Maryborough manufacturing in spotlight

Maryborough is in the spotlight with leaders of Queensland’s $20 billion manufacturing industry attending the first regional meeting of the Industry and Manufacturing Advisory Group (IMAG) at Downer Rail today.

Minister for State Development Dr Anthony Lynham said he would join Downer Group’s Andrew Spink and other IMAG members to discuss ways to increase Queensland’s productivity and employment growth and improve access to domestic and global supply chain opportunities.

“I look forward to touring Downer Rail and inspecting a recently installed waterjet cutter that is allowing the company to fulfil three new contracts worth almost $1 billion over the next 10 years and creating up to 60 new jobs in the Maryborough region,” Dr Lynham said.

“The industry advisory group is helping to implement the Palaszczuk Government’s $7.6 million 10-year Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap released in December that outlined support for traditional manufacturers to develop the job-generating advanced techniques required for future growth.

“The manufacturing sector is the fifth biggest contributor to the state’s economy and employed more than 169,700 workers in Queensland in the December quarter 2015.

“Manufacturing is one of regional Queensland’s traditional strengths that we want to expand to create new jobs and new products that can be sold into local and export markets.”

Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said he was proud to be part of a government that has a clear vision to support manufacturing and grow industry and jobs in Maryborough.

“From day one of being elected I have stated that manufacturing is vital for our electorate and have fought hard with the local workers and management to secure contracts for Downer Rail,” Mr Saunders said.

“It is great that this company has confidence in our magnificent local workforce and is looking to expand into the future.”

Maryborough has been a manufacturing hub since the 1867 Gympie gold rush led to a thriving port and timber, sugar and engineering industries. Manufacturing company Walkers Limited was started in 1869 to produce mining and sugar milling machinery and grew to be one of the country’s leading naval builders before building its first steam engine in 1897.

More than 800 locomotives, 284 passenger vehicles and a number of high speed Tilt Trains were built at Walkers, renamed EDI Downer and now Downer Rail, today one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of rolling stock.

Measures included in the Palaszczuk Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap include:

• $1.5m program for increasing robotics and digital business capability
• $550,000 for hacker/maker spaces to connect manufacturers with ideas and innovations
• $700,000 to encourage manufacturers to use design and engineering analysis software, new materials and advanced manufacturing techniques
• $900,000 to improve manufacturers’ energy efficiency and produce stronger environmental outcomes
• $250,000 to get more young people into manufacturing careers.

IMAG members:

• Christine Bridges-Taylor, General Manager, B&R Enclosures
• Marina Chambers, Organiser, Australian Workers’ Union (AWU)
• Jemina Dunn, State Director (Queensland), Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)
• John McLean, Chief Executive Officer, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks
• Rohan Webb, State Secretary, Queensland and Northern Territory, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) who will provide representation from union and industry bodies
• Tim Shaw, Managing Director, Micreo,
• Andrew Spink, Executive General Manager, Passenger, (Victoria and Queensland Rail), Downer Group
• Karen Stanton, General Manager, HTA Group of Companies
• Julie Williams, Chief Executive Officer, AgSolutions Australia.

For more information visit:  www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/IMAG

ENDS

Date:                           31 January 2017

Media Contact:          Jan Martin 0439 341 314