Advanced manufacturing

Pellenc ST invests A$10.9m in Australian test and demo facility

French waste and recycling equipment manufacturer Pellenc ST is investing A$10.9 million to build a test and demonstration facility in Sydney’s Gregory Hills industrial district.

The facility will officially open on 31 October 2023. It will include a 600 sqm warehouse and 150 sqm of office and training space.

The investment will create 15 jobs.

Tapping into Australia’s circular economy and R&D opportunities

Pellenc ST designs and manufactures smart sorting machines for the waste management and recycling industries. The company has a presence in more than 40 countries. This is its first investment in Australia. 

Pellenc ST invests more than 10% of its turnover on research and development (R&D). The company is keen to tap into Australia’s circular economy R&D ecosystem. It is exploring potential partnerships with Australian universities and research organisations. 

Australia’s thriving circular economy

Australia is committed to reducing waste and putting recycled materials to work. The country is:

• working to meet or beat 80% recovery rate of its waste by 2030
• regulating the export of glass, plastic, tyres, paper and cardboard
• investing more than A$1 billion to turbocharge its waste and recycling industries
• supporting recycling schemes through the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund
• halving food waste by 2030. 

There are investment opportunities in Australia, including:

• recyclable products and packaging
• cleaner feedstocks for remanufacturing (and enabling tech)
• products from recycled feedstocks (such as plastic, organic waste or e-waste)
• recycling clean energy components (including PV panels, wind turbines and batteries). 

Find out more about Australia’s circular economy, including grants and incentives for investment.

How Austrade helped

Austrade supported Pellenc ST with information such as:

• waste management market mapping
• state and territory circular economy roadmaps, waste streams and landfill levies
• incentives and grants offered by the New South Wales Government
• salary guide reports and Sydney real-estate market studies
• immigration consulting, business and labour law firms.

Austrade also provided introductions to Investment NSW and helped facilitate visas for Pellenc ST staff.

Go further, faster with Austrade

Contact Austrade for more information about investment opportunities in Australia.

Published: 20 July 2023

Memjet a trailblazer for advanced manufacturing in Australia

Memjet is a world-leading printing technology company. Now it’s helping to bring manufacturing back to Australia with advanced robotics.

The company is also committed to backing local supply chains and Australian innovation.

‘There’s big benefits to vertical integration in Australia,’ says Jason Thelander, Chief Technology Officer, Memjet. ‘We have a stable economy, great scientific and engineering capability as well as a highly skilled workforce. With new robotics and ultra-smart software, our manufacturing is competitive with Asia.’

Memjet’s new factory in North Ryde, Sydney started producing the cores for commercial printing machines in December 2022.

Memjet continues to invest in collaborative manufacturing spaces and systems, enabling other Australian companies to embrace onshore automated manufacturing that is cost competitive globally.

‘Local manufacturing means a US$15–20 million increase on Australian value add per year,’ says Thelander. ‘And 100% of our output will be exported.’

Australian-led R&D

Memjet is a pioneer of advanced digital ink-jet printing technologies. The printing ‘engines’ that Memjet creates are the brains in many of the world’s best-known printing machine brands. This includes brands like Canon, Konica Minolta, PCMC, MGI and Gallus.

About 95 per cent of the company’s design and research and development (R&D) work is executed in Australia. Over the past 7 years, the company has registered 183 patents, with most held in Australia and the United States. Until recently, however, most print engine assembly was done overseas, in particular in northeast Asia.

‘A typical print engine might have print heads from Australia, inks from Japan, and other subsystems from Singapore and Malaysia,’ says Thelander. ‘The print engine would be assembled overseas and then exported to assembly plants around the world. For most models, about 70—80% of the value-add happened in Asia.’

In July 2021, Memjet finished the design of its latest print engine. Executives had to decide where to assemble it. Several factors made executives think again about investing in Asia.

Increased control over international supply chains

One major factor played into the investment decision. Memjet wanted to consolidate its global supply chains.

‘Every country has been hit by supply chain issues over the past few years,’ says Thelander. ‘Like all companies we want to reduce risk.

‘The advantage of bringing manufacturing back to Australia and vertically integrating is you get more control. We are more in control of our supply chains and our margins.’

Designed in Australia; made in Australia

In July 2021, Memjet decided to bring four product lines for printer engines back from Asia. Memjet built a new factory in North Ryde, Sydney.

The company bought new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robots from Germany and wrote software – called ‘the juggler’– that tells them how to prioritise work. This means the robots can switch between manufacturing tasks without human intervention. And it means the company can maximise the efficient use of time in a particular manufacturing cell.

Thelander says the new Australia-made strategy includes sourcing most components from suppliers in Australia.

‘When we reach full production about 80% of the parts for our Australia-built print engines will come from Australia,’ he says. ‘For example, we used to get most of our dye inks from international suppliers. Now, all of them will be sourced from Australia.

Robotics enable competitive Australian manufacturing

Thelander believes strongly in the future of advanced manufacturing in Australia.

‘Advanced manufacturing can deliver a big reduction in factory head-counts,’ says Thelander. ‘The combination of new robotics and smart software means we can reduce manual labour by a factor of between 4 and 7.

‘So, a printhead production line in Asia that used to require 106 people now needs just 28 here in Australia. And we think we can ultimately get that labour requirement down to 15. This means we can do more with the same headcount.

‘Advanced manufacturing makes Australia competitive with Asia. It is not that we are “taking jobs” with automation: these jobs would have never existed in Australia — they would have gone overseas along with the supply chain.’

A collaborative manufacturing centre

Memjet’s breakthroughs in efficient manufacturing will mean it can help other innovators. The North Ryde factory will include a collaborative manufacturing centre, and house 140 engineers and scientists.

The key is agility. With new AI robotics, Memjet can quickly reconfigure its manufacturing spaces to execute small production runs for external organisations – such as medtechs and electronic-product developers. This helps innovators, startups and university spinoffs to make and test prototypes. Adaptable manufacturing spaces also enable innovators to refine their manufacturing processes.

‘This is a revolution in manufacturing,’ says Thelander. ‘It will take us just 90 minutes to reconfigure a production cell from manufacturing one product to another.’

This approach could deliver huge potential benefits to entrepreneurs, he explains. It means they can quickly assess the commercial potential of their prototypes without having to invest in their own manufacturing line. Entrepreneurs just need to configure “workstations” for their product and design the grippers. All other systems are already in the cell.

‘If you want to be competitive, you need the ability to effectively assemble parts with the lowest possible headcount,’ says Thelander.

‘Our new robots and ultra-smart software enable us to quickly manufacture high-tech, low-run components for other innovators,’ he adds. ‘We can also assemble parts with minimum human input. This is high-efficiency collaborative manufacturing — and it has a great future in Australia.’

Go further, faster with Austrade

Find out more about investing in Australia or contact Austrade for more information.

Published: 25 January 2023

Stryker taps into Australian medtech innovation with new R&D lab

US medtech giant Stryker has opened its first R&D Lab in Australia. Based in Brisbane, Queensland, the Lab will focus on digital health, robotics, clinical software and advanced manufacturing.

The investment will see Stryker work with some of Australia’s leading universities and medical research institutes.

‘Stryker touches the lives of more than 100 million patients globally each year,’ says Stryker Chair and CEO Kevin Lobo. ‘We have a strong heritage of innovation. The possibilities of what will be developed in this lab are inspiring.’

Australia: a leading destination for health innovation

Dr Homer Stryker, an orthopaedic surgeon, founded Stryker in 1941. Today, the company makes medical and surgical equipment, neurotechnology, orthopaedics and spinal products.

The company arrived in Australia in 1984. It now has over 800 employees in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

The genesis of the R&D Lab is the Just-In-Time project. This was a 5-year collaborative research project between Stryker and the following Australian organisations:

• Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC)
• RMIT University
• University of Melbourne
• University of Sydney
• University of Technology Sydney
• St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

The project combined 3D printing, robotic surgery and advanced manufacturing to create just-in-time tailored implants for people with bone cancer. It transformed the development and delivery of implants for musculoskeletal tumour patients.

Brisbane’s medtech hub

Stryker’s new R&D Lab will be based in the Herston Health Precinct in Brisbane. The precinct is home to over 30 health facilities. It is also home to around 13,000 clinical and non-clinical scientists, researchers, students and other health workers.

‘This medtech ecosystem allows the R&D Lab’s researchers and engineers to collaborate with clinicians,’ says Maurice Ben-Mayor, President of Stryker South Pacific. ‘We can understand their current and future needs — all at the site of care.’

The R&D Lab builds on existing partnerships in Australia. This includes partnerships with clinicians, researchers, universities, healthcare providers and government.

‘These partnerships have demonstrated the power of collaboration,’ says Ben-Mayor. ‘The R&D Lab is poised to have a profound impact on the future of healthcare [and] we’ve expanded our focus to include digital health, robotics, clinical software applications and advanced manufacturing.’

Investment assistance from the Queensland Government

The Queensland Government provided a multimillion-dollar grant to support the R&D Lab’s establishment.

‘This new R&D base is testament to the world-leading scientific research talent and medical infrastructure we have here for global and local companies,’ says Yvette D’Ath, Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services.

‘The new Stryker R&D Lab will mean Queensland researchers and patients will have access to the latest products and technologies.’

Austrade also supported Stryker’s investment. Advisers gave strategic input into its business case. They also introduced Stryker to state and federal government representatives.

Medical research with Australian universities

The new Lab includes academic partnerships: Stryker, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), The University of Queensland (UQ), Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MNHHS) and Queensland Health have entered a Master Research Agreement.

Projects include looking at how artificial intelligence and machine learning can improve healthcare applications. The aim is to develop new data-driven approaches to clinical problem solving. These could deliver faster, deeper insights to support real-time clinical decision-making. 

‘The establishment of the R&D Lab allows us to meaningfully collaborate with clinicians, researchers, scientists, and institutions from across Australia,’ says Lobo. ‘It allows us to transfer our leading research into real-world patient outcomes.

Aussie unis fired up by robotics prospects

University officials believe the tie-up will boost research into robotics.

‘The partnership with Stryker will provide another critical pathway for UQ research,’ says UQ Vice Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry. ‘We believe the collaboration between industry, academia and government will help drive community impact in Queensland, in Australia and around the world.’

QUT says its focus will be on digital health and robotics technologies. It foresees that these areas will take centre stage in medical innovation over the coming decades.

‘QUT has long been an international leader in robotics and biomedical engineering,’ says QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil. ‘We look forward to seeing how our researchers will work together with Stryker as a partner in this facility.’

Contributing to Australia’s COVID-19 response

Stryker has already experienced the agile capabilities of the Australian healthcare industry. In early 2020, the company harnessed the adaptability and innovation of Australia’s healthcare experts to make a major contribution to the country’s COVID-19 response.

Stryker worked with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre to develop an Emergency Relief Bed. Designed to accommodate patients in respiratory distress, the bed offered 30-degree head elevation, low height and an attached intravenous pole.

In just 6 days, Stryker partnered with 4 Australian manufacturers to adapt the bed’s design, build the prototype and start production. The Emergency Relief Bed presented a low-cost, scalable solution for the Australian Government. It has also been used to support Australia’s Pacific neighbours throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published: 17 October 2022

Jacobs looks to the stars to expand its portfolio of projects and capabilities in Australia

Jacobs is a leading global technology-forward solutions provider. It focuses on solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing.

The company is focused on further growth in markets like space, decarbonisation, digital and transport infrastructure.

Australia is its third-largest market. Rich Hayers, vice president and general manager of Australia and New Zealand for Jacobs’ People & Places Solutions business, shares why Australia offers unlimited potential for Jacobs to expand its footprint:

• Record government and corporate investment in infrastructure
• Brisbane’s winning bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games
• Australia’s growing role in the global space industry
• Australia’s strong relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

Growing global expertise in Australia

Founded in 1947 as an engineering company, Jacobs has evolved into a global solutions provider. The company provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. It has a talent force of approximately 55,000 worldwide and generates US$14 billion in revenue annually. Australia serves as its Asia-Pacific hub, employing almost 4,000 staff across 14 offices.

‘Australia is a big part of our global success story,’ says Hayers. ‘Australia is ahead of the curve in infrastructure investment, particularly in transport. We’re working on several key rail and highway projects across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

‘As a globally integrated business, we’re able to leverage global expertise in Australia to apply some of our most innovative solutions to projects locally,’ he adds. ‘We also share our learnings and experience with other countries just starting to make similar investments. For example, our Australia teams with mass rapid transit experience are supporting projects and bids in New Zealand.’

Renewable energy is generating interest and investment

Jacobs is one of the top-ranked global environmental firms. It achieved net-zero carbon emissions for its operations and business travel in 2020. It is on track to be carbon negative by 2030. In July Jacobs unveiled its enhanced global sustainable business approach, PlanBeyondSM 2.0. It is the company’s foundation for what sustainability means to its clients and operations.  

Jacobs’ Australian projects reflect this focus on sustainability. The company is working on the Marinus Link, an undersea connection that will bring renewable energy from Tasmania into the mainland grid.

‘The growth and the leadership in Tasmania has impressed us, particularly in renewable energy,’ Hayers says. ‘Our team recently provided a review of Tasmania’s Climate Change Act. The Tasmanian Government supported all recommendations of the review, either in full or in-principle.’

In Victoria, Jacobs and Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne’s largest retail water utility, partnered on a thought leadership paper. The paper explores the relationship between the outputs of water electrolysis – hydrogen and pure oxygen – to support Australia’s hydrogen industry growth.

‘Australia has embraced renewable energy and is now embarking on combining that with new energy solutions such as hydrogen,’ says Hayers. ‘Each state and territory is nominating clean energy targets aimed at supporting decarbonisation, energy security and resiliency. While Australia has the benefit of world-class renewable resources, Asia is the potential end beneficiary to new energy solutions to help secure future energy needs.

‘The Jacobs “Indo-Pacific” business is a leader in strategic, technical, commercial and social value solutions across the region. It is helping guide industry through the complex challenges of energy transition.’

Brisbane Olympics to boost city infrastructure

Hayers says it’s exciting that Brisbane is the Olympic and Paralympic Games host city for 2032.

‘It will boost Queensland’s economy and infrastructure rollout,’ he says. ‘Hopefully, a sustainable, high-speed rail between the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast might come to fruition as a result.’

Jacobs acted as Program Manager on the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Hayers acknowledges every Olympic Games is unique. However, he believes Jacobs’ program and legacy work on previous projects are pertinent to Brisbane 2032. These projects include the:

• London Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• World Expo 2020 Dubai
• upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.

Sky-high ambitions for Australia’s space industry

Mike Walkington is vice president and general manager for Jacobs’ Critical Missions Solutions (CMS) business in Australia. He sees enormous opportunity in Australia’s space sector.

Jacobs is the largest services provider to NASA. It helped NASA prepare Cape Canaveral for commercial ventures, including SpaceX and Blue Origin. It also assists scientists to determine the composition of rocks from the moon.

The Australian Government has invested A$150 million in Australian businesses involved in the NASA-led Artemis program.

‘In Australia, Jacobs is working with the Australian Space Agency. We are also supporting the development of commercial space ports in Australia,’ says Walkington.

Learning from First Nation Australians

Hayers says companies must do things differently to solve the world’s most critical challenges.

‘One big trend is biomimicry,’ he says. ‘Discovering how to replicate and harness practices and processes from nature.

‘First Nation Australians have been doing that for a long time as stewards of Country. There is much that we can learn from First Nations peoples, and we can grow those ideas and progress together.’

The Jacobs CMS business has a strategic partnership with the Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (iDiC). Adam Goodes, an Adnyamathanha man and former Australian of the Year, leads the iDiC.

In the last 12 months, Jacobs has provided over A$3.8 million of work to three iDiC businesses.

‘We’re aiming to emulate the Australian Government’s approach of providing work to Indigenous-owned businesses,’ Walkington says. ‘This approach has allowed iDiC to flow-on financial, educational, professional and social benefits to Indigenous subcontractors, their families and communities.

‘Jacobs has benefited immensely from our relationship with iDiC. It’s helped our understanding of the challenges and motivations for Indigenous-owned businesses.’

Cooperation is creating opportunities in the Indo-Pacific

Jacobs is looking to expand into the Indo-Pacific region.

‘We’ve witnessed a positive level of economic cooperation between Australia, Japan, India and the US,’ says Hayers.

‘Having Australia take a leadership position in the Indo-Pacific gives us certainty. It mitigates risk, particularly if we can link in with Australian Government or quadrilateral initiatives. There are collaborations on infrastructure development, renewables, cyber digitisation and healthcare.’

Austrade networks provide vital market intel

Austrade provided practical support to Jacobs as it scoped opportunities in the region and Australia.

‘We’ve been working with Austrade in the US and Australia,’ says Hayers. ‘They have a good understanding of US business practices and how to apply them to Australia. Austrade has a finger on the pulse on what’s happening in the market with good market intel. They’ve connected us with the right stakeholders and showed us what business support was available to us.

‘More recently, Austrade has connected us to several high-level networks. We see this as an exciting contributor to our growth aspirations in the Indo-Pacific and to bringing economic benefit to Australia.’

Published: 11 January 2022