EXTRA >> GOLD COAST manufacturer Bustech could soon be developing and jointly producing a more advanced and efficient public transport system for Malaysia.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Bustech’s parent company Transit Australia Group (TAG) and Malaysia-owned Go Automobile. 

Go Automobile and Bustech plan to form a joint venture to manufacture electric, diesel and special purpose vehicles that will reinvent the current Malaysian public transport system.

TAG CEO Michael McGee said the ground-breaking deal represents a major opportunity for Bustech and significantly increases its access to overseas markets.

“Partnering with Go Automobile, who specialise in passenger and commercial vehicles, provides access to significant skill and expertise, and opens up new and exciting opportunities in Malaysia and other international markets,” Mr McGee said.

“The market and supply chain analysis will underpin a decision to invest in a manufacturing facility in Malaysia, which will take the company to new heights following our recent success in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.”

Go Automobile director Farok Maasom said after the feasibility study is finalised, the companies would move quickly into production as soon as possible.

“We intend to develop highly fuel efficient diesel buses, electric buses powered by lithium ion batteries and special purpose vehicles designed specifically for the local Malaysian market,” Mr Maasom said.

“We are very excited to be working with TAG who has already established their reputation as the leading bus design, engineering and manufacturing business in Australia. This reputation led TAG to formalise a $170 million agreement to design and manufacture electric buses for the Malaysian government.”

The MoU between Go Automobile and Bustech has been facilitated under the Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA), and is being supported by the Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI).

Bustech has partnered with MAI, Swinburne University of Technology, the Automotive Cooperative Research Centre (AutoCRC) and private Malaysian company Go Automobile to develop and test the E-Bus project in Malaysia.

“Transit Australia Group has long recognised the unique opportunities available under free trade agreements in the region and sees the strategic importance of Asia as an emerging market,” Mr McGee said.

At the Gold Coast Bustech facility earlier this year, Malaysian Automotive Institute CEO M Madani Sahari said, if successful, the electric bus could be exported to other countries.

“This partnership is a win-win for both Australia and Malaysia because it develops opportunities that have benefits for both countries,” Mr Sahari said.

Mr Sahari said Malaysian industry was spending 500 million ringgit (A$170 million) on establishing an electric bus public transport system, including infrastructure such as charging stations.

“This project will position Malaysia and Australia as regional leaders,” he said. “We don’t believe in having everything centric to one country. We can’t. In this era of globalisation we need to work with a partner and this is a smart partnership.

“Without the Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement this wouldn’t have happened,” Mr Sahari said. “It’s a win-win for both countries and we have the world as our market place.”

www.bustech.net.au

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FROSTY BOY has received world-leading food safety and quality certification, demonstrating how the Australian food manufacturer delivers retailers and suppliers across the globe the highest possible production standards.

Frosty Boy’s relatively new facility at Yatala, mid-way between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, has received an Excellent rating in its Safe Quality Food (SQF) audit. 

Frosty Boy CEO Dirk Pretorius said the manufacturer had  achieved a ‘Level 3 Comprehensive Food Safety and Quality Management System’ classification – the top rating, which covers Frosty Boy’s products including dairy powders, creams, beverage bases, gelato, jellies and soft serve icecream.

An independent assessment, SQF is an internationally recognised food safety and quality management system providing certification the manufacturer complies with food safety regulations in both domestic and international markets.

Mr Pretorius said Frosty Boy had held an SQF certification since 2013 and the most recent audit provided evidence the new factory, opened in 2014, was maintaining and complying with food safety standards.

Mr Pretorius said the Excellent SQF rating was validation of the company’s recent investment in the purpose-built manufacturing facility and the maintenance of proven systems and processes.

“This certification provides our customers with added confidence that the Frosty Boy products are manufactured using best practice systems,” he said. “An SQF rating is an internationally recognised program and helps us reach new markets both here in Australia and overseas.”

Significantly, this is the first year that SQF has introduced an unannounced audit program designed to ensure sites are ‘audit-ready’ at all times, Mr Pretorius pointed out.

Once every three years a site audit will be conducted without an appointment.

Despite the unannounced audit, Frosty Boy improved its SQF percentage result, further testament to the business’ commitment to quality systems and processes.

As part of the audit, the Frosty Boy business was reviewed in its entirety to make certain every aspect of food safety was considered throughout its operations. Random tests of soft serve and beverage products were also undertaken as further evidence of compliance.

Assessment considered management’s commitment to continually review and improve systems, communicate, train and ensure team members adopt policies as well as having a full-time manager in place responsible for overseeing and reviewing food safety.

Andrea Thomson, Frosty Boy’s quality assurance (QA) manager, said food safety was the number one priority for the business.

“Each and every team member is inducted in, understands the importance of food safety and takes responsibility to ensure the highest level of care is taken in production,” Ms Thomson said.

“Our reputation with export markets is based on Australia’s highest standards and this ‘Excellent’ rating provides us with yet another competitive edge.”

www.frostyboy.com.au

www.blendbeverages.com.au

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SIEMENS has signed a historic research agreement with Defence Science and Technology Group and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to advance the use of high temperature superconducting (HTS) in Australia.

The partnership will conduct research into HTS and explore its applications to Australia’s maritime defence and industrial power requirements with the intent to transition research findings into technology that can be trialled in naval applications.  

HTS technologies under development today in superconducting motors, generators and magnets can carry high-density currents with virtually no loss and have the potential to reduce the size and weight of conventional motors by more than 30 percent.

Siemens Australia CEO, Jeff Connolly, said the unique partnership reinforces Siemens’ proud record of introducing technologies that matter to Australia. It exemplifies the benefits of a strong bilateral relationship between Australia and Germany.

“For the Australian Navy, this partnership opens a pathway to more energy-efficient vessels with huge leaps forward in size, weight and capacity. HTS will also mean less environmental impact and reduced operating costs,” Mr Connolly said.

“Imagine the benefits of a motor with the same power but 30 percent less size and weight!”

With this partnership, Siemens is investing 15 years of HTS knowledge to develop the next generation of Australian HTS experts. This five year agreement starts with an initial investment of about $2.5 million – some $2 million in equipment and resources and $0.5 million in research and development (R&D) hours has been committed. This will increase as new projects are initiated under the collaboration.

Mr Connolly said the partnership is aligned to the Federal Government’s vision for advanced manufacturing where innovation and R&D is closely aligned to the practical needs of the country. He said the application of HTS technologies is not limited to defence industries and could revolutionise other high energy-use sectors such as power and transport.

Defence Science and Technology Group has strategic alliances with 12 defence companies and research agencies. They partner with 28 universities across Australia to deliver game-changing capability for the future of the Australian Defence Force and continue to seek opportunities to expand this network.

Chief Defence scientist Alex Zelinksy said the partnership will focus on transitioning research to outcomes that can deal with real world problems, starting with its potential applications to defence.

“This agreement is in line with our strategic goal to partner with the best talents in industry and academia to achieve a capability edge for defence,” Dr Zelinsky said. 

QUT deputy vice-chancellor for  Research and Commercialisation, Arun Sharma said the university was uniquely equipped to undertake this research and development because of its expertise and facilities, including the Banyo Pilot Plant Precinct, a leading specialist research centre for structural, mechanical and electrical engineering.

“QUT’s purpose-built facility has specialist capabilities for large-scale engineering research, testing and validation,” Professor Sharma said.

“Our partnership with Siemens puts QUT at the international forefront of superconducting motor research, an area of research that has the potential to radically transform many industries including maritime propulsion and transport drive systems.

“As the world strives to find more efficient and cleaner ways to power ships and other forms of large-scale transport, QUT will be testing this superconducting motor and at the same time looking at the other potential uses and benefits of this new technology.

“QUT’s partnership with Siemens is immensely valuable to us as it enables our university to pioneer research into superconducting motors and generators that can potentially replace diesel propulsion by superconducting derived magnetic fields,” Prof. Sharma said.

The announcement was made at the recent Pacific 2015 Maritime Exposition.

Professor Richard Taylor will lead the testing of high temperature superconducting technologies at QUT's Banyo Pilot Plant Precinct.

www.qut.edu.au

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Professor Richard Taylor will lead the testing of high temperature superconducting technologies at QUT's Banyo Pilot Plant Precinct. Image: QUT.

THE Federal Government is basing its new $14 million Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in Geelong, Victoria – and setting up a new TradeStart Office to accelerate utilisation of the new free trade agreements with Japan, South Korea and China.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the move would support the Greater Geelong region’s transition from traditional manufacturing to a centre of innovation. 

He said the centre would be integrated with a network of innovation centres across the country and would develop a “sector competitiveness plan to link local businesses with global companies”.

“The plan will identify jobs and skills needs, provide a pipeline of innovations ready to commercialise, and consider areas for reforming regulation, manufacturing transformation and growth,” Mr Abbott said.

As part of the announcement – made in conjunction with Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, and Federal Member of Corangamite, Sarah Henderson – Newcomb Secondary College is also to introduce an industry partnership to better prepare students to enter the workforce. The Federal Government has committed $500,000 towards establishing the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) model at the college in 2016.

“The P-TECH school programme will focus on the jobs of the future in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, partnering with local industry, and providing vocational pathways,” Mr Birmingham said.

To complement these announcements, a further $1.3 million has been allocated to extend the role of the Geelong Employment Facilitator.

The Government will also establish a new Job Connections Office and Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce.

“The Geelong Employment Facilitator will continue to assist people affected by Geelong’s economic transition and work to identify and deliver new job opportunities across the Geelong region,” Mr Birmingham said.

A new local Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce will also be established to identify and promote job creation opportunities. It will be supported by the Employment Facilitator in a new Job Connections Office housed in the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

“The Employment Facilitator and Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce will work closely with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre to identify jobs and the skills needs for the region,” Mr Macfarlane said.

Mr Abbott said to build on the free trade agreements with China, Korea and Japan, access to Austrade’s export advisory service would be provided through a TradeStart Office in Geelong.

“This will give local businesses in the Geelong region access to Austrade’s export advisory services across all sectors, enabling them to access these key export markets for future jobs and growth,” Mr Abbott said.

“These new measures build on the $15 million investment in the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund.

“Geelong is a great city with a great future. The Commonwealth Government is helping Geelong forge a stronger future.”

www.industry.gov.au

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