Published Tuesday, 05 February, 2008 at 01:46 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
US success in store for Clontarf firm thanks to State grant
A Clontarf firm specialising in automated packing technology will take on the giant US supermarket sector thanks to funding from a new State Government grant scheme.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle and Member for Redcliffe Lillian van Litsenburg announced $250,000 to help manufacturer Fibre King customise its crate-erecting technology for US markets.
“Fibre King is one of the first businesses to receive funding under the Bligh Government’s Business and Industry Transformation Incentives,” Ms Boyle said.
“This Clontarf business is working on bringing its world-class, Queensland-made technology into lucrative overseas markets,” she said.
“It shows that innovation doesn’t have to just be about biotechnology or glamorous industries - innovation in packaging is just as important.”
Ms van Litsenburg said: “Fibre King’s flagship technology - the Returnable Plastic Crate Erector - can automatically erect and collapse plastic crates used by supermarkets for packaging food such as fresh fruit and vegetables.
“This enables fresh produce to be loaded directly into the plastic crates and effectively made ‘shelf-ready’ early on in the supply chain.
“It could help revolutionise the logistics process by bringing produce direct from farms to supermarket shelves.
“More and more retailers in the US and around the world are opting to use foldable, returnable plastic crates for their goods – rather than cardboard packaging – because it cut waste and is better for the environment,” Ms van Litsenburg said.
Fibre King chief executive officer Earle Roberts said the Returnable Plastic Crate Erector was developed in 2005 with Queensland Government financial support.
“Since 2006, the product has generated more than $10 million in Australian sales,” Mr Roberts said.
“We now need to significantly adapt the technology to enable us to penetrate US markets.
“There are 14 different crate designs in the US – Australia has three – so the latest Queensland Government assistance will be used to modify the machine to make it flexible enough to cope with this variety.”
Fibre King was one of four recipients to share in more than $800,000 under the Government’s new Business and Industry Transformation Incentive scheme.
“These grants are for projects that drive Queensland’s internationally competitive, sustainable and knowledge-intensive future,” she said.
“There are huge opportunities in the smart industries and in using technology to gain a competitive advantage.
“This will help to better position Fibre King to secure new contracts and business in the US, which will be a win for the company and a boost for the Caboolture region’s manufacturing sector.”
Fibre King’s history traces back to 1926 in Brisbane. Today the firm has more than 40 staff, including third and fourth-generation members of the original founding family. It designs and manufactures equipment such as case packers, palletisers and crate handling equipment for domestic retail chains and global packaging companies.
Applications for funding under the next round of the Business and Industry Transformation Incentive scheme close on 21 February. Grants from $30,000 to $250,000 are available. More information is available at: www.industry.qld.gov.au/incentives.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007, Ms van Litsenburg: 3284 2667 or Fibre King’s Earle Roberts: 3889 4400
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle and Member for Redcliffe Lillian van Litsenburg announced $250,000 to help manufacturer Fibre King customise its crate-erecting technology for US markets.
“Fibre King is one of the first businesses to receive funding under the Bligh Government’s Business and Industry Transformation Incentives,” Ms Boyle said.
“This Clontarf business is working on bringing its world-class, Queensland-made technology into lucrative overseas markets,” she said.
“It shows that innovation doesn’t have to just be about biotechnology or glamorous industries - innovation in packaging is just as important.”
Ms van Litsenburg said: “Fibre King’s flagship technology - the Returnable Plastic Crate Erector - can automatically erect and collapse plastic crates used by supermarkets for packaging food such as fresh fruit and vegetables.
“This enables fresh produce to be loaded directly into the plastic crates and effectively made ‘shelf-ready’ early on in the supply chain.
“It could help revolutionise the logistics process by bringing produce direct from farms to supermarket shelves.
“More and more retailers in the US and around the world are opting to use foldable, returnable plastic crates for their goods – rather than cardboard packaging – because it cut waste and is better for the environment,” Ms van Litsenburg said.
Fibre King chief executive officer Earle Roberts said the Returnable Plastic Crate Erector was developed in 2005 with Queensland Government financial support.
“Since 2006, the product has generated more than $10 million in Australian sales,” Mr Roberts said.
“We now need to significantly adapt the technology to enable us to penetrate US markets.
“There are 14 different crate designs in the US – Australia has three – so the latest Queensland Government assistance will be used to modify the machine to make it flexible enough to cope with this variety.”
Fibre King was one of four recipients to share in more than $800,000 under the Government’s new Business and Industry Transformation Incentive scheme.
“These grants are for projects that drive Queensland’s internationally competitive, sustainable and knowledge-intensive future,” she said.
“There are huge opportunities in the smart industries and in using technology to gain a competitive advantage.
“This will help to better position Fibre King to secure new contracts and business in the US, which will be a win for the company and a boost for the Caboolture region’s manufacturing sector.”
Fibre King’s history traces back to 1926 in Brisbane. Today the firm has more than 40 staff, including third and fourth-generation members of the original founding family. It designs and manufactures equipment such as case packers, palletisers and crate handling equipment for domestic retail chains and global packaging companies.
Applications for funding under the next round of the Business and Industry Transformation Incentive scheme close on 21 February. Grants from $30,000 to $250,000 are available. More information is available at: www.industry.qld.gov.au/incentives.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007, Ms van Litsenburg: 3284 2667 or Fibre King’s Earle Roberts: 3889 4400