‘America First’ trade policy is pushing economic self-sufficiency – but history shows this is harder than it seems

By Garritt C. Van Dyk, University of Waikato The day he took office for his second term, United States President Donald J. Trump unveiled his “America First” trade policy, including tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada (both of which have since been paused) and China. President Trump’s reasoning for the tariffs included revitalising the…

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Mulford Plastics expands Melbourne facility to boost production and market reach

Mulford Plastics, renowned for its Laserlite Building Products, is set to expand its manufacturing capabilities in Dandenong, Melbourne. This strategic move aims to enhance production capacity and strengthen its market presence across Victoria and beyond. Perry Pericleous, Managing Director at Mulford Plastics, highlighted Melbourne’s strategic importance, noting its robust customer base and excellent connectivity as…

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Round 16 of Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grants opened

Applications opened on Monday for Round 16 of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), a bilateral program offering science and technology researchers between $200,000 and $1 million per project.    According to a statement from federal industry minister Ed Husic, the round has a total allocation of $4 million, with funding open for joint research projects,…

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Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, February 3 – February 7, 2025

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to @AuManufacturing were reading. 5) Applications open for CRC-P grants worth up to $3 million each Nominations opened on Thursday for Round 17 of Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grants, which offer  between $100,000 and $3 million in matched funding for short-term (up to three-year) collaborative…

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Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries

By Jens Blotevogel, CSIRO and Naomi Boxall, CSIRO Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store excess renewable energy for later use, supporting the clean energy transition. Australia produces more than 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste…

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TAFE Queensland, MSQ announce new six-week skills transfer course

A new Industry Trainer Program addresses skills and knowledge retention challenges in manufacturing businesses, according to TAFE Queensland and Manufacturing Skills Queensland, the two organisations partnering to deliver it. According to a joint statement from the pair on Friday, the program includes a “self-directed, six-week online course with two optional one-hour virtual sessions each week”…

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Sparc Technologies’ anti-corrosive graphene additive to be trialled at BMA coal handling plant

Chemicals R&D business Sparc Technologies has announced execution of an agreement with coal miner BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) for a 24-month field trial of a graphene additive at a coal handling and processing plant. Sparc’s graphene-based additive product, ecosparc, will feature in a coating, and Sparc claimed the trial as “another key milestone in validating”…

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Graphite R&D grants open to manufacturers, miners eyeing US battery market

CSIRO has launched a new R&D grant program, offering mining and manufacturing SMEs (fewer than 200 employees) specialising in graphite between $10,000 and $50,000 per project as well as access to facilities and expertise. In a statement on Friday, the nation’s scientific agency said the grant opportunity’s focus is on “accelerat[ing] the growth of the…

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