The worldwide market for 'plant-related products and external services' in the process industries is projected to grow from US$553 billion in 2000 to $631 billion in 2005 and $786 billion by 2010, according to a new study, Process Plant Markets 2010, by Intechno Consulting of Basel, Switzerland.

Australia's premier rail industry event, AusRAIL PLUS 2003 conference and exhibition, will be held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, on November 17-19, 2003.

The worldwide market for distributed control systems (DCS) including hardware, software, and services is expected to grow from $9.1 billion in 2002 to be over $10.3 billion in 2007.

Poor communication between management and employees on health and safety issues is costing Victorian companies dearly, with claims for workplace injuries totalling $1.23 billion last year, WorkSafe Minister Rob Hulls said recently.

Specifiers and purchasers of portable test instruments are, in many cases, giving insufficient consideration to safety, according to test and measurement expert, Megger. The company is finding that, all too often, little consideration is given to operator safety, or to the suitability of the instrument for the application in which it will be used, despite the fact that such benefits are available for no cost premium.

Australian particleboard producers will need to target export markets to achieve growth, a new study has found. The BIS Shrapnel Forestry study said some growth in particleboard production in Australia, the bulk of which was currently for the domestic market, was expected over the next five years.

The new Comalco Alumina Refinery (CAR) currently under construction near Gladstone, Queensland will feature an Australian first - a high-tech GPS-synchronised HV supervisory system which will allow the plant to optimise energy usage, trace faults and reduce energy costs.

Emerson Process Management has announced that it has won a US$16 million contract to modernise the Ataka Thermal Power Station in the Suez region of Egypt using its PlantWeb digital plant architecture.

The US Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has approved the 802.3af-2003 standard, which defines the specifications to deliver power over standard ethernet cables.

Electrical equipment can be tested in complete compliance with Occupational Health and Safety legislation and Australasian standards due to state-of-the-art testing equipment launched by O'Donnell Griffin.

Bassett Consulting Engineers has acted to turn around the image of engineering workplaces as unfriendly and inflexible to women in a bid to attract, and retain, capable and dynamic young female employees.

Cold Logic, one of Australia's most successful industrial refrigeration companies, has opened new premises at Tullamarine in Victoria. The company is a significant manufacturer, supplier, contractor and service provider of industrial refrigeration solutions to the beverage, food processing and cold storage industries throughout Australia.

The Warehouse Management System (WMS) market grew by close to 5% in 2002, which is a nice recovery for this market that stands out among the enterprise software applications.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that Eraring Energy, a major electricity generating corporation in Australia, has placed a contract with Yokogawa Australia for an Integrated Control and Monitoring System (ICMS) to replace the control systems at Eraring Power Station.

The Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA) has welcomed the establishment of a new national agency, the National Measurement Institute, to provide world-class measurement standards and services.