The Queensland Government has awarded $12.5 million in grants to 18 manufacturers to support advanced manufacturing equipment, productivity and local jobs, with 11 recipients based in regional Queensland.
Yeppoon-based CQ Fiberglass Direct is the first recipient of funding under the $79.1 million Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grant Program, receiving up to $113,000 to install an automated advanced fibre composite manufacturing system.
The company supplies ventilation products to underground coal mines and fiberglass products to the maritime industry. According to the Queensland Government, the new system is expected to reduce waste, improve productivity and help the business meet demand, while creating seven new jobs and upskilling its workforce.
Manufacturing Minister Dale Last said the grants were intended to support manufacturers across the state, particularly in regional areas.
“Some of our best innovators and hardest workers are based in regional Queensland,” Last said. “These grants are about giving them an opportunity to take their manufacturing businesses to the next stage.”
The government said the 18 successful projects are expected to create more than 300 new jobs and contribute to the upskilling of more than 550 existing workers. The recipients span industries including food and beverage, construction, resources, medical supplies and skincare manufacturing.
More than half of the funding in the inaugural round has been allocated to regional manufacturers. The government said 119 companies applied for the first round.
Member for Keppel Nigel Hutton said the funding would support manufacturing businesses in regional hubs such as Yeppoon.
“Regional Queensland is home to some of the most vital manufacturing businesses across our State,” Hutton said, citing industries including agriculture, resources, transport, food supply and defence.
CQ Fiberglass Direct co-owner Steven Trevor said the funding would allow the company to replace labour-intensive manual batching with new equipment and systems.
“We are constantly looking for ways to advance our manufacturing technologies to lift productivity and strengthen the regional supply chain here in Yeppoon,” Trevor said.
The Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grant Program is scheduled to continue for the next two and a half years, with a second funding round expected to open soon.
The Queensland Government said the program aims to strengthen advanced manufacturing capabilities and skills while supporting employment across the state.
