Future of Manufacturing

Electric hybrid vessel Hunter manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing is driving innovation on the Mid-North Coast

From iconic household brands like Milo to next-generation marine rescue and defence vessels, the mid-north coast is emerging as a powerhouse of advanced manufacturing in Australia. With a $32 million investment into Nestlé’s Smithtown factory, a suite of government funding initiatives, and major contract wins by local manufacturers, the region is proving that world-class innovation can thrive outside capital cities. Jacqui Daley, Chair of the Hunter Manufacturing Awards, says the Mid North Coast is poised for a manufacturing renaissance. In the picture: Carbon fibre crop dusting drone, capable of crop dusting one hectare in two minutes. “We are seeing a powerful wave of innovation driven by local manufacturers who are combining legacy craftsmanship with future-focused technology,” said Ms Daley. In March 2025, the NSW Government launched an $800,000 Regional Manufacturing Pilot Program, focused on boosting productivity and competitiveness across regional manufacturing hubs, including the mid-north coast. The Federal Government has also committed $25 million to help NSW industries adopt low-emission technologies and enhance sustainable practices to support a new era of clean, green manufacturing. “Providing small to medium businesses with access to expert advice to find ways to cut waste, improve efficiency, and deliver better products is a fantastic initiative. The goal is to help local manufacturers become more competitive, reduce costs, and grow stronger businesses, which means more jobs and stronger economies in regional communities,” Ms Daley said. The Mid-North Coast is home to manufacturers with local, national and international reach with Birdon in Port Macquarie building maritime vessels for defence forces in Australia and the US, and a number of other international military forces and government agencies, while AE Gibson & Sons in Kendall continues to lead in the design, engineering and manufacture of special purpose industrial machinery and automation systems. Steber International, a Taree-based manufacturer of premium […]

Negotiate a solid global tariff deal for manufacturing

With the Albanese Government returned to power, Graeme Evans, Regional Vice President AUNZ of Epicor – a leading global business software company specialising in providing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, particularly for the manufacturing, distribution, and aged care industries – says that some of the first jobs to be done is to stick to the promises they made in the previous term and also negotiate a solid global tariff deal for the manufacturing and distribution industry. Graeme explains: What Does The Government Need To Do To Help The Australian Manufacturing Industry? “The Australian manufacturing industry employs around 900,000 workers but has been in steady decline over the past few years. We must plan to boost local manufacturing and safeguard the nation in being more resilient to global shocks. We know that Labor has pledged to continue funnelling more money into its Future Made in Australia plan – with investment including $1 billion in grants for supporting green iron production and $2 billion in grants to support aluminium smelters to switch to renewable electricity – which we support. “The Government must continue to invest in onshore capabilities, have robust procurement requirements in place for projects involving steel and aluminium, as well as negotiate a fair manufacturing and distribution agreement with the US. While the last few years have shown us that global make, move, sell industries are no strangers to disruption, we must find stability and move forward.” How Does The Current Tariffs Impact Manufacturing And Distribution Operations? “Tariffs increase the cost of production inputs, squeezing gross margins for manufacturers and distributors. Companies sourcing heavily from tariff-affected regions must reassess their procurement strategies. Higher costs may also alter the bill of materials, require supplier changes, and influence where production facilities are located. “With regards to the supply chain industry, the combination […]

MGA Thermal achieves world-first 24/7 renewable industrial steam

Australian innovation delivers continuous, cost-effective clean steam for industry, positioning MGA Thermal at the forefront of decarbonisation with its groundbreaking latent heat energy storage. After more than ten years of development and breakthrough materials engineering, MGA Thermal’s world-first commercial Electro-Thermal Energy Storage (ETES) system – capable of dispatching industrial-grade steam from renewable energy – has now gone live. Anna Starrett, Mark Croudace, Alexander Post, Erich Kisi, Glen Reynolds. This groundbreaking ETES technology significantly outperforms conventional sensible heat thermal storage, offering a viable pathway to 24/7 renewable heat for industries, effectively replacing reliance on carbon-intensive fossil fuels. MGA Thermal’s utilisation of latent heat means that energy is stored more compactly, both in physical plant footprint and storage temperature range. This serves to make latent heat ETES more space efficient, reliable, energy efficient and affordable than sensible heat storage. The fully operational demonstration plant, unveiled today, has produced steam output while the storage material undergoes a material phase change to release latent heat, establishing MGA Thermal as a unique solution provider in the urgent global effort to decarbonise heavy industry. Steam, the workhorse of industrial manufacturing for centuries, underpins 44% of Australia’s energy consumption in heavy industries alone, with half dedicated to heat generation. Globally, industrial heat accounts for a staggering 25% of energy use and emissions, historically locking industries into carbon-intensive practices. MGA Thermal’s newly commissioned demonstration plant shatters this paradigm by converting intermittent renewable electricity into reliably stored thermal energy, ready for on-demand steam generation. This breakthrough unlocks a tangible route to net-zero industrial operations, with the potential to scale to GWh storage capacities, meeting the vast clean heat demands of the world’s largest production facilities. Located at MGA Thermal’s Tomago site, the compact demonstration unit (12m long, 3m wide, 4m tall) stores 5 MWh of energy with a 500kW thermal dispatch […]

Investment NSW partnership announcement updated

Nominations open for 2025 NSW Export Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2025 NSW Export Awards, which recognise the outstanding contribution exporters make to the NSW economy and celebrate the best of NSW made products, ingenuity and innovation on the global stage. Delivered by the Export Council of Australia in partnership with the NSW Government, the NSW Export Awards will recognise businesses in 14 national categories and four NSW categories. Twisted Healthy Treats won last year in the Agribusiness, Food and Beverages national category. The frozen desserts manufacturer makes frozen yogurt and ice cream from its manufacturing facility in Ingleburn and distributes to supermarkets nationwide and exports to multiple countries including the United States, China, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. Amidst a challenging global environment, the theme for this year’s NSW Export Awards is Broaden Your Trade Horizons – emphasising that diversifying export markets is essential to NSW and Australia’s economic growth and trade resilience. The NSW Government is currently developing a Trade and Investment Strategy, which will focus on diversification with clear ambitions to grow exports, attract investment and support businesses in new international markets. Nominations for the NSW Export Awards opened today and will close on Friday 13 June 2025. Finalists are expected to be announced in September ahead of the awards ceremony announcing the winners in October. The winners in the 14 national categories will automatically progress as finalists for the Australian Export Awards, to be held in November. For more information on the NSW Export Awards and how to nominate your business, visit https://export.org.au/nsw-export-awards/. Investment NSW Deputy Secretary Rebecca McPhee: “Exporters are a critical driver of economic growth in NSW, with $142.5 billion worth of goods and services sold abroad in 2023-24, making up 17 per cent of our Gross State Product. “While it’s a challenging global environment, NSW’s exporters are […]

China has moved to curb supply of critical minerals. Can Australia seize the moment?

Marina Yue Chang, Associate Professor, Technology and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney. In the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one notable exception stood out: 31 critical minerals, including rare earth elements, were strategically exempted from tariffs. This was not a gesture of goodwill. It was a tacit acknowledgment of the United States’ deep dependence on China for materials essential to its technological competitiveness, clean energy transition and national defence. Beijing’s response was swift and calculated. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced expanded export controls and a shift in pricing principles. The move reflects China’s long-standing effort to shift rare earth pricing from market supply and demand to pricing based on their strategic value. The impact was immediate. Rare earth exports from China effectively ground to a halt, as exporters awaited approvals under a new, opaque licensing regime. The announcement prompted President Trump to issue a new executive order directing a review of national security risks stemming from the US reliance on imported, processed critical minerals. As global supply chains reel from these disruptions, Australia finds itself in a unique strategic position. As a trusted US ally, it possesses the resources, partnerships and political capital to step into the breach. But can Australia seize this opportunity – or will it come with strings attached? China’s new playbook China’s latest restrictions target seven rare earths – such as dysprosium and terbium – crucial for electric vehicles, wind turbines, fighter jets and missile systems. While stopping short of a full export ban, the policy functions as a chokepoint. It leverages China’s near-total global control of rare earth refining (around 90%) and its monopoly on heavy rare earth processing (98%). Domestically, China’s rare earth sector is dominated by two state-owned giants which together control nearly 100% of national mining quotas. These measures have exposed the vulnerability of Western supply chains. The US has only one operational rare earth mine […]

Sandvik Coromant to make debut at Australian Manufacturing Week

For the first time, metal cutting and manufacturing solutions expert Sandvik Coromant will be present at Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW). Taking place May 6 to 9, 2025 at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MCEC), Sandvik Coromant will join its software partners, Vericut and Mastercam, to provide an advisory service to visitors looking to optimise their machine investment and tool management strategies. AMW aims to showcase the latest advancements in the manufacturing sector, bringing in over 150 exhibitors and thousands of visitors. The exhibition is split into different zones from machine tools and additive manufacturing, to manufacturing solutions and robotics and automation. Sandvik Coromant will be in the Manufacturing Solutions Zone, exhibiting from stand MS360. To give visitors a complete solution overview, Vericut and Mastercam will share the stand with Sandvik Coromant. This collaboration will provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the latest advancements in digital manufacturing, machine investment strategies and process engineering. Sandvik Coromant will have an advisory booth to consult visitors on how to optimise their current machining challenges, offering solutions for complex components and providing support for new projects. At the stand, Manufacturing Wellness, a term coined by Sandvik Coromant in 2023, will be at the forefront of discussions. The concept revolves around eight essential habits, including taking a holistic approach, reducing waste, investing in automation and benefitting from strong partners, and acts as a framework for improving operational resilience and future-proofing the manufacturing industry. Sandvik Coromant’s entire offering will be visible through interactive digital displays. The stand will demonstrate Sandvik Coromant’s CoroPlus® Tool Supply inventory software, installed into the Robocrib TX750 vending machine, a popular solution in Australia and surrounding Asia. This all-in-one tool management software is used to efficiently manage and track assets and equipment by automating the tool supply process. It uses real-time […]

Matthew Addley, Senior Director, Product and Industry Market Strategy, Infor

Q&A: What’s in store for Australian manufacturers for the rest of 2025?

By Matthew Addley, Senior Director, Product and Industry Market Strategy at Infor Outlook for the Australian manufacturing sector for the rest of 2025 It has been a tumultuous first quarter for the manufacturing sector, as trade policies and tariffs have driven up raw material and component costs, creating a ripple effect across the global supply chain. More specifically, the recent imposition of a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminium imports into the US has hit Australian manufacturers hard as they grapple with higher interest rates and subdued demand in 2024. However, reducing interest rates to 4.10% could bolster business confidence and drive demand as the year progresses, opening up markets and investment opportunities for Australian manufacturers struggling to recover in a post-COVID world. How are Artificial intelligence and generative AI impacting the manufacturing sector? Generative AI (GenAI) is set to reshape Australian manufacturing, driving innovative integration, operational efficiency, and data insights, transforming productivity and revenue. We expect that distribution leaders will adopt AI, robotics, and IoT to enhance industry-specific processes, data, and ways of working. Research by KPMG indicates that over half of Australian (58%) and global (64%) CEOs view Gen AI as a top investment priority to gain a competitive edge for their businesses. How will the changes in global policy affect supply chains, demand, and long-term investment in manufacturing? Global policies and geopolitical risks can instantly influence supply chains. We have seen this with the recent 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to the US, sending shockwaves through the global industry. This will impact production costs for many items, especially those with global supply chains, such as connected machinery & equipment, smartphones, laptops, servers, and other electrical and electronic products. Having considered the rising cost pressures, manufacturers are anticipated to adopt new, agile technologies and sustainable […]

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Manufacturing’s strong networking presence

New data names manufacturing the leading industry for networking averaging 110.2 connections per business. Manufacturing’s strong networking presence aims to develop strong supplier relationships, garner efficient logistics, and build B2B partnerships – making networking essential for growth. With networking picking up pace – which industries are the best at it? And how can both employees and businesses maximise their networking potential? To find out, Tapt analysed a sample of over 400,000 networking connections — instances where professionals exchanged details using our platform — from a total of 3.7 million interactions. They looked at total networking volume and how actively individual businesses connect to reveal the industries leading the way, as well as the best times to network. They’ve also shared tips to help you network more effectively. The industries where businesses network the most Rank Industry # Connections per business 1 Manufacturing 110.2 2 Retail Trade 107.4 3 Finance and Insurance Services 92.2 4 Information Media and Telecommunications 90.4 5 Construction 87.1 Thinking of networking with a manufacturing business? The data reveals that manufacturing is the highest industry where businesses network the most – 110.2 connections per business. Its top ranking comes as no surprise, given that manufacturing relies heavily on strong supplier relationships, efficient logistics, and B2B partnerships – making networking essential for growth. Retail follows closely behind at 107.4 connections per business. This could be due to the ongoing need for supplier negotiations, franchise partnerships, and customer engagement. The industries where professionals network the most Rank Industry # Connections per user 1 Information Media and Telecommunications 36.4 2 Manufacturing 34.5 3 Retail Trade 33.6 4 Education and Training 33.3 5 Accommodation and Food Services 32.6 For professionals looking to advance their careers and expand their industry presence, manufacturing offers 34.5 connections per user – second overall. This high […]

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 […]

iMOVE CRC launches $2m impact fund for Australian companies & universities

iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is doubling down on its mission to deliver impactful transport innovation for Australia, with the launch of a $2 million second round of its highly successful Impact Extension Program (IEP). The fund is now also open to universities. The IEP2 initiative aims to identify and support Australia’s most promising new technologies, products and services in the transport and mobility space. Grants from $100,000 to $500,000 will be awarded to a portfolio of high-potential projects, all of which must be completed by September 2026. The new round follows the success of IEP1 in 2023, which attracted more than 75 applications and funded two standout innovations – microFleet’s OneDock and SAGE Automation’s See Me app – each awarded $500,000 to help bring their ideas to life. IEP2 builds on this momentum, offering greater flexibility and reach. While IEP1 awarded two $500,000 grants, IEP2 will take a portfolio approach – supporting 5-10 smaller or mid-sized projects, allowing more organisations including universities to participate. Applicants must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and can be from any sector – start-ups, corporates, local councils, universities, or not-for-profits with no requirement to be an existing iMOVE partner. Projects must align with iMOVE’s mission of advancing transport systems through collaborative, high-impact R&D. Importantly, applicants must justify their funding requests and demonstrate strong value for money. iMOVE reserves the right to negotiate a lesser amount if a proposal shows promise but requests too much funding. iMOVE CRC Managing Director Ian Christensen said: “The transport challenges Australia faces today require bold thinking and practical support. Through the Impact Extension Program, we’re giving organisations the tools to turn breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions that improve how we move, live, and connect.” He added: “We know there’s no shortage of talent or ideas in this country. […]

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Future of Manufacturing