For Australian manufacturing to survive and thrive, it needs enabling technologies that make it more efficient, competitive and productive. Some of these enabling technologies are highlighted as Finalists in the 2014 Australian Technologies Competition Manufacturing and Food categories.
These include:
- A system to help manufacturers to manage their energy costs by switching off machinery when the price gets too high;
- A technology for real time online measuring of production liquid properties;
- A cheaper, quicker, safer way to lash containers to ships to reduce global shipping costs;
- A wastewater treatment technology that enables cheap and effective onsite treatment of trade waste; and
- Smart yeast products that turn waste into valuable feedstocks.
The container lashing technology, Safelash, was developed by Robin Bean and is a simple technology that will make every container ship and port in the world safer. The Safelash is a way of lashing ship containers that is safer, quicker, cheaper and easier than the half-century old system in use around the world today. It is estimated that injuries will be cut by 30%. Safelash has customers in Europe and Asia.
These and other amazing finalist companies show that, with support and encouragement, Australian innovation and smart manufacturing can produce world leading products. There is much to celebrate in Australian technology companies beyond those developing smart web apps. These companies are all developing products and services with real industry needs that can be satisfied and will enable manufacturing to continue strongly in such a high cost country.
The annual Australian Technologies Competition (ATC) comes to a head on 16 September with the winners announced across six industry categories. The Finalists are developing a range of revolutionary innovations that address the big growth opportunities and challenges of the future. The judges come from technology, finance and business backgrounds and combine to do a detailed assessment of the company’s business plan focusing on the quality of the technology, the market need, the quality of the team and the business model that the company has adopted. To win, a company must excel in each category.
2014 Manufacturing Technology Award Finalists
| GreenSync | VIC |
GreenSync is changing the way that its customers consume energy. They have developed a system that allows utilities and large customers to better forecast and predict their energy loads to maximise the efficiency of when equipment is used. Its systems work 24×7, integrating weather and climatic data, production schedules, along with information from networks and markets around the country to predict forthcoming high load and high cost events.More than just another Big Data framework, GreenSync have developed a unique real-time analysis for detecting and quantifying peaks, and a way to automatically respond to these peaks through reducing energy demand of industrial equipment. |
| Rheology Solutions | VIC | Rheology Solutions has developed solutions that help any industry using liquids in processing to accurately measure their properties in real time. This means that industry has better control, can improve quality and avoid wastage. By measuring liquid properties flowing in pipes, the  ‘OnLine Rheometer’ (OLR) is helping food, personal care and, mineral processing industries to improve their efficiency and productivity. |
| Safelash | NSW | How does a small Sydney-based company make every container ship and port in the world safer? Â Targ Safelashâ„¢ has the answer. Appalled by the high rate of injuries in container ports and after a death in Sydney in 2010, the team has developed a way of lashing that is safer, quicker, cheaper and easier than the half-century old system in use around the world today.The Targ Safelashâ„¢ is a safer, stronger and more reliable way of lashing containers on ships. The solution is much easier, lighter and safer to use and can cut injuries by 30%. They are working with their first customers in Europe and Asia and have big plans to go global very quickly. |
2014 Food Technology Award Finalists
| BioGill | NSW | BioGills’ Nano-Ceramic Membranes™ combine science and technology to create the most useful and cost effective wastewater treatment systems. BioGills are the perfect habitat for nature’s best recyclers, bacteria and fungi; to grow, multiply and consume nutrients from wastewater faster and more effectively. BioGill – focusing the force of nature. |
| Microbiogen | NSW | Sydney-based Microbiogen has developed technology that can simultaneously convert waste plant biomass into fuel ethanol, high protein feed for our farm animals and fish, as well as a product that can serve as an environmentally friendly coal substitute.Microbiogen specialises in the improvement of yeasts for multi-billion dollar industrial applications such as baking and first generation ethanol. It has also used its proprietary high throughput breeding and selection technologies to develop brewer’s yeast strains (called Saccharomyces cerevisiae) able to metabolise carbon compounds present in a wide range of waste plant biomass. Unlike competing technologies,  Microbiogen’s approach does not use any genetically engineered organisms. |
| Rheology Solutions | VIC | See above |
An initiative of the Australian Federal government, and now in its fourth year, the ATC has a track record of finding, mentoring and promoting some of Australia’s best technology companies. The Showcase and Awards dinner will celebrate the success of Australia’s top 36 Semi Finalists and is an opportunity to rub shoulders with these leading companies, meet the country’s leading commercialisation experts and learn from international speakers on what Asian markets are seeking.
And of course find out which companies will be the 2014 Winners.
More information at www.austechcomp.com
