Smart Manufacturing

Agricultural spraying specialist HARDI curtails downtime and wear with robust LAPP cable harnesses

LAPP cable harnessing solutions built for harsh Australian environments are delivering durability, traceability, and reliability benefits to agricultural spraying equipment specialist, HARDI. Agricultural spraying equipment specialist HARDI is using robust, traceable, and fit-for-purpose cable harnessing solutions from LAPP Australia to reduce downtime, improve reliability, and extend equipment longevity. HARDI’s spraying equipment ranges from compact 1.5 litre hand sprayers through to 10,000 litre trailer sprayers and 54 metre booms. A Danish company by origin, the Australian subsidiary is the largest outside of its headquarters, and is based on a 10 hectare site in Adelaide, where it manufactures the majority of equipment in house. “Australian conditions are often harsher than those typical in Europe, so our gear needs to be manufactured to withstand the elements,” says HARDI Australia Chief Commercial Officer, Zac Harnett. “Having a local manufacturing facility allows us to tailor our equipment to Australian conditions. The demanding operating environment of agricultural spraying equipment places significant stress on electrical systems, and quality cable assemblies can minimise maintenance requirements and costly downtime. “We chose LAPP’s harnessing solutions because their cables and components ticked all our boxes, including chemical resistance, UV resistance, overmolding of connectors, energy chain rated cables capable of withstanding bending motions on booms, and an overall level of robust quality that we were seeking,” said Harnett. LAPP’s Harnessing Solutions Division provides companies like HARDI with pre-assembled, standards-compliant cable assemblies that are fully traceable and ready to install, helping reduce assembly time and complexity. LAPP Harnessing Solutions General Manager, Stuart Fleming, says “Agricultural spraying equipment contains a significant number of cables and components. We deliver these assembled, labelled, and ready to go, which means the HARDI team can install them quickly, and deliver faster to their customers.” Total traceability With so many individual components going into each machine, traceability […]

Geoff Thomas, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Infor Asia Pacific & Japan (1)

The future of distribution depends on AI upskilling

By Geoff Thomas, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Infor Australia’s manufacturing sector is at a critical crossroads. Rising energy costs, economic shifts and workforce shortages have challenged the industry to remain competitive. On the brighter side, government initiatives and technological innovation have been driving a transformation. In particular, AI has transitioned from a tool promising to simply enhance automation, to a powerful technology that drives significantly smarter decision-making and dramatically improves operational efficiency. Despite its potential, many Australian distributors are still struggling to implement AI at scale. Globally, 82 per cent of supply chain organisations are using AI and GenAI across an array of use cases, according to an EY survey. But the Australian Government’s SME AI Adoption Tracker reveals that our nation lags behind, with only 31 per cent of distributors having adopted AI, displaying higher levels of unawareness compared to our international counterparts as well as other industries such as retail, healthcare and hospitality, which all boast adoption rates of over 40 per cent. Despite the potential of AI to generate real business impact, distributors are not prioritising the adoption of AI, often viewing it as a short-term fix instead of a strategic investment. This can largely be attributed to distributors approaching AI without a clear strategy, subsequently implementing applications that fail to align with core business goals. For true value to be unlocked, distributors need to develop a scalable and flexible foundation, and implement integrated management systems to facilitate the game-changing benefits of AI. Even though roughly 95 per cent of global distributors are exploring AI use cases across the value chain, according to a study by McKinsey, only 30 per cent say they have sufficient talent within their organisation to scale these efforts. Less than 10 per cent report having an AI road map with prioritised use cases for deployment. This is a missed opportunity, particularly with the rise of agentic AI, which can free organisations of lower-value tasks by autonomously performing tasks and pursuing predefined goals. McKinsey’s research also shows that only 23 per […]

Streamlining the onboarding process amidst high manufacturing turnover

Andy Nicholas, WorkJam The manufacturing industry continues to navigate a highly active and turbulent labour market. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, job vacancies across Australia have remained elevated in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of roles unfilled – including persistent shortages across manufacturing and logistics. However, keeping the factory floor fully staffed remains a constant challenge, as employers contend with ongoing labour mobility and competition for skilled workers. This reflects a broader national trend, with workforce churn remaining elevated across frontline and shift-based industries. While robust hiring is necessary to maintain output – with industry bodies such as the Australian Industry Group reporting that more than half of manufacturers are struggling to find suitably skilled workers – many employers are struggling to effectively onboard these new employees. At the same time, the National Skills Commission continues to highlight persistent shortages in key technical and operational roles critical to manufacturing. With vacancies remaining elevated and skills gaps ongoing, employers are feeling increasing pressure to make every hire count. Bringing on a new recruit typically involves dozens of training hours and takes months for the employee to reach full productivity. Furthermore, the average cost of adding a new employee is particularly high in manufacturing due to the extensive safety protocols and specialized training required. To attract and keep talent in this competitive environment, Australian employers are also navigating steady wage growth, with increases tracking at approximately 3.5 to 4 percent annually in recent periods. Today’s workers are highly mobile. While Australia does not track “quit rates” in the same way as the United States, labour mobility remains elevated, particularly across frontline and operational roles. Employees are increasingly willing to change roles for better pay, flexibility, or development opportunities. This makes it more critical than ever for employers to train new individuals quickly, engage them immediately, […]

Australian Made Week puts manufacturing in economic spotlight

Australia needs to continue building domestic manufacturing capability says Earlypay CEO James Beeson. Australian Made Week which begins Monday (18th) puts Australia’s manufacturing sector firmly in the spotlight at a time when many business and government leaders believe the country needs to rebuild local capability, strengthen supply chains and invest in the skills needed to support a more resilient economy. Earlypay chief executive James Beeson said buying Australian-made products should be seen as part of a broader economic conversation about productive capacity, working capital and the need to reduce reliance on overseas supply chains. “Over recent decades, Australia has become heavily reliant on overseas supply chains for many critical goods,” Mr Beeson said. “In the short term, those dependencies are difficult to unwind, but the lesson is clear. If we do not continue building domestic manufacturing capability, we leave ourselves exposed when global supply chains come under pressure.” Mr Beeson said Australian Made Week was a timely reminder that manufacturing was not just about national pride, but about jobs, investment and economic security. “There may be a cost to buying Australian-made in some categories, but that spending supports local businesses, local jobs and investment in a productive capacity,” Mr Beeson said. “If we are serious about strengthening Australian manufacturing, businesses need the confidence and working capital to invest in equipment, people and production capacity.” The call follows the Federal Budget announcement, which included measures aimed at easing pressure on business, including productivity reforms the Government says will reduce regulatory burden by $10.2 billion each year. The Budget also included cash-flow support, with eligible companies that make a loss from 2026-27 able to use that loss to receive a refund against tax paid in the previous two income years. The measure is expected to benefit up to 85,000 companies, mostly small […]

The hidden cost of absenteeism in manufacturing and why it is rising

By Damien Durston, head of people management solutions at OneAdvanced Australia’s manufacturing sector has always operated under pressure. Tight margins, complex supply chains and rising input costs are part of the landscape. But a quieter issue is now undermining productivity across the industry: absenteeism. Unplanned leave has traditionally been treated as a routine operational challenge. Today, it is seen as something more serious. Employee absenteeism is a major issue for Australian manufacturers, impacting workplace productivity and employee well-being. To maintain business continuity and support their workforce, employers need to analyse absenteeism patterns and implement effective strategies. Absenteeism reflects deeper structural pressures linked to workforce fatigue, an ageing employee base and growing compliance complexity. Together, these forces are amplifying the impact of absenteeism and making it harder for manufacturers to maintain consistent output. The average absenteeism rate in Australian manufacturing is approximately 9-10 days per employee per year, according to The Australian Industry Group. The productivity drain hiding in plain sight Absenteeism has an immediate effect on manufacturing performance. When a skilled operator is absent, production lines can slow, schedules shift and quality may be affected. In specialised environments, replacements are not always readily available, particularly where certifications or machine-specific expertise are required. Supervisors are forced into reactive decisions, adjusting rosters and reallocating tasks at short notice. Overtime costs rise as remaining workers fill the gaps. In some cases, production targets are missed altogether, leading to delays and strained customer relationships. There is also a compounding effect. As absenteeism increases, the workload on present employees grows. This can drive further fatigue and additional absences, creating a cycle that is difficult to break. Workforce fatigue is reaching a tipping point Workforce fatigue is one of the most significant contributors to rising absenteeism. Shift work, long hours and physically demanding roles have always been […]

Battery-free sensors close to reality with breakthrough in solar manufacturing

Sensors underpin modern life, but many still rely on disposable batteries which are contributing to a growing waste problem. With lithium-ion battery waste in Australia projected to exceed 100,000 tonnes by 2036, and hundreds of millions of household batteries discarded each year – many used in low-power indoor sensors and data loggers – there is an urgent need for cleaner power solutions. Now an NSSN Grand Challenge Fund project has demonstrated a viable pathway to producing a battery-free, sustainable alternative. Led by Macquarie University researchers, the project achieved a breakthrough in a key manufacturing step for perovskite photovoltaic (PV) cells which can be designed to generate power from ambient light. The team found a way to manufacture these PV cells faster and more energy-efficient using microwaves: instead of taking 30 minutes, it now takes about 30 seconds and uses half the energy. They also worked out how to scale the process for real manufacturing, where material is produced continuously on a moving roll. “If this technology can be scaled, it unlocks sensing applications that simply aren’t viable today, such as sensors embedded in concrete, environmental monitors in remote infrastructure, long-term medical devices, and agricultural sensing under greenhouse lighting, all operating continuously without maintenance,” Project Lead and Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at Macquarie University, Dr Binesh Veettil says. The breakthrough uses a microwave-based process to reduce perovskite PV cell annealing from around 30 minutes to about 30 seconds while significantly cutting energy use, enabling fast, scalable manufacturing and supporting future low-cost, self-powered indoor sensor applications. The project also opens the door to more flexible production where perovskite PV cells could one day be printed and integrated into materials like packaging, buildings and clothing rather than just manufactured for traditional panels. “The real barrier has always been the cost and complexity […]

Ancient tectonic processes the key to locating rare minerals essential for modern technologies

New research from Adelaide University has revealed that geological processes dating back billions of years are critical to locating the rare earth elements needed for modern technologies and the global clean energy transition. Published today in Science Advances, the study shows a strong global link between ancient subduction zones – where tectonic plates collide – and the formation of rare earth element (REE) deposits and carbonatites, a type of hot molten rock called magma, known to host these valuable resources. Rare earth elements are essential components in technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, and defence systems. However, locating economically viable deposits remains a major global challenge. Led by Professor Carl Spandler from the School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, the research team reconstructed Earth’s geological history over the past two billion years using advanced plate tectonic modelling. They identified regions of the Earth’s mantle that had been fertilised by subduction processes, where material from one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, releasing fluids and elements into the overlying mantle. The Adelaide University researchers found that these fertilised mantle regions now underlie approximately 67% of carbonatites and 72% of REE deposits formed over the past 1.8 billion years. For older deposits, that figure rises to 92%. Prof Spandler said the findings provide compelling evidence that ancient subduction zones play a fundamental role in creating the conditions needed for rare earth deposits to form. “This research shows that the ingredients for these critical mineral deposits were put in place many million to even billions of years ago,” Prof Spandler said. “By identifying where these ancient processes occurred, we can significantly narrow down the search areas for future discoveries.” The study also challenges previous theories that linked these deposits primarily to mantle plumes –columns of hot material rising from deep within the […]

Faster approvals critical to realising Queensland’s Taroom Trough opportunity

The Queensland Government’s welcome plan to unlock the Taroom Trough represents a significant opportunity to strengthen Australia’s fuel security and economic resilience. Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the Taroom Trough has long been recognised by industry as a highly prospective basin with the potential to play a major role in Australia’s energy future. “The Taroom Trough is an exciting opportunity for Queensland and Australia — a significant oil resource that could bolster our fuel security and help to reduce reliance on imports,” Ms McCulloch said. “The industry has long recognised the potential of the Taroom region, and the Queensland Government’s Taroom Trough Development Plan is an important step in encouraging exploration and investment.” Ms McCulloch said the focus must now shift to ensuring projects can proceed without unnecessary delay. “Faster, more efficient approvals and stronger policy settings will be critical to unlocking Taroom and similar basins,” she said. “We need all levels of government working together to fix the approvals system. Carving oil and gas projects out of streamlined reforms under the EPBC was a missed opportunity, and it makes even less sense now given the impacts of the global energy crisis. “There is a significant opportunity not just in Taroom, but across Australia — but it will only be realised with the right policy settings and investment certainty to bring new supply online. “That means encouraging exploration, delivering much faster approvals, and addressing activism and lawfare that is delaying critical energy projects. “Australia has substantial undeveloped oil resources, and developing them is key to strengthening fuel security, supporting regional jobs and helping shield Australians from future global energy shocks.”

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding with a new investment prospectus, The City of Ipswich Space to Grow.

Ipswich primed to be Queensland’s manufacturing and defence capital

Ipswich is positioned to be the manufacturing and defence capital of Queensland with an 8,000-hectare future supply of industrial land. With the largest area of land earmarked as developable for commercial and industrial purposes than any other city in South East Queensland, Ipswich City Council has outlined its competitive advantages in a new investment prospectus, The City of Ipswich: Space to Grow. Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the city is uniquely positioned to attract advanced manufacturing, defence, production, innovation and logistics. “Ipswich is in a prime position to help bring manufacturing back to Queensland and Australia,” Mayor Harding said. “As a proven location for industry to thrive, Ipswich is HQ to operations of companies including Goodman Group, Coles, Suntory Oceania, JBS, Rheinmetall, L’Oréal Groupe, Australia Post, FedEx, TAE Aerospace, Visy, CHEP, Sunny Queen, Bombadier, DB Schenker and Bapcor. Officeworks and Asahi are also building large-scale facilities in Ipswich. “Manufacturing and defence are our city’s biggest industries, contributing about 60 per cent of our $8 billion in annual exports, and we are hungry more of this type of investment. “With a potential industrial land supply of 7,923 hectares – a supply bigger than that of all other South East Queensland local government areas combined – we have space planned for new commercial and industrial centres. “The region overall is facing challenges when it comes to industrial land supply, with Brisbane predicted to run out in a matter of a few years. “Ipswich stands ready to cater for the land requirements of a range of industries. Our city has a proud history of manufacturing and it remains one of the largest employers of any industry in our city. “We want to ensure Ipswich is the manufacturing and defence capital of Queensland, so that investment flows through our economy and leads to job […]

Australia secures trade deal with EU

After 8 years of negotiations, Australia has secured a landmark trade deal with the European Union, the world’s second largest economy. The Australia–European Union Free Trade Agreement will lower trade and investment barriers between Australia and the European Union – a market of around 450 million people. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, together with the Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator the Hon Don Farrell and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Mr Maroš Šefčovič announced the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement today which, together with the Australia-EU Security and Defence partnership, is a key aspect of our growing strategic relationship. The deal will strengthen our economic and strategic partnership; demonstrate our mutual commitment to open and rules-based trade; and diversify our trade – bolstering Australia’s competitiveness, growth and resilience in an increasingly uncertain global trade environment. The trade agreement will result in 98 per cent of the current value of Australia’s exports entering the European Union duty free. Australian farmers and producers will benefit from the elimination of almost all European Union tariffs on agricultural products. This includes wine, nuts, fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, most dairy products, wheat and barley, and seafood. For example, Australian wine producers and exporters will benefit to the tune of around $37 million annually with the removal of European Union import tariffs. For other important agricultural products, the agreement delivers commercially meaningful access through new or expanded tariff rate quota volumes, including for beef, sheep meat, sugar, rice, wheat gluten, skimmed milk powder and natural butter. The removal of most Australian tariffs on imports from the EU will make things like European wine, spirits, biscuits, chocolates and pasta cheaper at Aussie checkouts. Farmers and businesses will also benefit from […]

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