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BlueScope chief executive Tania Archibald says the manufacturer can go it alone.

ManufacturingCommentsPremiumNew boss for BlueScope but same line on takeover offer

Tania Archibald, who on Monday officially succeeded BlueScope’s chief executive of eight years, Mark Vassella, reiterated the board’s insistence that Australia’s biggest steelmaker can go it alone.

Sean Smith

Vik Bansal

ConstructionPremiumBoral targets aggressive Perth growth amid housing crunch

Building materials business Boral plans to expand its capacity in Perth by at least 50 per cent, in a move that could significantly ease the city’s residential property pain.

Adrian Rauso

BlueScope Steel says the offer by SGH and Steel Dynamics significantly undervalues the Australian steelmaker.

ManufacturingCommentsBlueScope suitor challenges ‘cheap’ offer assertion

The US-listed Steel Dynamics has defended the $13 billion offer, rejected the target’s knockback as “very disappointing” and challenged the Australian group to come up with a superior alternative plan.

Sean Smith

Tim Ayres has remained tight-lipped on the possibility of a new trade clash with China after steel manufacturers called for tariffs and quotas. Christian Gilles / NewsWire

NewsPremiumLabor tight-lipped amid China trade threat

Tim Ayres has remained tight-lipped on the possibility of a new trade clash with China after steel manufacturers called for tariffs and quotas.

Nathan Schmidt

Austal’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

DefenceCommentsSenior US Navy boss endorses Austal’s US shipyard

A visit to the Mobile, Alabama yard appears to have made an impression, with the US Navy’s chief of naval operations calling out Austal’s use of modular shipbuilding to help speed up submarine deliveries.

Sean Smith

CSL was one of AFIC’s stock investments to disappoint.

MarketsCommentsAFIC earnings slip as investment portfolio underperforms

Australian Foundation Investment Company’s portfolio lost 2 per cent in value during the six months, falling well short of the 4.2 per cent returned by the S&P-ASX200 Accumulation Index for the period.

Sean Smith

Vorwerk wants to drive more Thermomix sales on the east coast.

ManufacturingCommentsPremiumThermomix HQ to be relocated from Perth to Melbourne

Vorwerk said the relocation of its national head office was part of its ambition to build stronger markets for the Thermomix on the east coast.

Sean Smith

Nuton

CopperAmazon a first-taker for Rio’s new copper venture

Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Web Services empire will buy the first batches of a purportedly less water and emissions intensive copper cathode from Rio Tinto to build US data centres. 

Simone Grogan

Cargill have secured a site in East Rockingham near the CBH terminal.

updated
updated
ManufacturingPremium
updated
CBH and Cargill close in on joint venture for $500m project

CBH has declared its hand amid speculation a deal with Cargill for a $500 million canola refinery in East Rockingham is close.

Matt Mckenzie

Coils of rolled steel at the BlueScope Steel plant in Port Kembla, NSW.

Mergers and AcquisitionsBlueScope rolls out $438m dividend after rejected bid

The $1-a-share unfranked payout aims to underline the steelmaker can do better for shareholders than a rejected $13 billion offer by the Stokes family’s SGH and US group Steel Dynamics.

Sean Smith

Austal’s Henderson shipyard.

DefenceCommentsAustal storms to record high amid rising global tensions

The defence stock has been on a tear the past week, fuelled by US President Donald Trump’s abduction of the Venezuelan president and the threat of another US intervention in Iran.

Sean Smith

Cargill have secured a site in East Rockingham near the CBH terminal.

ManufacturingPremiumAmerican agri giant in $500m play for WA

American agribusiness giant Cargill’s development plans for a $500 million canola oil factory in East Rockingham have been made public.

Matt Mckenzie

Scarborough floating production unit.

Oil & GasPremiumGiant production unit arrives at Scarborough gas project

Once hooked up to the project’s wells and pipelines, the 70,000t rig will process gas from Scarborough before piping it to Woodside’s expanded Pluto LNG plant at Karratha for liquefication and export.

Sean Smith

Finished coils of rolled steel sit ready for shipment at the BlueScope Steel plant in Port Kembla.

Mergers and AcquisitionsCommentsPremiumAusSuper says BlueScope offer has to be ‘materially higher’

The retirement investment giant says the $30-a-share offer by SGH and its US bid partner “does not reflect what we presently believe is the underlying value” of BlueScope.

Sean Smith

BlueScope Steel is in the sights of SGH and US group Steel Dynamics.

Mergers and AcquisitionsCommentsBlueScope says $13b offer ‘significantly’ undervalues group

Australia’s biggest steelmaker says SGH and US group Steel Dynamics are trying to get BlueScope on the cheap, arguing the company is worth ‘considerably more’.

Sean Smith

SGH chief executive Ryan Stokes.

Mergers and AcquisitionsSGH wants BlueScope split with North American bidder

SGH says BlueScope’s Australian and North American businesses ‘are not strategically compatible and would benefit as stand-alone businesses under new ownership’.

Sean Smith

SGH and a US company want to buy BlueScope Steel.

Mergers and AcquisitionsCommentsPremiumSGH and US partner eye $14b BlueScope Steel buyout

Bluescope confirmed that SGH and US-based Steel Dynamics submitted a buyout proposal to the BlueScope board in the week before Christmas.

Sean Smith

BHP Port Hedland Operations

ContractingPremiumCivmec lands more work on major BHP port upgrade

The Henderson headquartered company disclosed the new contract win, alongside a charging facilities gig with Fortescue, would be worth about $400 million.

Simone Grogan

BYD Shark 6 utes.

AutomotivePremiumBYD hits sales goal, set to topple Tesla as biggest EV maker

BYD met its full-year sales target and likely surpassed Tesla to become the world’s largest EV maker in 2025 - a milestone overshadowed by a challenging outlook for the Chinese auto market in 2026.

Linda Lew, Danny Lee and Bei Hu

Dozens of firefighters battled a huge factory fire in Greenacre.

BREAKINGPremium60 firefighters battle huge factory blaze

Sixty firefighters battle a massive blaze at a Sydney timber factory that has spread to neighbouring businesses and caused roof collapses.

Emma Kirk

The property is in Perth's northern suburbs near the CBD.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
ManufacturingCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Perth’s (legal) cocaine factory lines up buyer

A secretive industrial property where cocaine in liquid form is manufactured for medical use has been sold for a sum well into the eight digits. 

Adrian Rauso

Cobram will fork out US$173.5m to buy COR, comprising of an upfront $US88.5m cash payment, $US70m of vendor notes, and a $US15m earn-out payment. 

FoodPremiumCobram branches out in California with $259m deal

Premium olive oil brand Cobram Estate has gifted its shareholders some early Christmas joy with a $US173.5m ($259m) acquisition to expand its Californian footprint.

Adrian Rauso

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti at Echo Marine group Henderson, the company chosen to build the new ferries. Sandra Jackson

WA News$66m contract signed to build five electric ferries

The Cook Government will spend more than $60 million to build Australia’s first fleet of electric ferries to service new the Matilda Bay and Applecross terminals.

Oliver Lane

The Austal-built USS Canbera sails into Sydney Harbour in July 2023.

ManufacturingCommentsPremiumCanberra confirms $1.03b landing craft deal for Henderson

ASX-listed Austal will build 18 medium-sized landing craft at Henderson over six years for the Australian Army under the Government’s recently-finalised strategic shipbuilding agreement.

Sean Smith