Toowoomba business serves up strawberry breakfast to support local growers

Published Tuesday, 25 September, 2018 at 01:01 PM

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development
The Honourable Shannon Fentiman

Minister for Employment and Small Business Shannon Fentiman has congratulated the Toowoomba region’s local business community for its continuing strong performance and its support for the embattled strawberry growers.

Speaking at the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce breakfast, at which locally grown strawberries were on the menu, Ms Fentiman outlined the Palaszczuk Government assistance available to the help businesses through the current challenges caused by the drought and the strawberry contamination incident.

“In addition to the $1 million strawberry rescue package we have ensured that the region’s businesses have the assistance they need to drought assistance and a number of State Government grants.

“Some of these include the 50 per cent payroll tax rebate for apprentices and trainees, the ecoBiz program and Small Business Digital, Entrepreneur, and Business Growth Fund grants.”

Ms Fentiman said the latest round of Business Growth Fund grants includes four local businesses who will receive $50,000 each to purchase and implement highly specialised equipment or services.

“This is well-deserved for recipients Auspring Industries Pty Ltd, which will use the grant to buy an automatic spring lathe coiler that the company expects will increase turnover by 80 per cent in the next two years,” Ms Fentiman said.

Family-owned company, Construction Services Queensland Pty Ltd will purchase a robotic cutting machine to increase the speed of production of their plastic doorframes while R&F Steel Buildings, a Gatton-based shed building business, will upgrade their software to use virtual-reality technology.

Crop science research business, Petrik Soil Technology Pty Ltd based in the Lockyer Valley will invest in critical laboratory infrastructure which will increase its soil analysis capability.

Ms Fentiman said collectively these businesses expect to employ 25 more people within the next 12 months due to the Business Growth grants.

“The four local grant recipients are among 14 Queensland business, which will share in almost $700,000 in the latest round of grants.

“These business have all demonstrated high-growth and will enable to grow and employ more Queenslanders,” she said.

“Toowoomba is home to more than 15,000 small businesses which represent almost 98 per cent of all businesses in the city.

“While there is increasing diversification, the top industry is still agriculture, forestry and fishing which accounts for more than 20 per cent of the registered businesses.

“The latest data shows that small business numbers in Toowoomba city and the surrounding region grew by almost 300 in the year to the end of 2016-17,” Ms Fentiman said.

“The strongest growth across Toowoomba, Southern Downs and the Lockyer Valley was in construction with an increase of 75 small businesses.

“This is great news and shows confidence in the region which is proving to be a hub for businesses to grow.”

The Business Growth Fund and Digital Grants are currently open for applications. For more information visit https://www.business.qld.gov.au/

For information on strawberry industry support package and drought assistance; https://www.business.qld.gov.au/

https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/rural-disaster-recovery/drought

 

Successful Business Growth Fund recipients:

 

  • Tree Crop Technologies Pty Ltd, trading as Verterra, Brisbane City
  • R & F Steel Buildings, Lockyer
  • 3D Stone Tile & Pavers Nestview Pty Ltd T/as, South Brisbane
  • Sports Turf Services, Theodore
  • Cairns Specialised Cabinets (Portabiz Pty Ltd), Cairns
  • Expressway Signs & Printworks, Cairns
  • Petrik Soil Technology Pty Ltd, Lockyer
  • Now Retail Group Pty Ltd, Noosa
  • Microelectronic Systems Pty Ltd, Pine Rivers
  • WillPlay Pty Ltd, Bundaberg
  • CONNECT'N'GROW PTY LTD, Townsville
  • Apex Masonry, Maryborough
  • Construction Services Queensland Pty Ltd, Condamine
  • Auspring Industries Pty Ltd, Southern Downs

 

  

ENDS

 

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