Manufacturing

WA-based construction contractors Civmec and Ausgroup have both reported a dip in quarterly profits as they gear up for an increase in maintenance work and new projects.

Bibra Lake-based Aurora Labs has announced plans to raise $4 million through a placement, primarily to accelerate the commercialisation of its 3D printers.

Worley has asked the Foreign Investment Review Board to look at "possible creeping acquisitions" by Beirut-headquartered Dar Group as the ASX-listed engineering and consulting firm aims to fend off a possible takeover by its largest shareholder.

Orora shareholders are in line to pocket $1.2 billion after the company decided to offload its cardboard packaging unit to Japan's Nippon Paper for $1.7 billion.

A Midvale business which creates simulated injuries for military and emergency services training has bought its United States counterpart as it plans to expand stateside.

Less than a week after Bunnings admitted to underpaying workers due to payroll error, a second Wesfarmers division has said it discovered a payroll mistake, which has left around 6,000 workers underpaid to a total of $15 million.

AusGroup has been awarded two major contracts, one of which is valued at $6 million for further work on BHP’s South Flank iron ore project.

Brickworks' full-year profit slipped 11.9 per cent to $154.6 million, with the company highlighting its WA operations as a specific weak point.

Investors have welcomed Austal’s announced that it lifted full-year profit 64 per cent to a record $61.4 million, underpinned by strong revenue from its US Navy programs.

Nearly 160 of EC&M’s 400 employees will be back at work in September, with administrators progressing deals with major clients since the business hit the wall last week.

Bibra Lake-based Magellan Power has been hit by the insolvency of EC&M after supplying nearly $500,000 of equipment to a project, leading managing director Masoud Abshar to add his voice to calls for stronger laws around payment of subcontractors.

Henderson-based electrical contractor EC&M has entered administration this morning, with about 400 staff to be temporarily stood down.

A father-of-two who stole almost $160,000 from his employer in Perth has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Austal has secured a $US23 million ($34 million) contract with the US Department of Defence, and addressed media reports of a possible Philippines expansion.

Rhinohide is seeking to raise up to $500,000 via equity crowdfunding platform Equitise, after raising $791,000 from private investors earlier this year, as the vehicle protection panel business looks to launch in the US.

Labour and capacity constraints in South Australia could lead to cost blowouts and delays in the building of new naval vessels, Premier Mark McGowan said today, as he lobbied federal counterparts to move more maintenance work for existing submarines out west.

There’s cause for optimism about the potential to manufacture battery components in Western Australia in the long term, according to BHP Nickel West asset president Eddy Haegel.

Clean technology developer Eden Innovations has dispatched the first order for EdenCrete products from a distributor and announced the same products received government approval in the US.

Construction costs for many lithium refining projects have been revised up in the past year as proponents rethink the scale and scope of their developments, with Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana project the latest to run higher than forecast.

Bassendean-based company Technology for Ageing and Disability WA has acquired the mobility division of TL Engineering.

SPECIAL REPORT: A Belmont-based business is connecting military installations around Australia and across the world.

SPECIAL REPORT: Local businesses are already winning ongoing defence work as WA positions itself as a sustainment hub. Click through for our list of 25 deals won by WA contractors in the past year.

Lepidico has raised $10.8 million via a rights issue, with the funds to go towards its lithium hydroxide production product.

Austal chief executive David Singleton believes the shipbuilder needs to gain a critical mass of female workers to permanently make an impact on gender equality in the industry.

Shipbuilder Austal has turned two major challenges – a cyber attack and the loss of a big naval contract – into positives, chief executive David Singleton told a Business News Success & Leadership breakfast today.

SRG Global has secured a contract with GFG Liberty OneSteel at its Whyalla Steelworks site, worth up to $45 million.

Civmec has reported a sharp fall in quarterly profit to $141,000 after accounting for cost overruns on projects but has also reported strong growth in its order book.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised 1000 shipbuilding jobs at Henderson, and opposition leader Bill Shorten has pledged $75 million towards mining exploration, ahead of their debate tonight in Perth.

Shares in DuluxGroup have soared more than 27 per cent to a record high after its board backed a $3.8 billion acquisition proposal by Japanese paint giant Nippon.

Gage Roads Brewing Company has raised $8 million via a share placement, with the funds raised to go towards its new canned beer product strategy.

Malaga-based Eneco Refresh, formerly Refresh Group, has used its stronger balance sheet to expand into the Northern Territory with the purchase of a bottled water factory in Darwin.

State government owned Gold Corporation is Australia’s third biggest manufacturing business, according to data published by Ibisworld today, with revenue of $18.9 billion in the year to June 2018.