Fourteen Western Australian businesses have received financial support through the federal government’s manufacturing modernisation fund.
Fourteen Western Australian businesses have received financial support through the federal government’s manufacturing modernisation fund.
The government has contributed $35 million to 59 companies for large-scale projects and $13.3 million to 141 small-scale projects nationally.
WA companies were not well-represented among the funding recipients, winning 3 out of 59 grants for large projects and 11 out of 141 for smaller initiatives, and were awarded a total of $2.5 million between them.
Maritime seating company Beurteaux was awarded $932,000 for a $3.7 million project to manufacture the ‘smart part seat’ to be sold internationally.
Welshpool-based manufacturer KLINGER Australia, part of the international Klinger Group, won $514,000 for a $2 million for the modernisation of its metal gaskets manufacturing plant.
Drug and alcohol testing company Alcolizer, based in Balcatta, was awarded $181,000 to scale up local manufacturing of a COVID-19 antibody test from 900 to 20,000 units a day.
The company said the funding allowed it to purchase the latest robotic strip manufacturing technology to fully automate production and packaging from its factory in Perth.
Alcolizer general manager Roger Hunt said the funding would assist the company to continue to develop the first Australian-manufactured COVID-19 antibody test.
Primarily making drug and alcohol tests, the company supplies alcohol breath testing equipment to law enforcement in Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brazil, USA and China.
The 11 WA companies receiving small grants included gin maker Australian Distilling, trading as as Old Young's Distillery, which received $100,000 to expand its operations; manufacturing, medical device company Go Medical Industries, which was given $100,000 to modernise its manufacturing; and Jardin Estate was awarded $50,000 to expand its production capability.
Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews said the job-creating investments could not have come at a better time, as the manufacturing sector grapples with COVID-19.
“The federal government is committed to helping Australian manufacturers prepare for the future and to employ more Australians,” Ms Andrews said.
“More than 2,600 new jobs are expected to be created by these successful projects.
“We established the MMF before the coronavirus pandemic to help small and medium sized manufacturers invest in capital equipment and new technologies to transform and upgrade their manufacturing operations.
“Now as we face the coronavirus pandemic and look to come out the other side stronger, this investment will be more critical than ever.
“I am determined to further strengthen Australian manufacturing and the current pandemic gives us the opportunity as a nation to reassess and commit to the values of Australian-made goods.”
