Moira Shire Council’s AI in Manufacturing breakfast, which was held at Recopak Machinery’s premises in Cobram, was hailed as “a resounding success”, and brought together over 60 industry professionals, researchers, and innovators for a morning of insights and connection.
This initiative, led by Councils Economic Development team and in partnership with the RAIsE Hub from RMIT School of Computing Technologies, showcased how AI, machine learning, and Industry 4.0/5.0 technologies can support the future of regional manufacturing, logistics, and agribusiness.
Speakers at the event were RMIT University’s Professor Xiaodong Li and Associate Professor Dr. Ben Cheng, and JBS Australia’s continuous improvement engineer Anil Giri.
“It was fantastic to witness firsthand the amount of enthusiasm to embrace AI by the local manufacturing, logistics and farming companies,” said Li.
“Through these deep and meaningful engagements with the regional community, we learnt so much from them as well. It further boosts our confidence in connecting our research with industries, and helping regional Australia to become AI-ready.”
According to Jacki Leetham, economic development advocate at Moira Shire Council, the goal of the breakfast was to foster meaningful dialogue with local businesses, and to build pathways for collaboration and digital transformation across the Shire.
“The enthusiasm from our local industries was inspiring. From start to finish – coffee, breakfast, and conversations – the energy in the room reflected a real appetite to explore new technologies and drive innovation,” Leetham added.
Following the breakfast, RMIT’s research partnerships managers, Barti Murugesan and Ken Van Langenberg, met one-on-one with several local businesses eager to share their challenges and explore solutions.
These one-on-one conversations laid the groundwork for future collaborations focused on leveraging AI to solve real-world manufacturing challenges.
“Moira Shire Council remains committed to supporting local industries in their journey towards digital readiness. We look forward to deepening these relationships and continuing to bridge research with practical outcomes that benefit our community,” Leetham concluded.
