Manufacturing Tech Australia

Shane Williams & Paul Mason

Manufacturing Tech Australia Podcast with Shane Williams and Paul Mason – your go-to resource for the latest in manufacturing and technology trends, tailor-made for Aussie businesses. Join us as we delve into key insights, tools, and strategies to drive innovation, productivity, and resilience, helping you stay ahead in the competitive world of manufacturing.

  1. hace 3 días

    Circular Dairy Packaging: Closing the Virgin Cost Gap

    How dairy processors can close the recycled plastic cost gap with backhauled bottle returns and food-grade HDPE reuse. Recorded live at CeMAT 2027, Shane hosts a panel discussion with Ben McCulloch from Martog & Company, Edward Vaudrey from Popit Recycling, and Taylor Quinn from Procal Dairies who share how a closed-loop model could reduce the cost barrier that keeps food-grade recycled HDPE above virgin polymer. The cover: * Why food-grade recycled HDPE usually costs more than virgin plastic, including smaller plant scale and the added collection, sorting, washing, decontamination, and extrusion steps. * How Procal’s existing crate return network can backhaul empty milk bottles from cafés, restaurants, and other food-service sites without adding new logistics cost. * How Popit’s modular recovery system scans bottles, removes contaminants, flakes material on site, and sends it to Martog for hot washing and food-grade processing. * Why 30 to 50 per cent recycled content is currently the commercial sweet spot for milk bottles, even though the long-term goal is to push costs to parity with virgin resin. * What rollout could look like next, from proving the economics at Prokal to expanding across more dairy processors in Australia. Whether you’re a plant manager, packaging lead, or sustainability manager, this episode gives you a practical model for testing circular packaging without building an entirely new recovery network. Follow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you. Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

    Circular Dairy Packaging: Closing the Virgin Cost Gap
  2. 8 jun

    Australia’s Biggest Manufacturing Sector Is Being Squeezed, Here’s How to Fix It | Angeline Achariya

    Food manufacturing is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, yet it’s under pressure from every direction, squeezed margins, rising costs, global competition, and ongoing underinvestment.  In this episode, Paul sits down with Angeline Achariya from Innovation Gamechangers to unpack what’s really happening inside the industry and why it matters far beyond food.  They explore why manufacturers keep falling into the cycle of cutting costs instead of investing, how this is eroding long-term competitiveness, and why the real challenge isn’t a lack of capital, it’s a lack of understanding around ROI and strategic investment.  Angeline shares a clear pathway forward, from mapping supply chain vulnerabilities and rethinking partnership strategies, to shifting Australia’s focus from volume production to high-value manufacturing that captures more margin.  They also dive into the global landscape, including how China is reshaping food production through technology and biomanufacturing, and what Australian manufacturers can learn from it.  If you’re in manufacturing, this episode is a wake-up call and a practical guide to building resilience, unlocking growth, and staying competitive in a rapidly changing world.  Key takeaways:  Why food manufacturing is the backbone of Australia’s economy, and why it’s being squeezed  The real reason companies underinvest in technology and innovation  Why capital isn’t the constraint, but mindset and ROI understanding are  How to shift from volume-driven growth to margin-driven strategies  The importance of mapping your supply chain and identifying vulnerabilities  Why partnerships will define the next generation of manufacturers  What China’s long-term strategy means for Australian industry  Follow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you.  Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

    Australia’s Biggest Manufacturing Sector Is Being Squeezed, Here’s How to Fix It | Angeline Achariya
  3. 14 may

    AMW 2026 Brisbane Part 1: Robots, ERP & Grants, and why Manufacturers still run on Excel

    Australian Manufacturing Week 2026 has landed in Brisbane for the first time ever — and we're recording live from the show floor. Part 1 of our AMW 2026 coverage brings you six exhibitor interviews covering robotics, autonomous material handling, ERP, 3D metrology, automation hardware, and the grant landscape for Australian manufacturers. Paul Mason and Shane Williams are joined by locals Phil Seboa from the Unplugged IIoT podcast, and Clare Treston to talk to leaders across the show about what's working, what's broken, and where the smart money is going in advanced manufacturing. In this episode you'll hear: - Manglesh Singh (Konica Minolta) on mobile cobots and AMRs that have clocked 16,000+ kilometres moving 500 pallets a day - Amanda (Freelance Robotics) on how cobot welding and the Blue Dragon framework are giving injured welders and boilermakers a way back into meaningful work - Mark and Trevor (Lily Works / PFM Works) on why nine out of ten manufacturers still run production on spreadsheets — and why replacing your ERP isn't the answer - Sara (RSM) on R&D tax incentives, CRC-P projects, and the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing grant programme offering $100K to $1.5M in matched funding - Danilo (Hi-Tech Metrology) on the Creaform HandySCAN Max — a handheld blue-laser 3D scanner doing three million points per second at 75-micron accuracy, with no surface prep needed on chrome or black parts - Michael (Mectec) on Delta automation, PLCs and vision systems helping Aussie SMEs automate repetitive packing operations - Gil Harkness (Queensland Government, Department of Natural Resources, Mines, Manufacturing, Regional & Rural Development) on Queensland's eight manufacturing hubs, the AI-and-jobs conversation, and procurement opportunities from the Brisbane 2032 Olympics Manufacturing Tech Australia is Australia's leading podcast covering manufacturing technology, automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0. We're the official media partner of Australian Manufacturing Week. More episodes and resources: https://www.manufacturingtech.au Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturingtechau Part 2 of our AMW 2026 coverage drops next fortnight.

    AMW 2026 Brisbane Part 1: Robots, ERP & Grants, and why Manufacturers still run on Excel
  4. 27 abr

    Why siloed projects kill manufacturing competitiveness

    Manufacturers keep investing in automation, ERP, AI, and capital projects, yet many still struggle with cost, resilience, and execution. The problem is not the tools, it is fragmentation.In this episode, Shane Williams and Paul Mason are joined by Oliver North and  Warren Proctor, Partners at Argon & Co, to unpack why siloed projects quietly destroy manufacturing competitiveness, and what an integrated operational roadmap actually looks like in practice. The discussion cuts straight to the shop floor, exploring how disconnected decisions across operations, supply chain, IT, capital planning, and product development lock in mediocrity rather than advantage. Oliver and Warren explain why sequencing matters, why an 80 percent plan beats perfection, and how integrated roadmaps help manufacturers respond faster to disruption without burning out their teams.This is a highly practical conversation for operational leaders who want to move beyond isolated improvements and build organisations that can pivot, scale, and win under constant volatility.In this episode, you will learn: Why siloed investments reduce ROI and lock in operational constraintsHow integrated roadmaps align people, process, and technology around real business valueWhat “good” looks like on the shop floor when strategy is truly joined upWhen automation helps, and when it simply hardwires inefficiencyHow digital twins and scenario modelling support faster decision-making, not predictionWhy progress beats perfection when building operational capabilityFollow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you. Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

    Why siloed projects kill manufacturing competitiveness
  5. 13 abr

    Making ERP More Useful with AI | Epicor

    Most manufacturers do not need another AI tool. They need better decisions from the ERP and data they already have.  In this episode, Graeme Evans and Ian Macdonald from Epicor explain how embedded AI is helping manufacturers move ERP from a system of record to a system of action, helping them get more from the systems they already use every day. We explore practical use cases across scheduling, supply chain risk, workforce onboarding, invoice matching and predictive maintenance, and explain why the best AI often feels invisible when it is done well.  In this episode, we cover:  how to separate AI signal from hype in manufacturing   why embedded AI inside ERP often beats standalone tools   practical use cases across scheduling, supply chain risk, invoice matching and the shop floor   why waiting for perfect data is a mistake and how to start small   how to build trust, keep humans in the loop and get more from the systems you already own   If you lead operations, technology, supply chain or continuous improvement, this episode will help you spot practical ways to reduce admin, surface issues earlier and make faster decisions without handing control to the machine.  Thanks to Epicor for supporting this episode. If you want to learn more about how modern industry-specific ERP helps manufacturers gain clearer visibility and drive performance, visit epicor.com.  Show notes for this episode: manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

    Making ERP More Useful with AI | Epicor

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Manufacturing Tech Australia Podcast with Shane Williams and Paul Mason – your go-to resource for the latest in manufacturing and technology trends, tailor-made for Aussie businesses. Join us as we delve into key insights, tools, and strategies to drive innovation, productivity, and resilience, helping you stay ahead in the competitive world of manufacturing.

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