Briefcase: Business Snippets from around South Australia
In this week’s Briefcase, Little Bang’s new session ale, a new name for a star miner and Iondrive advances solar panel recycling. Plus, the latest business events.
- Little Bang releases exclusive beer
- New name for rising mining star
- Iron consortium welcomes new member
- Iondrive advances solar panel recycling
- Myriota launches STEM fund at tenth birthday celebration
- Qantas to boost SA technology workforce
- Renewal SA to develop new homes in Port Lincoln
- Flinders University unveils latest campaign
- Illuminate Adelaide shines bright in new figures
- Job seeker employment opportunities improve
- Santos partners with Red Tree Foundation
- Barge to renew livestock trade
- SA best in business
- Metricon wins big at SA builder awards
- Disability support service rebrands
Little Bang releases exclusive beer
Stepney-based Little Bang Brewing Co. has announced an exclusive release of its Special Stage Session Ale in collaboration with the Adelaide Rally.
The limited release beer is designed as a mid-strength hazy pale ale and would maintain the “the hop-driven excitement that Little Bang fans love”.
Little Bang has been the exclusive beer supplier for the Adelaide Motorsport Festival for the past two years and would fuel the thousands of fans expected to attend the event.
“Both the brewery and the event hold special places in my heart, so to tie them together with this Session Ale is something I’ll remember for a long time,” Little Bang head brewer Oscar Matthews said.
The Special Stage Session Ale would be available on tap at Little Bang’s Stepney brewery and at select Adelaide Rally events from November 21 to 23.
New name for rising mining star
Petratherm Limited changed its name to PTR Minerals at its November 6 annual general meeting, but would retain its ASX ticker ‘PTR’.
The company was ranked number 58 in the 2025 South Australian Business Index and won the Rising Star Award, given to a company that rose the highest on the list.
Last year, it ranked outside of the 100 and on and on the back of a major discovery of high-grade titanium-rich heavy minerals, its valuation went gangbusters.
A string of successful drilling results has continued in the area and led to heavily supported capital raisings in late 2024 and early 2025.
The company has a market capitalisation of $100 million, and a share price of 29 cents at the time of writing.
Iron consortium welcomes new member
Green Iron SA, a consortium formed in October 2024 to accelerate the establishment of a green iron industry in the state, welcomed CSL Australia as its newest member.
CSL Australia was the country’s largest owner-operator of self-unloading transhipment vessels and had extensive experience in bulk material handling.
The company would support the development of the state’s emerging green iron industry and enhance the consortium’s capability to deliver a fully integrated supply chain from mine to market.
“CSL is proud to contribute its maritime expertise to the Green Iron SA consortium and help build a sustainable green iron industry in South Australia,” CSL Australia vice-president Dan Wilson said.
Iondrive advances solar panel recycling
SA battery manufacturer Iondrive launched a solar panel recycling initiative targeting the recovery of high-purity silver and silicon from photovoltaic cells.
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The recovery would be performed with Iondrive’s proprietary Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) technology, which Iondrive said would address the main challenges of recycling.
Australia was one of the world’s fastest-growing solar panel deployment markets, with an estimated 100,000 tonnes of panels to reach end-of-life by 2030, accounting for more than $1 billion in recoverable materials.
“We believe Iondrive’s DES technology is uniquely positioned to close this gap by delivering efficient, scalable recovery of high-grade materials that the market urgently needs,” Iondrive Limited CEO Ebbe Dommisse said.
The launch follows Iondrive’s shares jumping by 35 per cent in October after the announcement of a German government-funded battery recycling and rare earth extraction initiative.
Myriota launches STEM fund at tenth birthday celebration
Adelaide-based satellite telecommunications company Myriota has announced the launch of a new fund to support remote Australian students to pursue STEM careers.
The new fund was announced as Myriota marked its tenth year of business, where it has grown from three staff members in 2015 to more than 75 in the current year.
The Myriota Impact and Access Fund would award annual grants of up to $7,000 to assist with relocation, accommodation and study expenses for underrepresented remote and regional students entering tertiary STEM studies.
Recipients would also receive access to mentorship from Myriota’s engineers and scientists and get priority consideration for paid internships.
“This fund opens doors for talented young people from all corners of Australia, helping them turn curiosity into careers while building the diverse talent pipeline our industry needs,” Myriota CEO Ben Cade said.
Applications for the fund is set to open in 2026 for students commencing studies in 2027.
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Official bp Adelaide Grand Final Business Luncheon: The South Australian Business Chamber, in partnership with the South Australian Motor Sport Board, presents the Official bp Adelaide Grand Final Business Luncheon on November 25, 2025 at the Adelaide Marriott Hotel. Indigenous Workforce for the Future national conference: The Alliance will host its National Conference, Indigenous Workforce for the Future, on November 19, 2025 at the Adelaide Convention Centre. |
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Qantas to boost SA technology workforce
The state government and Qantas have announced an agreement to deliver more than 420 technology jobs to SA.
The agreement would see the establishment of a Qantas Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide’s CBD, which was the first outside of Sydney.
The Centre was expected to create hundreds of new roles, which would include software developers, business analysts and a dedicated administrative team by the end of 2028.
Qantas has also committed to build a graduate recruitment pathway with Adelaide University to attract top graduates with advanced AI and digital skillsets to the workforce.
“By bringing together the best Australian talent, the Centre will transform how we deliver for our customers, creating smarter, more seamless travel experiences for millions of Qantas customers,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said.
Renewal SA to develop new homes in Port Lincoln
Renewal SA has reached out for partners to develop up to 10 homes for healthcare, law enforcement and education workers in Port Lincoln.
Led by its Office for Regional Housing, Renewal SA has offered financial contributions toward infrastructure costs to boost further land supply and guaranteed rental agreements for new houses.
Developers have been invited to register an expression of interest to build homes on a leaseback arrangement with the state government and would be asked to finance and construct homes to Renewal SA’s specifications.
Contributions would be capped at $50,000 per additional allotment with the full $1 million contribution on offer to developer’s committed to deliver at least 20 additional serviced land allotments.
“This initiative will deliver high-quality new housing to help attract and retain essential service workers and also bring much-needed supply of shovel-ready land to market to support further construction,” Director of the Office for Regional Housing Matt Hunt said.
Flinders University unveils latest campaign
Flinders University has unveiled its latest brand campaign They Say / We Say in partnership with creative agency KWP and Partners and media agency Atomic 212.
The campaign was set to be a new chapter for Flinders University’s Fearless platform.
They Say / We Say featured Flinders University students in the filming, imagery and narration with Flinders’ film students with hands-on involvement on set.
“Flinders was founded on the belief that education should open minds and celebrate individuality,” head of brand at Flinders University Meghann Reeves said.
“They Say / We Say brings that founding idea into a modern context, empowering people to find their own point of view, challenge limits, and shape what comes next.”
Illuminate Adelaide shines bright in new figures
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Illuminate Adelaide delivered a record $74.7 million boost to economic activity in SA this year.
The fifth edition of the event hosted 1.5 million people, with 98,368 attendants from overseas and interstate and doubled its annual economic activity for the state.
“Since 2021, annual interstate visitation has increased sixfold — driving up hotel occupancy with the creation of 141,600 total bed nights, and the annual economic impact and new income generated for South Australia has grown by 95 per cent,” Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said.
The state government announced Illuminate Adelaide would return next winter from 1 to 19 July.
Job seeker employment opportunities improve
New data from Workskil’s latest Work Watch report has revealed employment prospects for Australian job seekers has improved, with nurse and care staff positions among the fastest growth.
The quarterly report showed overall employment had risen 6.3 per cent among Australians that receive welfare benefits.
Trades and services remained the top hiring industry, while the health and medical sector had a 39 per cent growth with 15 per cent of total employments from migrant job seekers.
Jobseekers represented in the report included young and old job seekers, First Nations Australians, migrants, refugees and people with a disability.
“Much of this growth comes from high demand for nursing support workers and personal care assistants. These are very rewarding roles well suited to job seekers across a variety of backgrounds and experience,” Workskil Australia CEO Nicole Dwyer said.
Santos partners with Red Tree Foundation
Santos has partnered with the Red Tree Foundation, an initiative that supports SA families through child loss, to expand bereavement support and training to the Upper Spencer Gulf.
The collaboration would offer free, qualified grief counselling to individuals and families across regional SA who have experienced child loss.
It would also provide specialised grief and loss care education and training for local nurses and midwives.
“Santos’ support will help extend our reach into the Upper Spencer Gulf region,” Red Tree Foundation general manager Kari Langdon said.
“At Red Tree Foundation, we’re deeply committed to making sure families across South Australia have access to compassionate, professional support when facing the unimaginable loss of a child.”
Barge to renew livestock trade
A new heavy vehicle barge for safe crossings in Cooper Creek has opened, which would allow for livestock and essential goods movement in the state’s outback.
The $27.4 million barge is the biggest barge of its kind in SA and is jointly funded by the state and federal governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
It would reconnect pastoralists and tourism operator’s cut-off by record floods in outback Australia due to significant rainfall in Queensland and would return regular transportation to the region until permanent road access is reinstated.
“We are enabling the industry to keep rolling, ensuring there is a consistent supply of beef at the butcher or supermarket,” Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Emily Bourke said.
SA best in business
The Business Council of Australia’s Regulation Rumble report named SA as the best state in the nation to do business for the third year in a row.
The report showed that SA had the most competitive tax, regulatory and planning settings for doing business in the country.
Payroll tax was the lowest in the country for large employers in addition to small and expanding businesses and ranked highly in property costs and licensing categories.
“South Australia is leading the nation and shows us that cutting unnecessary red tape and designing efficient regulations is not just good for business — it’s good for workers and communities,” BCA Chief Executive Bran Black said.
Metricon wins big at SA builder awards
Metricon has taken home five major awards at the 2025 Housing Industry Association (HIA) SA Housing and Kitchen and Bathroom Awards.
Among the awards was Best Display Home up to $500,000, Best Display Home $750,000-$900,000, Best Display Home over $900,000, Display Home of the Year and Professional Major Builder.
It was the tenth time Metricon SA had been awarded Professional Major Builder for builders with an annual turnover of $75 million or more that display a high standard of customer service and satisfaction.
“Being recognised by the HIA for the tenth time highlights the consistency and quality that underpin everything we do, from innovative design to exceptional customer care,” Metricon SA general manager Neil Bisset said.
Disability support service rebrands
SA regional disability support provider Community Living Australia (CLA) has announced a rebrand to Livit Disability Support.
The rebrand was the result of feedback from hundreds of clients across CLA’s teams, clients and families to reimagine the organisation as more inclusive and accessible in the future.
“Livit is about making sure we are more accessible, recognisable and easier for everyone to connect with. The brand better reflects our values, energy and the people we support,” Livit Chief Executive Mark Kulinski said.
Livit has services across regional SA with locations across the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland, Limestone coast and more.
