Australian company Ocius Technology has opened a production and global operations centre in Sydney's inner south. The facility assembles the Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessel for the Royal Australian Navy and international customers. Production is scaling to deliver 40 additional Bluebottles to the Navy under a $176 million investment. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy opened the facility, which Ocius says will support around-the-clock mission monitoring for defence and civilian customers.
Austal, Australia's largest shipbuilder, will receive $245 million in loans from the National Reconstruction Fund to build and fit out a manufacturing warehouse at the Australian Marine Complete in Henderson, near Perth. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said the funding would secure industrial capability at a critical time. The loan is the largest single commitment so far from the fund, which provides zero-interest loans for domestic manufacturing and has previously been criticised for funding unproductive projects. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the project would create hundreds of jobs on top of the 1200 Austal already employs in Australia.
Blue Origin has announced a major expansion of its Florida launch facilities, with the goal of eventually flying 150 rockets a year from the site. The company will add two launch pads for its New Glenn rocket, alongside two already under construction at Cape Canaveral. It is also building a manufacturing facility to produce up to 150 upper stages for a larger version of the rocket. Blue Origin said the investments aim to support multiple flights per week by the end of the decade.
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Central Coast manufacturers are pursuing new markets, new supply chains and skilled staff all at once. The pressure is increasing the need for businesses to clearly communicate their capabilities, direction and value.
Ballan family-owned business Paarhammer Windows and Doors was named Best Regional Manufacturer at the 2026 Australian Manufacturing Awards in Melbourne on Thursday 8 October. The company beat six other finalists. Founded in 1990, the firm makes energy-efficient and bushfire-resistant windows and doors, employs 32 staff and ships products Australia-wide. Managing director Tony Paarhammer was named Industry Person of the Year in 2025, and production manager Mat Thorne was named Manufacturing Worker of the Year. Thomas Paarhammer is set to take over once his parents retire.
BOSS Agriculture, based in Inverell, has won the Greater Hume Council Award for Best Australian Designed and Manufactured Agricultural Machine at the 2026 Henty Machinery Field Days. The award went to its AXIOM Metering Unit, a fully electric system for broadacre seeding that controls the delivery of seed, fertiliser and other granular products. Chief executive James Haarhoff accepted the award on September 23. The company says AXIOM is now an option on all new BOSS air carts, and it plans to expand its presence at the field days in 2027.
San Francisco startup Industrial Next says its AI-driven robotic stations can retool a production line in minutes rather than weeks, without traditional programming. The company announced a partnership with the BMW Group Technology Office to evaluate its dexterous manipulation technology for manufacturing. Founded in 2021 by Lukas Pankau and Allen Pan, both former Tesla engineers, the company trains its robots in detailed simulated environments. Industrial Next says some of its workstations already handle delicate tasks in making a popular smartphone. The founders say they aim to eventually automate building a full car end to end.
A 2014 Deloitte Access Economics report warned that exporting gas from Queensland's liquefied natural gas projects would raise domestic energy costs and hurt manufacturers. It estimated cumulative manufacturing output losses of $87.7 billion to $118.1 billion over 2014 to 2021, in discounted terms, against a modelled alternative. Those figures were not forecasts of an annual fall. Regulators later documented soaring gas prices, factory closures and curtailed aluminium output.
Ram Trucks Australia has recalled 149 of its 2026-model Ram 1500 pickups nationwide due to a manufacturing defect affecting daytime running lights. The issue may prevent proper illumination, potentially reducing vehicle visibility and increasing accident risks. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified and offered free inspections and repairs. This recall follows a larger global recall in August 2026 involving over 1.4 million Ram 1500s for seatbelt mounting issues. The Ram 1500 remains Australia's top-selling full-size pickup in 2026.
The NSW Government has released a new Gas Statement outlining gas's role in the state’s manufacturing sector. It plans to investigate new exploration sites in far west NSW and invest in infrastructure to safeguard against supply disruptions. The statement complements the Narrabri Gas Project, which was approved in 2020 to supply up to half the state’s natural gas needs. The Minister for Natural Resources and Domestic Manufacturing, Courtney Houssos, announced the strategy during a visit to the Bega Dairy and Drinks factory in Penrith.
Ford Australia ceased manufacturing cars a decade ago, with the final Ford Falcon and Territory produced at Broadmeadows in 2016. The company had a history of over 90 years in Australia, starting with the Model T in 1925. Ford Australia produced iconic vehicles like the Falcon, Coupe Utility, Cortina, and Laser. The 1971 XY Phase III GT-HO Falcon is considered a legendary performance car. The company's design centre and engineering capabilities led to significant models like the XA Falcon and special editions. The end of local manufacturing marked the closure of a significant chapter in Australia's automotive history.
