Future of Manufacturing

  Kimberly-Clark Australia contributes $520m to Australia’s GDP annually and supports over 2,600 direct and indirect jobs nationwide through its Millicent Mill in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia.  As one of South Australia’s largest non-mining-based manufacturers, the Mill produces 85,000 tonnes of VIVA, Kleenex, and Scott essential paper products each year.  12 per cent of full-time manufacturing roles in the Limestone Coast are provided by the Mill.  Over $750 million has been invested into the Mill since it was first established in 1966. A new report released has found Kimberly-Clark Australia to be a significant contributor to the nation’s manufacturing industry, adding $520m to GDP annually and supporting over 2,600 local jobs. With outputs reaching an estimated gross value over $400 million, the independent report commissioned by Kimberly-Clark highlights the annual contribution of the company’s Millicent Mill to the regional Limestone Coast and South Australian state economies, generating $172 million and $216 million of value added, respectively. Well-known for its leading personal care brands including Kleenex, Huggies, U by Kotex and VIVA, Kimberly-Clark Australia is one of the largest employers in South Australia, with 462 employees, contractors and casuals. The Mill generates employment for approximately 219 people in interstate and overseas locations. The company is also one of the largest non-mining-based manufacturers in the state, producing 85,000 tonnes of VIVA, Kleenex and Scott products each year. Key highlights from the report, which include: Supporting the economy: Kimberly-Clark Australia contributes $520m to Australia’s GDP, $216m to South Australia’s GSP and $172m to the Limestone Coast’s GRP annually. Putting this into perspective: The economic impact of Kimberly-Clark Australia to South Australia equates to 3 percent of the manufacturing value added to GSP. Keeping jobs in-market: Millicent Mill supports over 2,600 direct and indirect jobs in Australia, with 12 percent of […]

  How has the prospect of creating artificial realities in motion unveiled a spectrum of opportunities for manufacturers? The application of AI in manufacturing has the potential to transform the way products are designed and launched to market. OpenAI’s latest machine learning tool Sora can create realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions – a manufacturer could potentially take a drawing off a page and show it in motion in real-life situations and operate it to perfection long before any physical product is built. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can also analyse data sets – from performance to production schedules – and use this information to identify trends and predict outcomes. This could be invaluable for manufacturers to recognise patterns and forecast disruptions, leading to improved overall product quality. What is the profound impact of being able to animate conceptual designs, long before a physical product has materialised, on market testing and demand generation processes? Being able to animate conceptual designs allows manufacturers to test the waters and predict customer demand well before a product goes to market. This can result in significant cost savings, improved product efficiency and enhanced product quality. Manufacturers could also use additional AI/ML techniques to optimise production processes through its predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring capabilities. What is the inherent and increasing risk of technologies like Sora inadvertently or intentionally misleading customers? Even as Sora offers a faster and less costly way than the current human-led approach using computer generated imagery, it can encourage unethical practices. If the creation process allows a product to perform beyond expected capabilities, presumably but not always with a disclaimer, then the customer could be easily and deliberately misled. The reality is that there will always be challenges when it comes to rapidly evolving technologies but legislative bodies will need […]

From more than 5,500 entrants, less than 30 have made the Manufacturing and Food Manufacturing Finalists Lists of the 2024 Australian Small Business Champion Awards – the nation’s pinnacle recognition awards programme that celebrates the achievements and considerable economic, social and cultural contribution of today’s 2.5 million small business operators from right across the country. This year marks the 26th consecutive year of the Champion Awards and its most successful year to-date, with more entries received this year than any year prior. Free to enter and judged by an independent panel with small business experience, the Awards specifically highlight the finest of Australia’s small businesses in the retail, services, and manufacturing industries across a total of more than 100 categories. An independent national survey recently commissioned by Precedent Productions, which coordinates the Awards, found that an overwhelming majority (74 per cent) of Australian small businesses would rather purchase from an Australian manufacturer or supplier even if it meant paying more. Steve Loe, Founder of the Australian Small Business Champion Awards and Managing Director of Precedent Productions, says now more than ever is the time to strongly support the nation’s most hardest working sector. “I believe the resilience of Australia’s small business community is more evident today than ever before in recent memory, and it is absolutely deserving of national recognition. “The remarkable quantity and quality of submissions we received this year is testament to the triumphant spirit of so many small business operators – absolutely including those from manufacturing industries. We’re very much looking forward to celebrating the very best of this nation’s small businesspeople in spectacular style this April,” adds Mr Loe. Winners of the 2024 Australian Small Business Champion Awards will be revealed via two National Presentation Evening Gala events at Sydney’s The Star on 12 and 13 […]

  Hydraulink Newcastle Branch Service Technician, Lara Richardson, right, with Branch Manager, Tim Ferris, left. A woman helping to serve the hydraulics industry in the busy Newcastle NSW region, is placing a strong and enduring focus on providing high quality, friendly, and efficient service. Lara Richardson is a Branch Service Technician with Hydraulink Newcastle, part of the national Hydraulink hydraulic hose and service network, which includes 13 company-owned sites in Australia, 135 network partners, and 150 service vehicles offering 24/7 onsite and mobile services. Hydraulink Newcastle serves a broad diversity of industry, including mining, earthmoving, civil works, industrial, councils, and farming. Lara’s role is in the workshop, where she makes hydraulic hoses, responds to quotes, and has a direct customer-facing role, as she solves hydraulic problems. “I really enjoy all aspects of my role, and our customers appreciate that we can get the job done quickly. Sometimes they’ve been told elsewhere that a job takes an hour, so they’ve come to Hydraulink, and we know that’s a five minute task, so we get it happening right away,” says Lara. “Of course, some jobs do take more than an hour, so we always give a realistic estimate, while striving to minimise downtime so a customer can get their machine back up and running, and earning them money again,” she adds. Embrace the challenge Lara understands that the hydraulics industry comes with a range of challenges, but sees this as a positive sign and encourages everyone to give it a go. “As long as you’ve got a supportive team around you, like I do here at Hydraulink Newcastle, the challenges are what makes the day interesting. Everyone here, from the Branch Manager Tim Ferris, through to all the staff, are supportive and helpful, so it gives me the confidence to put my […]