Government grants on offer for Rockhampton manufacturers

The Queensland Government has announced that one of its manufacturing grants has helped Rockhampton herbicide manufacturer Cirrus Ag to expand, create new jobs and attract interstate customers.

With the almost $1 million grant, Cirrus Ag has been able to purchase, install, commission and operate a leading-edge granule manufacturing plant including advanced software control systems.

The Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing, Regional Development and Jobs, Bruce Saunders, is encouraging other manufacturers to apply for support through Queensland Government grant programs, so they can also reach this level of success.

“Cirrus Ag is a brilliant example of how well a business can grow after receiving the right support at the right time,” Saunders said. “Our investments in these programs have created and supported more than 7000 jobs across Queensland. I encourage all Queensland manufacturers to seek out these business-bolstering grants.”

“This grant has introduced flexible manufacturing capability to our Rockhampton facility supporting just-in-time manufacturing in response to seasonal needs and to offer local manufacturing services not currently available in Queensland,” said Cirrus Ag Director Paul Hubbard. “The business can now use just-in-time manufacturing and respond to the seasonal needs of growers, which means resources aren’t tied up making products where demand has fallen away.”

Grant programs currently available include ReMade in Queensland, Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grants and the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program.

The newly launched first round of ReMade in Queensland (ReMIQ) grants is now available to help local small-to-medium-sized manufacturing and recycling businesses adopt remanufacturing processes that reduce waste and energy costs, reuse materials that might otherwise end up in landfill and convert these materials into new manufactured goods.

Applicants can submit an expression of interest (EOI) for grant funding between $50,000 and $2.5 million to support projects that increase the reuse of existing recycled material streams in manufacturing or enable diversification to remanufacture new waste streams.

Expressions of interest for the ReMIQ program are now open, with submissions closing 19 February 2024.

The Queensland Government’s Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grant program is available to help manufacturers reduce their energy usage and cut energy costs by providing direct support to manufacturing businesses.

Eligible manufacturers can apply for matched grant funding of between $5000 and $25,000 to buy equipment or introduce processes that will reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Round 1 is open until 30 June 2024 or until all funding is allocated.

Businesses across Queensland are also benefiting from the $28.5 million Manufacturing Hubs Grants Program as part of the support provided through the more than $60 million investment in the six manufacturing hubs in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone and the Gold Coast. This grant supports development of businesses’ advanced manufacturing capabilities like technology adoption, skills and training, and business development. Round 3 is open until 30 June 2024 or until all funding is allocated.

Queensland manufacturers seeking information about grant programs can click here for more information.

Image credit: iStock.com/Andrii Yalanskyi