Manufacturers in Mackay have secured more than $5.2 million in funding across 20 projects, supported by the successful Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program (MHGP), Made in Queensland (MIQ) program, and Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grants.
This investment has resulted in the creation and support of more than 500 manufacturing jobs throughout the region, the government said in a media statement.
Assistant Minister Bruce Saunders recently visited Macs Engineering, a Mackay-based manufacturer specialising in steel and aluminium vehicle tray bodies, to congratulate them on receiving $200,000 through the MHGP program.
The funding enabled the business to purchase and install a Bystronic Xpert Pro 150/3100 press brake and accessories.
The new press brake, which is used to bend sheet metal, has been pivotal in helping Macs Engineering reduce lead times and increase production capacity.
The company has already added five new full-time jobs as a direct result of this equipment upgrade.
“Mackay is a local manufacturing powerhouse, and the Miles Labor Government is delivering support to help businesses in the region grow,” said Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher.
He continued, “Our grant programs are proven winners when it comes to driving the kind of results we want to see for manufacturers – levelling up operations to become more productive, adopting advanced manufacturing technologies, and creating good industry jobs.”
Assistant Minister Saunders also visited One Industries, another successful MHGP recipient in Mackay. The company received $180,000 in funding, which is expected to help create 46 new jobs.
“We know Queensland-made products are top-of-the-line, and we want to ensure more regional Queensland manufacturers, like Macs, have the means to set themselves up for future growth and success,” said Assistant Minister Saunders.
“Manufacturers can’t trust the LNP. When they were in government, grant programs were cut, and 10,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared in Queensland. Manufacturing has been forgotten by the LNP – no mention in their budget reply, no plan. Under the LNP, funding gets cut, and jobs go overseas. Only Labor knows investment in manufacturing means more jobs for Queenslanders.”
Member for Mackay, Julieanne Gilbert, echoed these sentiments, emphasising the importance of the funding in helping local manufacturers stay competitive.
“This funding helps manufacturers take advantage of contemporary technologies to level up their operations and create new jobs – and Macs Engineering is no different,” said Gilbert.
“I’m so pleased to see businesses in my electorate, like Macs, benefit from this cost-of-living measure – every piece of equipment we help fund is vital relief for these manufacturers.”
Macs Engineering General Manager, Ross Fredrickson, expressed his gratitude for the support and highlighted the impact the grant has had on his business.
“This grant has given us the opportunity to buy the brake press and expand our capacity and capability. We now only program a job in once, rather than having to program it into the laser cutter and then into the brake press, reducing time and increasing efficiency,” Fredrickson explained.
“Our customers responded quickly, and we’ve added five new permanent positions as we’ve taken on a greater volume of work. This is the sort of support that businesses need – help to buy equipment that scales the business up and helps it grow in an organic, planned way,” he concluded.
