Weidmüller has issued a public takeover offer for all shares of R. STAHL. The company has offered €47.50 for each share. Read more »

ACI Connect, Australia's new automation, control and instrumentation-focused conference and expo, launched in Melbourne last week, receiving very positive feedback from attendees. Read more »

Self-powered sensors and devices could soon be a reality, after researchers discovered a way to boost the energy output of lightweight polymer vibration harvesters. Read more »

Despite downturns in some manufacturing sectors, things aren't all bad for the industry, according to the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency's (AWPA's) new report, the Manufacturing Workforce Study 2014. Read more »

Orica is being prosecuted by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) over an incident in which ammonia gas allegedly escaped from the company's Kooragang Island site in March 2013. Read more »

ACI Connect opened in Melbourne this morning, with Engineers Australia president Alex Baitch addressing senior engineering professionals on the future of manufacturing and engineering and the key role that automation, control and instrumentation will play in it. Read more »

Engineers should lead the battle against climate change and the transition to renewable energies, incoming IChemE President Professor Geoff Maitland says. Read more »

Rockwell Automation has been announced as Cisco Internet of Everything Partner of the Year at the Cisco Australia and New Zealand Partner Insight Awards. Read more »

The automation services market - including maintenance and repair services - has flourished in the mining boom. In 2013, the market earned revenues of $181.9 million and looks set to reach $279.2 million in 2018, according to new research from Frost & Sullivan. Read more »

Rotork has acquired Korean company Young Tech Co (YTC), a move that will expand its range of instrumentation products. Read more »

SpeedCast will host the first demonstration of its ReadyCONNECT TA12 solution at the APPEA Conference and Exhibition in Perth this week. Read more »

The Australian and New Zealand Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) market earned revenues of $22.8 million in 2013 and is set to reach $31.1 million in 2017, according to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan. Read more »

PetroChina has announced plans to expand its use of Honeywell advanced information management and process modelling software tools to 17 additional refining and petrochemical sites across China. Read more »

Metso has been triply honoured for its work in the process control field, receiving Control magazine's Readers' Choice Award, Automation World's First Team Award and a Control Engineering Engineers' Choice honourable mention. Read more »

The cream of Australia's automation, control and instrumentation experts will gather in Melbourne next week at ACI Connect. Read more »

A new system developed in Germany has the ability to monitor the condition of lubricating oils, hydraulic oils and other fluids in industrial installations without interrupting ongoing operations. Read more »

Orica is in trouble again - this time for allegedly polluting waters in the Sugarloaf State Conservation Area (SCA) after failed attempts to remediate mining subsidence near Newcastle. Read more »

High gas prices could spell the loss of more than 100,000 Australian jobs, Manufacturing Australia chair Sue Morphet told the ABC's 7.30 program. The manufacturing industry is calling on the federal government to intervene. Read more »

The humble Atlantic razor clam (Ensis directus) has inspired the development of a robotic clam that can burrow through undersea soil quickly while using very little energy. Read more »

Universal Robots' flexible, lightweight robots have been launched in the Australian and New Zealand markets. The simple-to-program robots have been targeted at small and medium-sized customers in the manufacturing, packaging and process industries. Read more »