Manufacturing

Lockyer Valley Fruit & Vegetable Processing Company Limited (‘Lockyer Valley Foods’), the circular economy fruit and vegetable processing facility, has launched a $50M Series A funding round to begin construction ... Founder and CEO Colin Dorber said the Lockyer Valley – known as ‘Australia’s salad bowl’ – is vital to Australia’s food security ... ARR.News interviewed Chair Murray Chatfield to find out more about the facility, the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Norco Co-operative, Australia’s largest and oldest dairy co-operative has been recognised for its vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs and contributing to the overall wellbeing of the Northern Rivers Region at the 2024 Northern Rivers Business Awards. Previously winning the Excellence in Large Business Award for three consecutive years, this year Norco, for the first time, received the prestigious Business of the Year accolade…

Situated on Harwood Island, overlooking prime agricultural land and the majestic Clarence River, is one of the oldest continuously operating sugar mills in the country. The Harwood Sugar Mill and Refinery has been crushing cane since 1874, and is one of three facilities in the state owned and managed by Sunshine Sugar … In 2024, the Harwood Sugar Mill and Refinery is proud to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Pioneering Australian benchtop and tile manufacturer Noveco Surfaces and NAB have announced a $7.75 million partnership that will facilitate the development of an innovative new facility, which will scale its local production of crystalline silica-free tiles and benchtops, made from 80 per cent recycled materials ... Nowra-based Noveco Surfaces, in partnership with the SMart Centre at UNSW, the inventors of Green Ceramics, uses waste to product technologies to manufacture sustainable, designer green products.

Over the years, Australia has experienced several large scale bushfires, with many of these fires and 90 per cent of the associated fatalities caused by faulty power lines in rural areas, according to Professor Alan Wong, Founder and CEO of IND Technology ... The early fault detection (EFD) system acts like a smoke alarm for the power network, enabling the prediction and locating of potential fires through this Australian-made innovation.

A great deal of activity is happening at the new factory site of Kooka’s Country Cookies. Along with earthworks preparing the ground outside of the building, on the inside, the multimillion dollar factory fit out has commenced. Brand new equipment stands wrapped and ready for installation under the guidance of Raffaele De Fazio, who is staying for a month to oversee the furnishing of the production line.

The Cook Government has signed a collaborative agreement with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). Through the agreement, an industry support program will deliver financial and non-financial support for local businesses, to enhance their participation in wind energy supply chains.

Yamba Welding and Engineering celebrated its 50th anniversary ... one of the Clarence Valley’s premier export businesses ... started in 1974 by Bill Collingburn in his garage and has grown to become Australia’s go to supplier for premium quality, high performance vessels, for the Australian Defence Force, Border Force, Marine Rescue, Coast Guard and the SES.

Robert Onfray. While researching for my three-part series on the truth behind the rainforest wars in New South Wales, there was a constant theme in the historical account of utilising one species of rainforest timber. While the cutting of hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) was undoubtedly very extensive in New South Wales, the scale of utilisation in Queensland was even more significant, and one of its primary uses was for butter boxes.

Melina Morrison. "The announcement by Fonterra that it intends to sell its Australian dairy processing assets is yet another blow to dairy farmers and a reminder about the precarious nature of our food security when staples like milk are passed around like commodities. This move, if it results in greater concentration of ownership of Australian dairy assets, will impact not only farmers but also consumers at the supermarket checkout."

Former Cohuna lad, Corporal Adam Randall has been featured by the Australian Army as one of their most experienced soldiers working on the Army’s newest light protected mobility vehicle, the Hawkei. Corporal Randall has more than 10 years’ experience in the Army ... the Hawkei, made by Thales in Bendigo, is a highly protected and deployable light vehicle ...

In a major boost to Latrobe Valley industry and jobs, Latrobe Magnesium has paved the way for its plant in Morwell to use the company’s own patented technology to eventually produce magnesium for the international market from the Valley’s brown coal fly ash. The company, in a release to the ASX on Monday, announced the completion of commissioning for the first phase of its 1000 tonnes per annum, Stage 1 demonstration plant.

Simon Mumford, lismoreapp.com.au. Today, the stacks that tower over the Sunshine Sugar Mill billow steam, but over two years ago the future of the historic mill on the banks of the Richmond River was uncertain after the 143 year old mill experienced its highest ever flood level. Broadwater’s iconic Sunshine Sugar Mill was one of six significant large businesses that received government funding...

Latrobe City Council has reaffirmed its strong support for the Japanese hydrogen HESC project, stressing the vital role it can play in the Latrobe Valley’s economic future, after a visit to the proponent’s industry hub in Japan. “The visit was successful in reinforcing the support from Latrobe City to be a hub for hydrogen manufacturing and the HESC project... "

Robbs coming back to rob you, that’s Robbs jetty for those who weren’t born long enough ago to recall the smell of rotting hides at Cockburn. Those born even longer ago will recall the endless strife of the WA state-run meatworks that were a bastion of union bastardry. Why are they coming back? Well, the Federal government has committed Australia to borrowing billions of dollars off countries that are not handicapping themselves with mad Green left anti-fossil fuel regulations (think China and the Middle East) to invest in the Future Made in Australia program.

Despite a few setbacks, the Bhullar Group is set to officially resume their business in Narrandera next month, promising more job opportunities for the town. The group, which specialises in metals and steel, welded beams, pre-fabricated steel and steel processing, also delivers highly skilled labour to the Australian industry through the Bhullar Industrial Training Division.

According to vehicle marketplace Car Sales, 1,216,780 vehicles were purchased in Australia in 2023, breaking the previous record of 1,189,116, set in 2017. But what is the most popular?

The expansion of one of the Clarence Valley’s largest timber factories, Big River Group is a huge boost to the local economy and sets the bar high in supplying the sustainable manufacturing of high-quality specialist technical timber products across the State. The upgrade includes the installation of state-of-the-art machinery that will substantially increase Big River’s output enabling them to supply an unprecedented volume of timber products.