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AI hype cycle meets reality for construction industry

Study of 460 Australian Design and Make companies reveals AECO, D&M, and M&E sectors continue to grapple with challenges including cost control, talent shortages and environmental sustainability. A new report from Autodesk, Inc. reveals a shift in AI optimism and preparedness, as well as lingering concerns over cost control in Australian Design and Make industries – including construction and manufacturing – amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty. The 2025 State of Design & Make report surveyed and interviewed 5,600 global business leaders – including 460 in Australia – in industries that comprise the Design and Make category. These sectors include architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO), product design and manufacturing (D&M), and media and entertainment (M&E). In Australia, 2024 was defined by high cost of living pressures, exacerbated by high interest rates and inflation. This severely impacted design and make industries, with the 2025 Design & Make report revealing that 40 per cent of Australian respondents consider cost control and cost management to be the largest challenge facing their organisation. The report found that investments are down year over year, which could be reflective of high interest rates and therefore a higher cost of borrowing. However, despite slowing investments, optimism remains high, with 67 per cent of leaders saying their organisations will increase future investments. “Alongside cost-of-living, artificial intelligence dominated Australia’s attention in 2024,” said Andy Cunningham, Senior Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand at Autodesk. “However, it appears this fixation has tapered off, following the natural path of tech hype cycles. And as the report reveals, Australian organisations are feeling less confident in AI.” The report states that 68 per cent of respondents believe AI will enhance their industry, down 9 per cent from last year – this shift is in line with global findings, which show a 12 […]

Karratha Gas Plant, North West Shelf Project

North West Shelf extension delay another regulatory fail

The Federal Government’s decision to delay its assessment of the North West Shelf extension is a blow to Western Australia’s energy security and another example of how our national environmental laws are failing. Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the North West Shelf project has been powering WA homes and industry for 40 years and will play a critical role in the state’s future energy security and economic prosperity. “After six years of environmental assessment and having secured state government approval, there is simply no justification for further regulatory delays,” Ms McCulloch said. “This is yet another example of the open-ended and uncertain approval processes that are driving away investment and damaging Australia’s reputation as a stable, predictable country to do business. “The extension of the North West Shelf project is needed to ensure reliable and affordable gas supply to Western Australians, with the Australian Energy Market Operator forecasting gas shortfalls in the State from 2030.” WA’s gas industry is a driving force behind the state’s economy, providing 54 per cent of WA’s primary energy and 60 per cent of the state’s electricity. The industry contributes $35 billion a year to the WA economy and supports more than 73,000 jobs in the state. Natural gas also provides more than half the energy used by WA’s mining and minerals processing sector and supports emissions reductions in WA and the region. A recent independent report by EnergyQuest found that without new gas investment, Western Australia would run out of gas for electricity from the early-2030s and its mining and industrial sectors would be left without gas from mid-2030s. “The Federal Government must provide certainty to the millions of WA households and businesses that depend on gas and rule out any further delays to this critical energy security project,” Ms McCulloch […]

The Global Impact of U.S. Trade Tariffs: Aluminium and Steel

Daniel Kohut, Vice President, Industry Strategy, Blue Yonder As of February 11th, the Trump administration announced worldwide tariffs of 25 percent on aluminium and steel imports, which form a major part of Australia’s economy. The Trump administration’s proposed increase in tariffs on imports in other areas—ranging from 60% to 100% for China, for example—is sending shockwaves through industries worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. With China serving as a global manufacturing hub, companies are grappling with rising costs, supply chain reconfigurations, and market volatility. Industry leaders from manufacturing, automotive, industrials, high tech, and life sciences share their perspectives on the implications of these tariffs and the strategies companies must adopt to mitigate risks. Blue Yonder’s industry leaders across manufacturing, automotive, industrials, high tech, and life sciences share their perspectives on the implications of these tariffs and the strategies companies must adopt to mitigate risks. In most cases the economic impacts are likely to be severe, and advanced technologies and business operational changes such as risk and scenario modelling and inventory planning will become critical to ensure business continuity. APAC manufacturing: Navigating Supply Chain Shifts Manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region, many deeply integrated with China, will experience cost increases as tariffs take effect. To offset these challenges, businesses may relocate production to Vietnam, Thailand, or Malaysia. However, shifting supply chains can strain existing infrastructure and labour markets, while also increasing logistical costs. Companies will require enhanced visibility into sourcing, inventory, and compliance, with cloud-based supply chain platforms and advanced risk modelling emerging as critical tools for managing disruptions. Automotive: Balancing Cost Pressures and Supply Chain Adaptability The global automotive industry faces rising production costs due to increased tariffs on imported components. Automakers may respond by reshoring production closer to domestic markets, boosting local manufacturing jobs but also raising labour costs. In […]

SYSPRO extends global footprint aquiring NexSys

SYSPRO, a leading global software provider for the manufacturing and distribution industries, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire long-standing partner, NexSys, a specialist provider of digital manufacturing and distribution software in the UK, and part of Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listed K3 Business Technology Group Plc. The carve-out acquisition of NexSys is a key milestone in SYSPRO’s strategy to expand its global footprint, strengthening its presence in the UK and extending its reach across Europe. The acquisition will also enable SYSPRO to expand its highly regarded digital manufacturing suite with new products and capabilities designed to meet the evolving needs of global customers. SYSPRO’s expanded digital manufacturing suite empowers midmarket manufacturing and distribution organisations to drive automation, visibility and traceability of their operations in a cloud, on-premise or hybrid environment, delivering best-of-benchmark efficiency and quality production processes. The announcement comes shortly after Advent, a leading global private equity investor, took ownership of SYSPRO in October. The acquisition marks the first major initiative under the new ownership, reflecting a bold strategic vision centered on growth through targeted investments. By leveraging Advent’s backing and SYSPRO’s deep industry expertise, the company will continue to expand its footprint, enhance its product offering, and deliver increased value to customers worldwide. The acquisition builds on a long and successful partnership between SYSPRO and NexSys, during which NexSys established itself as a trusted provider of digital solutions to manufacturing and distribution companies across the UK. This strong alignment in delivering excellence and driving customer success made the decision to join forces a natural progression. At the same time, SYSPRO remains committed to its value-added channel strategy, ensuring its partner ecosystem continues to thrive as a driver of growth and innovation globally. “NexSys has been a valued partner for many years, and we’re delighted to formally […]

Sense and Landis+Gyr partner for flexible energy transition in Australia and New Zealand

Sense, a leader in embedded intelligence that transforms the relationship between people, homes and the grid, and Landis+Gyr, a leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions have announced an Asia Pacific regional partnership. The partnership will initially focus on the fast developing Australian and New Zealand markets to support the energy transition to consumer energy resources (CER) systems. Landis+Gyr will extend Sense’s software into the company’s Grid Edge ready smart meters in Australia and New Zealand, leveraging Landis+Gyr’s proven and leading-edge deployments in North America with Sense to provide unprecedented, real-time analytics by utilising high resolution waveform sensing capabilities for utilities and consumers to manage energy more proactively. “The future of the grid is flexible, decarbonised, integrated, and powered by machine learning. With Australia leading the world in the uptake of rooftop solar and more than 80 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity generated by renewables, our partnership with Sense positions Landis+Gyr well to support distribution networks, retailers, metering services providers, and consumers to unlock more benefits from the future flexible grid with real-time insights,” explains David Maclean, Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific, Landis+Gyr. With Sense’s machine learning software integrated in Landis+Gyr’s Grid Edge ready smart meters, utilities will have improved visibility on the grid to identify fault conditions, predict peak demand and provide proactive safety alerts that ultimately support the growth and integration of consumer energy resources – areas where utilities need most visibility in the energy transition. For consumers, this will deliver real-time information through the identification of different household devices while integrating with other smart devices such as solar, batteries and EVs, enabling them to monitor, control, and track their energy usage.

ICN Victoria celebrates 40 years of supporting local Victorian businesses and workers

Since its founding in 1984 as the Industrial Supplies Office (ISO), ICN Victoria has supported local businesses through supply chain intelligence and facilitating government and industry networks, and connected thousands of local suppliers with major projects, ensuring the sustained growth of Victoria’s manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and advanced technology. The Hon. Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Jobs and Industry said the anniversary was an important milestone. “For 40 years, ICN Victoria has supported local businesses to get a fair go at work on government projects.” “Local Jobs First – Australia’s longest standing industry participation policy – is designed to maximise jobs and economic benefits from our major projects pipeline, and ICN Victoria has played a key role in identifying and connecting local businesses to these projects.” Nick Foa, CEO, ICN Victoria, said the organisation had played a critical role in shaping Victoria and supporting the delivery of signature projects that define the state, including the MCG redevelopment, Southern Cross Station, and the State Library. “Over the last decade alone, it has contributed more than $3 billion in economic value to the state, worked with 30,000 small businesses, and helped generate some 256,000 new jobs. “As the Victorian economy has evolved from a manufacturing, textiles and automotive focus in the early 1980s to what we see today – including advanced manufacturing, medtech, and renewable energy generation – ICN Victoria has evolved with it. “Today ICN Victoria has more than 54,000 businesses in its network and a team of specialist advisers working across industry sectors, including renewable energy, housing, construction, advanced manufacturing, and medtech and biotech as well as Victoria’s key regional hubs –Ballarat, Geelong, Northern Victoria and Gippsland.

Its the Shito

Coast of Gold Bursts into Australian Market with Award-Winning Shito Pepper Sauce Range An Australian brand centred on authentic West African flavours is making massive waves in the premium foods and condiments market, with the official launch of the award-winning Coast of Gold Shito Pepper Sauce range. Arguably the most loved sauce in Ghana, Shito (pronounced Shi-Tow) is a unique blend of hot peppers, herbs, spices and seafood, slow cooked to perfection. Known for its smoky heat and rich flavour profile, it pairs well with a variety of dishes such as rice, grilled meats, vegetables and even snacks. Boldly bursting into the Australian market with Gold and Silver accolades from the 2024 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards, Coast of Gold’s Shito Pepper Sauce is now available in a sweet, smoky and spicy Hot variety (Silver award-winner), Medium heat, and via a 100 per cent plant based Mild (Gold award-winner) recipe. The range has also received international acclaim via a Gold Star at the 2024 Guild of Fine Food Awards in the United Kingdom. With all three individual varieties also available in a taster pack and as a value bundle, Shito Pepper Sauce is the hero product of the Coast of Gold brand, which is sold online and delivers nationally and internationally. Rapidly capturing the attention of specialty food stores since its recent launch, the range is also now sold through more than 70 retailers across New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Queensland. With plans for rapid wider distribution soon across the nation, Coast of Gold was originally founded during the Covid-19 lockdown period in the home kitchen of Ghana-born Sydneysider, Genevieve Muir. After more than a year of perfecting the recipe via countless test batches made with the input of her family members scattered across the globe – aunties […]

2. The Melt Modern Manufacturing centre in Muswellbrook provides access to facilities and technical specialists at an affordable price 2

Advanced manufacturing

A vibrant advanced manufacturing sector is emerging from the Hunter’s well-established traditional assemblage. Much of the advanced manufacturing aligns with the existing defence, aerospace, and mining industries but also incorporates chemical processing, construction, and energy generation and distribution. Advanced manufacturing in the Hunter comprises about 2000 regional businesses employing about 20,000 people and contributing $2 billion to the NSW economy. The sector’s priorities include improving engagement with international markets, accessing global supply chains, and increasing the engagement between research and industry. It is important the Hunter’s advanced manufacturers position themselves to maximise their potential to leverage government initiatives including the National Reconstruction Fund, the Future Made in Australia bill and Industry Growth programs among many others. The current ecosystem suggests the Hunter is well placed to build leading capability. Hunter Manufacturing Awards (HMA) recognises the importance of sharing the stories of the region’s advanced manufacturers on a national stage. HMA chair Jacqui Daley says it enhances “Brand Hunter”. Assisting advanced manufacturing businesses reach the stage where they have a worthy story to tell is The Melt, founded in 2017 as a spinoff from Australia’s most successful corporate accelerator, Slingshot. Brett Thomas is Director and Chief Operating Officer of The Melt’s Muswellbrook facility, which provides technical specialists, and investment funding via Melt Ventures, to help emerging businesses prove, prototype, pilot, and produce physical devices. “We help start-ups and scale-ups,” Mr Thomas says. “In particular, businesses creating new devices and products that are clean tech, climate tech, or advanced-manufacturing related. Most of those products have embedded IoT (internet of things) and software elements but the core of the products is a physical device.” MrThomas says the risk of failure for the founders, start-ups, and scaling businesses making physical products is much higher than it is for other start-ups. There are several reasons […]

Manufacturing finalists announced

2024 AUSTRALIAN TRADES AND WOMEN’S SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION AWARDS From thousands of entrants from across the nation, 26 have made the Manufacturing Finalists Lists of 2024 Australian Trades Small Business Champion Awards and the 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards – two major recognition awards programmes dedicated to spotlighting top-performing small business operators, nationwide. Spanning all capital cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns, the Trades and Women’s Small Business Champion Awards pay tribute to the vital role of small businesses in Australia’s overall social and economic prosperity. Moreover, the Awards recognise small business owners’ invaluable contributions to their local communities and to their fields of specialty. The Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards is now in its third year and requires at least 50 per cent female ownership of an entrant business. Now in its second year, the 2024 Australian Trades Small Business Champion Awards features a total of more than 50 categories, across trades-based retail, services and manufacturing industries.PIC from 2023 Awards. Among this year’s most competitive categories, Manufacturing is proving exceptionally challenging to judge, says Steve Loe, Awards Founder and Managing Director of Precedent Productions, which coordinates the Australian Trades and Women’s Small Business Champion Awards. “The quality of Manufacturing category entrants is very impressive. The shortlisting of this year’s finalists was quite the challenge for our judges. “When the Champion Judges evaluate entries, they consider all aspects of a business: its strategies, growth, eco-friendliness, community contributions, innovation, customer service, and product and service quality – to name but some of the criteria. “The next rounds of judging will be intense as we continue to evaluate the achievements of this year’s 26 Manufacturing finalists to reach just one winner per programme,” says Mr Loe. The 16 Manufacturing finalists of the Australian Trades Small Business […]

Aussie innovators recognised at CSIRO’s ON Accelerate 8 Showcase

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, celebrated the progress and achievements of its latest ON Accelerate 8 cohort at a showcase in Melbourne yesterday. ON Accelerate breaks down the challenges that often prevent deep tech ideas and research from evolving into real-world applications and market-ready ventures. The showcase highlighted the impressive strides made by the 10 deep tech teams from the latest ON Accelerate cohort since commencing the three-month program. They were selected for their work in addressing critical areas of innovation; including global health challenges, championing sustainability through circularity and pushing the boundaries of advanced manufacturing and AI. CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton said the ideas, innovations and advancements delivered by this year’s ON Accelerate program were truly inspiring. “These researchers are working at the cutting edge of technology to tackle some of society’s greatest challenges,” Dr Hilton said. “CSIRO’s proud to play a pivotal role in unlocking success pathways that ensure the translation of ideas into real solutions, products and companies. “We are committed to continually breaking down barriers for researchers to foster the next era of Australian inventiveness.” Dr Grant Lynch of EMU Systems from the University of Sydney, and one of the Accelerate 8 teams, was announced as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Stanford Australia Foundation (SAF) award scholarship. The scholarship provides ON Accelerate alumni with the opportunity to benefit from the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program. Stanford Australia Foundation Chairman, Aaron Bilston said, “The SAF award scholarship will empower its ON Accelerate 8 researcher recipient, Dr Grant Lynch from EMU Systems, to advance their innovation and commercialisation skills, driving impactful solutions from research to real-world applications, ultimately boosting Australia’s global competitiveness and fostering economic growth.” Notably, Cytophenix Co-Founder Dr Christine Carson from the University of Western Australia was awarded the CSIRO Impactful […]

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