Manufacturing Update 4

Bosch, IBM collaborate to make IIoT a reality

• IBM and Bosch today have announced a collaboration to help make the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) a reality.

• Bosch’s Internet of Things (IoT) Suite services will be available on open-standard IBM Bluemix and IBM Watson IoT Platform for clients to update millions of IoT devices at once.

• Bosch is making available its “Bosch IoT Rollouts” service for advanced device management and cloud-based software updates on Bluemix and integrated with the IBM Watson IoT Platform.

• “IoT is changing and transforming everything from business to life. Only those companies will succeed that are able to collaborate in ecosystems,” Bosch Software Innovations chief executive officer Rainer Kallenbach said.

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CEVA expands its Australian presence

• CEVA has just moved into what it claims is one of the biggest sheds in the southern hemisphere, a half-kilometre-long storage and distribution facility equivalent to eight MCG playing fields in size.

• The Truganina buildings’ structure, divided in three sections, enables it to unload eight B-double trucks at any given time on continuous loading docks with levellers.

• “There’s huge demand for this site,” said CEVA’s Australia and New Zealand managing director Carlos Velez Rodriguez. The building acts as a staging, storage and distribution point for companies as varied as General Motors Holden, Mazda, Michelin and Continental tyres, NBN Co’s equipment, items for Caltex’s service station convenience stores and Accent shoes.

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Tasmania woos industrial designers for advanced manufacturing

• In response to the fallout from the mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar’s decision to leave Tasmania, the state is trying to entice more industrial designers.

• In 2015, Caterpillar decided to move its Burnie plant to Thailand, which hit the local manufacturing sector hard with the loss of 280 jobs. The effect of the closure was that state government set up the Caterpillar Transition Taskforce to consider solutions that would enable stimulus activity for the region.

• University of Tasmania College teacher Andrew Dickinson told that there was a range of people applying to the ‘Design for Industry’ course he teaches at the college and the taskforce had some effect on the uptake.

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Apple to begin producing iPhones in India

• US electronics company Apple is set to begin production of its latest iPhones in India, in a major win for the country.

• “Apple’s intentions to manufacture in Bengaluru will foster cutting-edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally,” said Priyank Kharge, Karnataka Minister of State for Information Technology.

• When production begins, it will make India only the third country globally to host the production of the highly-popular iPhone devices. Currently, no concrete timeline exists for when the factory in Bengaluru will begin production however, Indian media is reporting a June 2017 opening date.

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Coca-Cola Amatil, Lion seeking 'cash for cans' role

• Coca-Cola Amatil has formed a consortium with Asahi and brewers Lion, Foster's and Coopers to oversee the NSW government's "cash for cans" scheme to minimise costs and limit the impact on beverage volumes.

• "We can deliver the full achievement of the environmental outcomes the NSW government is seeking at the lowest possible cost to consumers and the industry," a spokeswoman for the consortium said.

• Prices for beverage containers between 150 millilitres and three litres (excluding plain milk, wine and spirits) are expected to rise about 20¢ to cover a 10¢ refundable deposit to consumers, handling fees of 5¢ to 6¢ per container and retail margins.

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Kraft Heinz withdraws bid for Unilever

• US food giant Kraft Heinz has withdrawn a STG115 billion ($A187 billion) bid for a mega-merger with Unilever, the firms said.

• In a joint statement on Sunday, the Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Philadelphia cheese manufacturer said it had agreed not to proceed with the offer it made on Friday for the Anglo-Dutch Marmite and PG Tips maker.

• The joint statement read: “Unilever and Kraft Heinz hereby announce that Kraft Heinz has amicably agreed to withdraw its proposal for a combination of the two companies. Unilever and Kraft Heinz hold each other in high regard”.

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For further industry insights, get in touch with specialist Dale Young. 

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