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The South Australian Government has pledged to invest $7.5 million in a new manufacturing and engineering research institute.

The Future Industries Institute (FII) also has the backing of The University of South Australia, which makes an annual investment of over $14 million for research in advanced manufacturing; minerals and resource engineering; environmental science; and engineering and biomaterials engineering and nanomedicine.

UniSA deputy vice chancellor Professor Tanya Monro says the government's investment will be a game-changer for research and development in South Australia.

“Effective collaboration between universities and business is essential to drive economic growth, and this investment will intensify and accelerate that collaboration,” she said.

The three initiatives the government has funded will give local businesses and industries access to state-of-the-art equipment at the FII; fund two-way industry/academic placements to support project specific collaborations both ‘in the lab’ and ‘on the floor’; and distribute 12-month, $100,000 project vouchers for industry to work with UniSA to solve specific industry problems.

 

Food & Drink Business

Gold Coast brewery, Black Hops, has entered administration for the second time, with an urgent sale campaign underway for the business.

In the final chapter of court action regarding the 2020 collapse of Freedom Foods Group, the Federal Court has found former managing director and CEO, Rory Macleod, breached his duties as a director and officer, and failed to take all reasonable steps to secure the company’s compliance with its financial reporting obligations.

Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing industry is converging on Melbourne this week for foodpro 2026, the country’s leading trade event for processing, packaging and innovation. Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 26-29 July, foodpro 2026 will be opened at 10am on Sunday 26 July by Victorian Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing and Minister for Skills and TAFE, Colin Brooks.