The Morrison Government is backing Australian manufacturers to modernise how they do business, with critical investment in small and medium sized businesses in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
200 projects worth more than $215 million dollars are being supported through the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund (MMF). The Federal Government is contributing $48.3 million.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology and Member for McPherson Karen Andrews said the job-creating investments couldn’t come at a better time, as the manufacturing sector grapples with COVID-19.
“The Federal Government is committed to helping Australian manufacturers prepare for the future and to employ more Australians. More than 2,600 new jobs are expected to be created by these successful projects,” Minister Andrews said.
“We established the MMF before the coronavirus pandemic to help small and medium sized manufacturers invest in capital equipment and new technologies to transform and upgrade their manufacturing operations.
“Now as we face the coronavirus pandemic and look to come out the other side stronger, this investment will be more critical than ever.
“I am determined to further strengthen Australian manufacturing and the current pandemic gives us the opportunity as a nation to reassess and commit to the values of Australian-made goods.”
These merit-based grants are divided between large and small scale projects and are the first to be allocated under the fund.
Companies to receive project grants include Gold Coast designer Leina Broughton who plans to implement fabric inspection technology and garment automatic cutting technology.
CEO Fleur Richardson said the grant would allow the Burleigh-based company to invest in and sustain the future of Australian Made.
“Being able to automate garment cutting, a key functionality of our production cycle, will allow us to increase our profit efficiencies by 30 per cent, whilst retaining the manual labour to retrain in this new technology,” Ms Richardson said.
“We are Australian owned, designed and made. This is the key foundation of our business – even more so now than ever,” she added.
Leina Broughton is one of three Gold Coast businesses to receive a much-needed investment through the MMF.
Chemistry House in Molendinar will use the funding to secure new business and value add for existing clients through agile, efficient packing infrastructure.
While six jobs will be created at Patterson Glass in Nerang when they speed up production through advance processing, with the implementation of a CNC machine.
Minister Andrews said each of these stories highlighted the opportunity for manufacturing to thrive on the Gold Coast.
“On the Gold Coast we’re renowned for our tourism industry, but our city is much more diverse than we’re often given credit for – and manufacturing is a vibrant part of our economy.
“I’m keen to see that flourish, particularly as we look to bounce back post coronavirus.”
Grants totalling $35 million will go to 59 companies for large scale projects worth over $177 million. A further $13.3 million in grants will go to 141 small scale projects worth over $38 million.
The MMF builds on other Federal Government investments in manufacturing growth and competitiveness, including the $100 million Advanced Manufacturing Fund, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, the Entrepreneurs’ Programme, and the $40 million Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre.
For more information on the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund visit www.business.gov.au/MMF
