Millions in state funding support on offer to Townsville manufacturers

Manufacturers in the greater Townsville region can tap into $4.5 million in funding through the Palaszczuk Government’s $13.5 million Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program.

Grants between $5000 and $1 million are available, with the funds administered through the Townsville Manufacturing Hub, a state industry initiative to create jobs and maximise local manufacturing strengths like metal and food production.

Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said a strong manufacturing sector was key to a stronger Queensland.

“Townsville manufacturing was worth $862 million to the Queensland economy in 2017-18 and employed 7600 people locally as of December last year,” Mr Stewart said.

“These are big numbers but we want to build on them further, which is why our government is putting the funding framework in place to secure Townsville’s manufacturing future.”

Member for Mundingburra Coralee O’Rourke said the grants were flexible and could benefit businesses in many ways.

“They can be used to purchase an innovative piece of equipment, a smarter operating system, or to assist workers in gaining industry accreditations,” Mrs O’Rourke said.

“All these things come back to helping more great local businesses expand and employ, which is good for our city and our state.”

Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper encouraged Townsville manufacturers to take advantage of the funding on offer.

“Our government it invested in manufacturing and we’ll continue to make significant investments needed to grow the local sector,” Mr Harper said.

“Whether a manufacturer wants to introduce a new high-tech piece of technology into their operations or simply train and upskill their staff, these grants will help them deliver on those goals.”

Minister for Manufacturing Cameron Dick said the grants were part of a $30 million election commitment from the Palaszczuk Government to transform Townsville, Rockhampton and Cairns into manufacturing hubs for regional Queensland.

“We promised to connect our regional manufacturers with world-leading technologies and processes, and to create more jobs in our regions, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Mr Dick said.

Manufacturing Hub Grants are aimed to help build advanced manufacturing capability in Queensland through technology adoption, skills and training, and business development.

Successful applicants can also use grant funding to access services offered through Australia’s first advanced robotics hub for manufacturing, which is on track to open in the first half of 2020.

Funding is provided on a co-contribution basis, with the state covering 75 per cent of capital expenditure for grants between $5000 and $500,0000, and a further 50 per cent for grants up to $1 million.

View the Townsville/north Queensland funding catchment.

To apply for the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program head to qld.gov.au/manufacturinghubsgrants, or visit the Townsville Manufacturing Hub at the local TAFE Queensland campus at Bohle.

The Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program is an initiative through the Queensland Advanced Manufacturing 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan.

ENDS

Media contact: Ben Doyle 0400 775 561