How food manufacturers are using AI vision, robotics, sorting and automation to boost quality, efficiency and competitiveness.

In this episode, we share the latest automation and technology innovations showcased at FoodPro 2026.

How upcycled textile robot covers can extend robot life and reduce maintenance in harsh manufacturing environments

Affordable palletising automation designed to help smaller manufacturers adopt robotics safely and cost-effectively

AI-powered machine vision systems for real-time food quality inspection, labelling compliance and defect detection

Food sorting and grading technologies using AI, machine vision and spectral analysis to improve yield and decision-making

End-of-line coding, marking, labelling and palletising solutions that help streamline packaging operations

Whether you're a plant manager, operations leader, automation engineer or technology buyer, this episode provides practical insights into the latest technologies shaping Australian food manufacturing.

Featured guests: Ben Wood, Co-Founder at WipTex (Waste in Progress Textiles), Jim Karatasos, Founder of Process Evolution, Aditya Agrawal, Co-founder of Frinks AI, Andrew Saliba, Area Sales Manager at TOMRA, and Steven B Cail, State General Manager at Visy.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

How dairy processors can close the recycled plastic cost gap with backhauled bottle returns and food-grade HDPE reuse.

Recorded live at CeMAT 2027, Shane hosts a panel discussion with Ben McCulloch from Martog & Company, Edward Vaudrey from Popit Recycling, and Taylor Quinn from Procal Dairies who share how a closed-loop model could reduce the cost barrier that keeps food-grade recycled HDPE above virgin polymer. The cover:

* Why food-grade recycled HDPE usually costs more than virgin plastic, including smaller plant scale and the added collection, sorting, washing, decontamination, and extrusion steps.

* How Procal’s existing crate return network can backhaul empty milk bottles from cafés, restaurants, and other food-service sites without adding new logistics cost.

* How Popit’s modular recovery system scans bottles, removes contaminants, flakes material on site, and sends it to Martog for hot washing and food-grade processing.

* Why 30 to 50 per cent recycled content is currently the commercial sweet spot for milk bottles, even though the long-term goal is to push costs to parity with virgin resin.

* What rollout could look like next, from proving the economics at Prokal to expanding across more dairy processors in Australia.

Whether you’re a plant manager, packaging lead, or sustainability manager, this episode gives you a practical model for testing circular packaging without building an entirely new recovery network.

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From cold chain robotics to humanoid AI, what will actually deliver value on the warehouse floor in 2026 might surprise you.

At CeMAT 2026, Shane and Paul sat down with John Sauer from OPEX, Daniele Farioli from Modula, Maryam Ziaee from Slimstock, and Adam Frank from SugarAI, along with a Daemon robotics showcase, to break down what’s real versus hype.

In this episode, we cover:

How next-gen AS/RS systems are enabling multi-temperature storage without traditional cold rooms

What humanoid robots can actually do today and how VR-trained AI models are shaping warehouse automation

The evolution of vertical storage systems and how businesses are scaling high-speed fulfilment

How inventory optimisation platforms are improving stock accuracy, cutting waste, and lifting revenue

Why most manufacturers are sitting on untapped data and how AI-driven CRM is unlocking better forecasting

If you're running warehouse operations, supply chain, or manufacturing, this episode gives you a grounded view of where automation and AI are really delivering results right now.

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How Australian manufacturers can adopt Industry 4.0 using training, collaboration, and emerging robotics technologies.

In this episode, recorded live at CeMAT 2026, Vikram Sachdeva from Swinburne University, Andrew Brown from the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, and Jun from Agibot share how Australian manufacturers can practically adopt Industry 4.0 and AI. Paul covers:

How Swinburne’s Factory of the Future and Digital Jobs programmes help manufacturers build AI and digital capability

Using readiness frameworks like CERI and EMRI to prioritise digital transformation initiatives

How AME supports continuous improvement through systems thinking, networking, and global knowledge sharing

The role of humanoid and quadruped robotics for education, inspection, and manufacturing use cases

Why collaboration across education, industry bodies, and robotics providers accelerates adoption

Whether you're a plant manager, operations leader, or technology buyer, this episode gives you a practical view of how to get started with Industry 4.0 in Australia.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

Food manufacturing is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, yet it’s under pressure from every direction, squeezed margins, rising costs, global competition, and ongoing underinvestment.

In this episode, Paul sits down with Angeline Achariya from Innovation Gamechangers to unpack what’s really happening inside the industry and why it matters far beyond food.

They explore why manufacturers keep falling into the cycle of cutting costs instead of investing, how this is eroding long-term competitiveness, and why the real challenge isn’t a lack of capital, it’s a lack of understanding around ROI and strategic investment.

Angeline shares a clear pathway forward, from mapping supply chain vulnerabilities and rethinking partnership strategies, to shifting Australia’s focus from volume production to high-value manufacturing that captures more margin.

They also dive into the global landscape, including how China is reshaping food production through technology and biomanufacturing, and what Australian manufacturers can learn from it.

If you’re in manufacturing, this episode is a wake-up call and a practical guide to building resilience, unlocking growth, and staying competitive in a rapidly changing world.

Key takeaways:

• Why food manufacturing is the backbone of Australia’s economy, and why it’s being squeezed

• The real reason companies underinvest in technology and innovation

• Why capital isn’t the constraint, but mindset and ROI understanding are

• How to shift from volume-driven growth to margin-driven strategies

• The importance of mapping your supply chain and identifying vulnerabilities

• Why partnerships will define the next generation of manufacturers

• What China’s long-term strategy means for Australian industry

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

Australian Manufacturing Week 2026 delivered more than just machines on stands. It surfaced the real conversations manufacturers are having about productivity, automation, software, skills, and how to stay competitive.

In this episode, Paul Mason and I speak with a cross-section of exhibitors and industry leaders on the show floor, capturing what is actually resonating with Australian manufacturers right now.

You will hear from Tim J. Kelly from the Manufacturing Excellence Forum on why regional manufacturing ecosystems like the Sunshine Coast matter more than ever. PPC Moulding Services share how advanced metrology, scanning and prototyping are helping manufacturers reduce risk before investing in tooling. ECI unpack why ERP, business systems and AI need to solve real problems rather than chase hype.

The conversation also covers workforce challenges, reshoring wins, automation and robotics, manufacturing software, and why AMW 2026 felt different, with fewer tyre kickers and more serious buyers.

This is a practical snapshot of where Australian manufacturing is heading, straight from the show floor.

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/

Australian Manufacturing Week 2026 has landed in Brisbane for the first time ever — and we're recording live from the show floor.

Part 1 of our AMW 2026 coverage brings you six exhibitor interviews covering robotics, autonomous material handling, ERP, 3D metrology, automation hardware, and the grant landscape for Australian manufacturers.

Paul Mason and Shane Williams are joined by locals Phil Seboa from the Unplugged IIoT podcast, and Clare Treston to talk to leaders across the show about what's working, what's broken, and where the smart money is going in advanced manufacturing.

In this episode you'll hear:

- Manglesh Singh (Konica Minolta) on mobile cobots and AMRs that have clocked 16,000+ kilometres moving 500 pallets a day

- Amanda (Freelance Robotics) on how cobot welding and the

Blue Dragon framework are giving injured welders and boilermakers a way back into meaningful work

- Mark and Trevor (Lily Works / PFM Works) on why nine out of ten manufacturers still run production on spreadsheets — and why replacing your ERP isn't the answer

- Sara (RSM) on R&D tax incentives, CRC-P projects, and the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing grant programme offering $100K to $1.5M in matched funding

- Danilo (Hi-Tech Metrology) on the Creaform HandySCAN Max — a handheld blue-laser 3D scanner doing three million points per second at 75-micron accuracy, with no surface prep needed on chrome or black parts

- Michael (Mectec) on Delta automation, PLCs and vision systems helping Aussie SMEs automate repetitive packing operations

- Gil Harkness (Queensland Government, Department of Natural Resources, Mines, Manufacturing, Regional & Rural Development) on Queensland's eight manufacturing hubs, the AI-and-jobs conversation, and procurement opportunities from the Brisbane 2032 Olympics

Manufacturing Tech Australia is Australia's leading podcast covering manufacturing technology, automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0.

We're the official media partner of Australian Manufacturing Week.

More episodes and resources: https://www.manufacturingtech.au

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Part 2 of our AMW 2026 coverage drops next fortnight.

Manufacturers keep investing in automation, ERP, AI, and capital projects, yet many still struggle with cost, resilience, and execution. The problem is not the tools, it is fragmentation.In this episode, Shane Williams and Paul Mason are joined by Oliver North and Warren Proctor, Partners at Argon & Co, to unpack why siloed projects quietly destroy manufacturing competitiveness, and what an integrated operational roadmap actually looks like in practice. The discussion cuts straight to the shop floor, exploring how disconnected decisions across operations, supply chain, IT, capital planning, and product development lock in mediocrity rather than advantage. Oliver and Warren explain why sequencing matters, why an 80 percent plan beats perfection, and how integrated roadmaps help manufacturers respond faster to disruption without burning out their teams.This is a highly practical conversation for operational leaders who want to move beyond isolated improvements and build organisations that can pivot, scale, and win under constant volatility.In this episode, you will learn:

• Why siloed investments reduce ROI and lock in operational constraints
• How integrated roadmaps align people, process, and technology around real business value
• What “good” looks like on the shop floor when strategy is truly joined up
• When automation helps, and when it simply hardwires inefficiency
• How digital twins and scenario modelling support faster decision-making, not prediction
• Why progress beats perfection when building operational capability

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Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/