Backing manufacturers with Queensland’s first Manufacturing Month!

• New investments and opportunities for manufacturers at first Queensland Manufacturing Month 1–30 September
• Month-long showcase across Queensland to support hard working manufacturers
• Launch at Austrack Equipment; which manufactures pipe lifters for the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline

Palaszczuk Government Manufacturing Minister Glenn Butcher today announced Queensland’s first Manufacturing Month to put a spotlight on the industry, which contributes around $20 billion a year to the local economy and employs 180,000 Queenslanders.

Manufacturing Month will highlight many of Queensland’s leading manufacturers and feature a range of events to showcase the Queensland manufacturing sector’s capabilities. This includes:

Inside Advanced Manufacturing: 21 advanced manufacturers and 10 manufacturing support organisations across Queensland have opened their doors, to fellow Queensland manufacturers to explain how Industry 4.0 technology and techniques have grown their business.

Manufacturing Parliamentary Showcase: More than 25 exhibitors will demonstrate and display their products and capabilities as part of a Manufacturing Expo at Queensland Parliament House.

Austrack Equipment joined the Minister to launch the month-long event. The Pinkenba‑based company manufactured the SafeVac pipe lifters which are assisting work on the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline. The company is a prime example of ideas and innovation starting in Queensland. Two vacuum-lifters are currently on site and Austrack will be providing another two lifters in the coming months.

The SafeVac lifting machines eliminate the danger of lifting practices as it removes the need to have workers below attaching chains to the pipe. The machine also produces zero emissions.

Quotes attributable to Acting Premier Steven Miles:

“As the only state in Australia to dedicate a month to the manufacturing industry, it’s clear that Queensland is blazing a trail for manufacturers around the country.  

“Queensland Manufacturing Month will demonstrate to the rest of the country why Queensland is the best place to build, buy and invest.

“I want to see more products stamped with ‘Made in Queensland’ and we’re well on that way to that becoming a reality.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing, Glenn Butcher:

“I’m so passionate about the manufacturing industry and it’s not simply because I have a background in this industry.

“The manufacturing industry is one of our biggest industries, and supporting its growth means more secure Queensland jobs.

“Queensland manufacturers are innovative, hard-working, and, above all, resilient. Their creativity during the COVID pandemic, to pivot to other products to capitalise on new opportunities is testament to this.

“Here today at Austrack we can see their innovation in action – they spotted a gap in the market and they filled it with vacuum-technology machines that are now at work on one of the state’s largest projects, the $983 million Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline.

“In fact, Austrack’s SafeVac lifting system recently lifted the very first pipes to be delivered to the Fitzroy to Gladstone pipeline.”

Quotes attributable to Austrack Managing Director, Michael Benson:

“It’s fantastic to welcome everyone here today and show off exactly what we can do as a Queensland manufacturer.

“Our move into manufacturing is recent but it shows what is possible when a company has a clear vision of what they want to achieve and has the right people and the right collaborators to realize the vision. It is also no accident that we are a Queensland based company.

“The Australian Made logo you see on our SafeVac actually says Australian Made in Queensland. We are especially proud of that.

“We are a small dynamic company with some great people and some big ideas. We are experiencing significant growth and our foray into vacuum lifting technology is only the start.”

Further Information:

Ongoing support for manufacturers is available through Palaszczuk Government initiatives. This includes Regional Manufacturing Hubs and Made in Queensland grants.

For more information visit the DRDMW website.

ENDS

Media contact: Lizzy Aboud – 0474 811 004