Australian Beef Exports

 

Brief Beef History

            The Beef Industry in Australia has a reputation of producing high quality beef.  It had its beginnings in 1788 when the first herd of cattle was brought into the country to aid in in its development.  Unfortunately, they escaped and was scattered but their numbers grew rapidly until cattle farming became commercial. In 1850, the demand for beef increased as the gold rushes in Australia became rampant.  Today, the total number of livestock in Australia is at 28 million head spread across 200 million hectares of land.  This number is relatively minimal on a global scale but Australian Beef exports are at 60 percent of total production.  This places the Australian beef exports at the second largest beef exporter behind Brazil.

Key Facts and Points

·         Total Herd Size                       - 28 million head

·         Beef Exports                           - $5 billion

·         Live Exports                           -$600 billion

·         Total Export (%)                     - 60 per cent

·         Number of Cattle Producers   - 40,000

·         Largest destination market for Australian Beef Exports are

1.      Korea

2.      Japan

3.      America

·         Australian beef exports come from a variety of breeds depending on market specification and how they handle climatic conditions and these are:

1.      Bos Indicus breed – Brahman

2.      Bos Indicus breed – Santa Gertrudis

3.      Bos Taurus breed – British Angus

4.      Bos Taurus breed – Hereford

5.      French Charolais

·         Australian beef exports have more advantage in the fact that the produce is traceable and it has decease free status which gives the beef industry a strong competitive advantage in the world market.

The Australian beef industry is distributed between the northern and southern production system.  Southern production has the more disparate and fragmented farm ownerships while the northern production is predominantly corporate owned. In addition, cattle produced in the south is of the European and British breeds which produce favorable quality meat and are typically exported to high value markets. Cattle in the northern part on the other hand are processed and sent to the US to be used as hamburger meat.

 

Challenges and the future

            There is an increasing demand for protein and Australia’s beef industry is more than capable in meeting the demands of the market.   Australian beef exports have a clean and green image and the industry’s significant investments in efficiency and productivity improvement in the field of genetics, pastures and marketing ensures a bright future for the Australian Beef industry.  Furthermore, this also results in the industry being able to maintain profitability and will allow it to embrace and capitalize on the opportunities that will in the upcoming years. 

The OZ supplier website provides a list of the Australian Beef Industry’s major players and suppliers. Please click here if you wish to contact a company in the in the Beef Industry.

Plastic Production through Injection Moulding

 

Injection Moulding is a type of manufacturing method for shaping a range of raw materials to a desired form or shape.  Materials such as glass, metals, elastomers for synthetic rubber products, confections and especially thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers for plastics are heated and injected into a mold, the raw materials solidifies as it cools inside.  Injection moulding is a widely used manufacturing process for the production of small components to an entire body panel of cars.

Injection moulding Process

            The process starts with the design of the product and the mold design.  Mold designing is done by an industrial designer or engineer. Individual parts of the final product are carefully designed with consideration to how each part is to be molded and assembled to create a finished product.  Properties and capabilities of the molding machine are very well considered in the design process.  Molds are then precision-made out of steel or aluminum.

            The mold is then fitted to the injection moulding machine.  For the manufacture of plastic products, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers are used.  Thermoplastics are more commonly used because it is more versatile and it softens and flows evenly when heated. Thermoplastics are also easily recyclable and are safer to use than thermosets.  Thermosets needs to be properly heated and injected in a timely manner, otherwise, chemical cross-linking may occur which can damage to the screw and check valves of the machine.

            Thermoplastics or thermosets are place on a funnel which opens to the injection screw inside a barrel with heating elements.  The screw turns and pushes the heated raw material towards the mold which turns to liquid as it approaches the end of the barrel or the nozzle that leads to the mold. Once inside the mold, the raw material cools down and solidifies.  The mold then opens, releasing the newly shaped component.  The mold closes once more and the cycle begins.

Types of Injection Moulding Machines

·         Hydraulic – the only option for molders until 1983 when the first all-electric injection moulding machine was introduced. It is still more predominantly used today.

·         Mechanical – uses the toggle system where tonnage is required to keep the pressure in the mold consistent.

·         Electric – also called the EMT or Electric Machine Technology is quieter, cost efficient and environmentally safer than hydraulics introduced by Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. LTD.

·         Hybrid – claims to have the best features of the hydraulic and electric machine.  Usually features the robotic arm to remove molded components

For suppliers and distributors of Injection Moulded Components in Australia, visit the OZ Suppliers Website.