routes, increased five-fold through 2021 as a result of COVID lockdowns in different parts of the world. “While the index has since declined and is down 16 per cent since early March and 25 per cent down from the September 2021 highs, it looks likely that the ongoing COVID lockdowns in China will add to continued container logistics issues and keep container freight well above historic levels for 2022 and also likely to remain elevated well into 2023.” Corn plantings Mr Vogel said disruptions to corn plantings in China – the world’s second-largest corn producer and also the world’s primary corn importer – were also raising more concerns in an already extremely-tight global grains markets. “Chinese corn planting faces delays in two key provinces as some farmers are stuck in major cities and are unable to access their fields due to the COVID lockdowns,” he said “We understand the lockdowns have created delays in planting this important feed […]

A three dimensional panoramic view of the turquoise spring Kiikunlahde in Hollola, Finland in a mini planet panorama style.

Sustainable Technologies in 2022

At the core of sustainability are cost savings which has led economists and environmentalists to see eye-to-eye on the long-term benefits of sustainable practices in business. RS Components value both the environment and energy conscious design. In addition to their global support of the environment initiatives of Engineers Without Borders, the RS library of accessible consumer materials cover everything from tech-articles to product-selection guides on the most environmentally-economic products on the market. Their commitment to keeping their RS Components customers up-to-date on sustainable product trends compelled them to launch a webinar – Sustainable Technologies in 2022. A panel of experts from the leaders in industry include Schneider Electric, Fluke, Phoenix Contact, ABB and RS PRO who will discuss how business can become more sustainable in operations. Join the Sustainable Technologies in 2022 seminar by clicking on the link below to register: https://nz.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=sustainable-technology&cm_mmc=NZ-PR-_-NZMMAG-_-DTC_203_0322_APAC-_-Sustainability_banner And add this date in your diary: 12PM Thursday 7th April 2022 All attendees who stay until the end of the session will receive a FREE e-Gift Card valued at $20*.

Testcenter bei Lapp Kabel Stuttgart, U.I. Lapp GmbH, am 23.11.2016 in Stuttgart

Surging growth by LAPP delivers AUSPACK firsts

One of the country’s most successful branded cabling, connector, connectivity and automation system facilitators, LAPP Australia, will introduce major new drag chain cabling and custom engineering services at AUSPACK in Melbourne from May 17-20. The fully fledged Australian branch of the German global leader in cabling and connectivity solutions, LAPP Group, has far more than more than doubled its inventory of locally stocked product lines, from 1,500 to more than 4,000, since setting up in this country just four years ago. LAPP Australia has helped major industries weather the COVID pandemic by securing their supply chains to world-best product through online shop listings growing from 5,000 product listings to over 25,000 products. These cables, connectors, and services are vital to industries and automation/Industry 4.0 for applications including food and beverage, solar and energy, resources and materials handling, primary production and process engineering, acoustics, electrical contracting, water and wastewater, recycling, machine building and automation. Highlights of AUSPACK stand G105 will include the widest range of industrial and electrical cables on the Australian market, including: ÖLFLEX power and control cables SKINTOP cable glands ETHERLINE data communications systems for ETHERNET connections UNITRONIC data cables EPIC Connectors SILVYN robust cable protection and supply systems HITRONIC super-fast fibre-optic cables FLEXIMARK cable marking systems. LAPP will also be displaying its Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) cables, as well as cables specifically designed for high heat or low temperature and refrigerated environments. Complementing this broad range will be Australia’s widest range of drag chain cables. LAPP OLFLEXflexible drag chain cables (also known as energy chain cables) are designed to be used in applications that are constantly moving. They ensure the fail-safe supply of energy, data and impulses and are engineered to guide and protect cabling. Such integrated systems are suitable for automated manufacturing, robotics and industrial manufacturing. […]

CES selects SYSPRO ERP to take its business to the next level

Caravan Electrical Solutions (CES) has selected Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) specialist, SYSPRO to address inefficiencies in its business as the forward looking Australian company experiences extraordinary growth due to Australians buying caravans and campers in record numbers instigated by the pandemic related travel restrictions. CES offers complete electrical systems for recreational vehicles, including the supply of materials, labour and a fully comprehensive warranty, with aftermarket support. After eleven years of experience in this field, CES has evolved with the key focus to provide quality labour-saving technologies to RV manufacturers and continued ongoing support for consumers who buy RVs with this technology. This diversity, focus and investment in state-of-the-art assembly machines, has enabled CES to claim its position as market leader. “The prolonged closure of international borders has merely been an accelerator for our business, which was what instigated the search for a professional ERP system to address inefficiencies in the business, so we can really take it to the next level for an unprecedented period of record growth,” said Jason Arter, Director, CES. CES is SYSPRO’s first sales deal in Asia Pacific for 2022 and took just eight weeks from an online enquiry to closing the deal. It was a competitive sales engagement process against Odoo and M1 Software, with comprehensive pre-sales engagement from discovery through to demonstration. CES has purchased SYSPRO ERP, SYSPRO MRP and SYSPRO MOM to integrate different parts of the business that are currently operated as silos. Somerton, Victoria based CES’ incredibly strong results in the past two years reflect a broader trend of increased adoption of travel via recreational vehicles (RVs) and caravans, largely due to the lack of international travel options during COVID-19. Data from The Caravan Industry Association shows record sales of campers and caravans in 2020 and 2021, up by at least […]

Q & A:Craig Charlton, CEO, SugarCRM

How are you finding current business conditions? The lockdowns across Australia may have stunted the growth of the manufacturing industry, but manufacturers have also pivoted their businesses to ride out the challenging environment. They have also responded to rapid change by shortening their supply chain, placing emphasis on JIT (Just In Time), and creating value for their customers. In general, the pandemic has fundamentally changed how we work and live, and has driven accelerated adoption of digital channels, such as eCommerce and social commerce, across multiple industries. In fact, in the most recent report from Essence Global, 71 percent of Australian consumers surveyed are highly likely to buy from social channels in future and 50 percent have already participated in live shopping and conversational commerce. At SugarCRM, we see more effort from our customers in making the (personalised) customer experience their mandate. CRM is now businesses’ primary source of customer data and information; they can manage their goals, workflows, and processes, as well as continuous communications with customers no matter where they are. With the rise of the digital economy, sales, marketing, and service teams are swimming in copious amounts of customer data to interpret and inform personalised, empathic communications. They need capabilities to help them sift through and find customer insights through that data. Capabilities such as AI-driven sentiment analysis are supercharging CRM functions such as sales, marketing, and service interactions with the insight into each customer’s and prospect’s emotional state and intent. And these AI-driven solutions are doing so seamlessly in the background, sifting through massive data sets across customer channels to help teams on the customer front lines identify the next-best actions and opportunities. More businesses are also starting to understand the criticality of sales and marketing to be in lock-step to win business and support growth. […]

Overcoming the security challenges of Industry 4.0

Lani Refiti, ANZ Regional Director at Claroty The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted every industry in very different ways. The need to maximise remote working has been universal, but certain industries have seen demand for their products and services surge; while for others, demand has diminished to virtually zero in some cases. Manufacturers with heavily digitised and sophisticated operations were well-placed to manage both the transition to remote working and the demand fluctuation for their products and services. They were able to rapidly pivot from in-person to remote working, and to spin up production of high-demand goods such as hand sanitisers, personal protection equipment and ventilators. Meanwhile, manufacturers with less sophisticated operations found themselves scrambling to react. The technological capabilities that enabled manufacturers to successfully adapt their operations during Covid-19 can be summed up in one phrase: Industry 4.0, the next generation of manufacturing technology. The concept was conceived in Germany as Industrie 4.0 and made its debut at the 2011 Hannover Fair. It has come a long way since then and means different things in different countries. The Australian Government says, “Industry 4.0 is transforming how businesses operate by connecting the physical with the digital world.” It gives as examples, “Artificial intelligence, advanced automation and robotics.” Industry 4.0 embraces machine-to-machine communication, human-to-machine communication and the idea of a connected ecosystem that links customers, supply chains and production facilities. It enables real-time communication to ensure smooth operation of supply chains, the tailoring of supply to meet demand and, in more advanced versions, the concept of direct control of production according to demand. Industry 4.0 has increased manufacturers’ flexibility, competitiveness and their ability to exploit new market opportunities. Industry 4.0: where IT meets OT However, there is a major hurdle to realising the vision of Industry 4.0, one that manufacturers have struggled […]

Kimberly-Clark Professional® & RS join forces to support Aussies getting back-to-work

As Australians head back to work, after another lock-down buying their own toilet paper… RS Components are excited to announce their partnership with Kimberly-Clark Professional®. Along with their own RS Pro maintenance products, they are making sure their expanded range supports Aussies getting back on-site or into the office. Kimberly-Clark Professional® is known for delivering leading-edge solutions for a safer, healthier, and more productive workplace. From office buildings, schools, hotels, healthcare facilities and food preparation areas to laboratories, processing plants and manufacturing environments, the RS- Kimberly-Clark Professional® partnership will benchmark safety and cleanliness in the workplace. “At Kimberly-Clark Professional® we value our strategic relationships with partners like RS Components who share our values and commitment to making a positive impact on people and how they work,” says Jamie Rivett of KCP. “RS Components has a rich history of connecting customer needs with best product supply solutions and by working closely with RS Components Australia, we are accelerating our efforts to create Exceptional Workplaces.” The partnership means 170 new products added to the RS range including well-known brands Kleenex®, Scott®, Wypall® and Kimtech®. “Our local partnership with Kimberly-Clark Professional® and the addition of 170 new Cleaning, Hygiene, and Safety products is a substantial boost to our local offer and underlines our commitment to provide our customers with the most comprehensive selection of products that suit the Australian market,” explained Scott Philbrook, MD, RS Components ANZ.

A global energy crisis? What happened?

Far from emerging from the Covid shock awash with fuel, as might be expected after an economic slowdown, the world is entering a new energy crisis the like of which hasn’t been seen since the 1970s. European and Asian gas prices are at an all-time high, the oil price is at a three-year high, and the price of coal is soaring on the back of energy shortages across China, India and Germany. The surge in demand is being driven mostly by recovering economies and anticipated extreme weather across Europe and north-east Asia. China is stockpiling domestic coal and gas reserves, and Russia is reluctant to supply gas to Western Europe. Closer to home, Australia’s gas prices are soaring, but might soon plummet. Petrol pandemonium In Britain, a shortage of the truck drivers who move fuel has led to panic-buying amid fears of a shortage. After Brexit, many European truck drivers went back to their home countries and never returned. Compounding Britain’s problem was its so-called “windless summer” in which renewable power production was much lower than normal. This put a significant strain on electricity generation as around 40% of its power is produced by wind. Britain has transitioned away from coal as an electricity source and with low emergency supplies will find it difficult to suddenly switch back to coal. Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains committed to wind generation and says he wants the UK to become the “Saudi Arabia of wind power” with offshore wind farms generating enough electricity to power every UK home within a decade. Oil on a roll Oil prices have soared in response to the windless summer and British and German difficulties in getting access to Russian gas. Those increases will soon hit Australia which imports 80% of its petrol, diesel and jet fuel. OPEC+ […]

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