• Silex says a demonstration plant for its uranium enrichment tech could happen by mid-2024
  • LiveHire to acquire US based shift scheduling company Arrived Workforce Connections
  • Hiremii says its H1 FY23 revenue jumped a massive 146.2%

 

Uranium enrichment stock Silex Systems (ASX:SLX) has announced an increase in funding for its Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) joint venture’s CY2023 demonstration program for the SILEX uranium enrichment technology – which creates the potential opportunity to complete the pilot demonstration project as early as mid-2024.

“In view of current market drivers, and in particular the potential for disruptions to the global nuclear fuel markets, Silex and [major global uranium producer] Cameco have agreed to a significant uplift to the current year GLE operating budget,” CEO and MD Michael Goldsworthy said. 

“This provides GLE with the option of commencing commercial operations at the Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) multi-purpose production plant as early as 2027/28 – up to three years earlier than previously planned.

“The key driver for this decision is the emergence of the ‘Triple Opportunity’ which has been precipitated as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the urgent need for the Western nuclear fuel industry to establish a secure supply chain with new production capacity, and to thereby minimise or eliminate reliance on Russian sourced nuclear fuel.”

Subject to the successful completion of the pilot demonstration project, government and industry support and other market factors, the SILEX technology could enable GLE to become a major contributor to nuclear fuel production for the world’s current and future nuclear reactor fleets. 

While they didn’t specify how much the budget has increase by, on the money front, Silex did say the GLE intends to apply to be a participant in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) availability program which was bolstered with US$700 million in funding support from the US Inflation Reduction Act.

Then shortly after the announcement, the company entered a trading halt with the placement component of a capital raising underway.

The $1bn capped stock is up a heady 330% over the past 12 months, and 1300% over the past 5 years.

 

SLX share price today:

 

Other tech companies with news today:

LIVEHIRE (ASX:LVH)

Recruitment platform LiveHire has picked up US based shift scheduling company Arrived Workforce Connections Inc for US$2 million in LVH shares at completion (each with an issue price of A$0.35) plus US$2 million in contingent scrip consideration (each with an issue price of the lesser of the 15- day VWAP of LVH shares and A$0.35). 

The company says the proposed acquisition will allow it to integrate Arrived’s shift management mobile and desktop applications into the LVH platform and provide an enhanced solution for placement of contingent and shift workers. 

“The proposed acquisition will expand LiveHire’s addressable market in key industry verticals including healthcare, manufacturing, and retail,” it said.

“LiveHire management estimates that 25-35% of its current US direct sourcing pipeline have some level of shift scheduling requirement. 

“The proposed acquisition will also allow LiveHire to extend penetration into existing clients as well as unlock new clients who require shift scheduling.” 

 

HIREMII (ASX:HMI)

Another recruitment player HireMii announced revenue in the first half of financial year 2023 of $9,422,466 increased by a whopping 146.2% on the previous corresponding period (pcp) of $3,827,936).

The company says this growth was driven by organic growth in contractors together with the acquisition of Inverse Group in November 2021. 

Gross profit of $1,179,609 (12.5%) increased by 266% on the pcp (H1 FY22 gross profit: $322,348, 8.4%) while the loss for the consolidated entity after providing for income tax amounted to $515,875 – compared to $2,206,733 for the pcp.

 

ACUSENSUS (ASX:ACE)

Road safety tech company Acusensus also released its H1 FY23 report, with revenues up a solid 92.1% to $19,837,768 for the period.

This improvement is a result of a full six month contribution from the multi-year NSW mobile speed contract and the Queensland mobile phone and seatbelt safety contract.

In November 2022, ACE entered into a minimum three-year year term mobile device detection cameras service agreement with the ACT Government which it estimates will generate around $9.1 million over the maximum five-year term.

 

LVH, HMI and ACE share prices: