Superior Gold Coast marine company snaps up grant to build more pontoons
Published Tuesday, 15 January, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Gold Coast marine company Superior Jetties has received a Queensland Government grant to help it meet the surging demand for marina berths in Australia.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle and Member for Gaven Phil Gray announced the $50,000 grant to help Superior Jetties upgrade and expand its production facilities to improve production.
“While the company is moving into new premises, it is the perfect time to take a look at how it is operating and see where improvements can be made,” Mr Gray said.
“The company will engage consultants to look at how production can be done more efficiently by, for example, remodelling work flows or changing factory layouts.
“The new premises will have state-of-the art production technology and new electronic business systems.
“The latest water and energy saving technologies will also be implemented, which will save the business money as well as being good for the environment,” Mr Gray said.
Superior Jetties manufactures a range of marine berthing, boat lift systems and pontoons, employs over 45 staff and has an annual turnover in excess of $12 million.
It has been based on the Gold Coast since 1988, with the current owners, John and Jackie Hogan, buying the business in 2002.
Managing Director John Hogan said the company’s strategic growth plans were on track and demand within Australia and from the export market necessitated continual process improvement and expansion.
“Market research shows that with our economy experiencing high growth, more and more Australians are buying boats and consequently there is increasing demand for marina berths. A similar increase is also being seen overseas,” Mr Hogan said.
“Boat registrations in Queensland have surpassed the 200,000 mark and the percentage of boats bigger than 8 metres is increasing at a steady rate – the bigger boats need berths as they are non-trailerable.”
Mr Hogan said the problem was that there were not enough berths.
“There’s an estimated shortage of 4000 berths in Queensland and, on a national level, an even greater shortage,” he said.
“The market is huge in Australia and is also growing rapidly overseas. If you also take into account the very real potential for Queensland to capture a big slice of the international superyacht market, for us as a company this is a tremendous opportunity.
“We want to make sure we go about this the right way so we’re taking a very considered approach to how we do that. And we’re very thankful for Queensland Government support for our business”
Queensland’s marine industry contributes $2.6 billion to the Queensland economy and employs about 11,000 people with more than $400 million in exports annually.
Ms Boyle said the development of the marine industry was part of the Queensland Government’s economic model under the Smart State Strategy.
“Superior Jetties are demonstrating all the hallmarks of a Smart State company and as a Government, we’re more than happy to assist them,” she said.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Mr Gray: 5502 1411
Superior Jetties: John Hogan 5597 1933
15 January 2008
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle and Member for Gaven Phil Gray announced the $50,000 grant to help Superior Jetties upgrade and expand its production facilities to improve production.
“While the company is moving into new premises, it is the perfect time to take a look at how it is operating and see where improvements can be made,” Mr Gray said.
“The company will engage consultants to look at how production can be done more efficiently by, for example, remodelling work flows or changing factory layouts.
“The new premises will have state-of-the art production technology and new electronic business systems.
“The latest water and energy saving technologies will also be implemented, which will save the business money as well as being good for the environment,” Mr Gray said.
Superior Jetties manufactures a range of marine berthing, boat lift systems and pontoons, employs over 45 staff and has an annual turnover in excess of $12 million.
It has been based on the Gold Coast since 1988, with the current owners, John and Jackie Hogan, buying the business in 2002.
Managing Director John Hogan said the company’s strategic growth plans were on track and demand within Australia and from the export market necessitated continual process improvement and expansion.
“Market research shows that with our economy experiencing high growth, more and more Australians are buying boats and consequently there is increasing demand for marina berths. A similar increase is also being seen overseas,” Mr Hogan said.
“Boat registrations in Queensland have surpassed the 200,000 mark and the percentage of boats bigger than 8 metres is increasing at a steady rate – the bigger boats need berths as they are non-trailerable.”
Mr Hogan said the problem was that there were not enough berths.
“There’s an estimated shortage of 4000 berths in Queensland and, on a national level, an even greater shortage,” he said.
“The market is huge in Australia and is also growing rapidly overseas. If you also take into account the very real potential for Queensland to capture a big slice of the international superyacht market, for us as a company this is a tremendous opportunity.
“We want to make sure we go about this the right way so we’re taking a very considered approach to how we do that. And we’re very thankful for Queensland Government support for our business”
Queensland’s marine industry contributes $2.6 billion to the Queensland economy and employs about 11,000 people with more than $400 million in exports annually.
Ms Boyle said the development of the marine industry was part of the Queensland Government’s economic model under the Smart State Strategy.
“Superior Jetties are demonstrating all the hallmarks of a Smart State company and as a Government, we’re more than happy to assist them,” she said.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2004
Mr Gray: 5502 1411
Superior Jetties: John Hogan 5597 1933
15 January 2008