Berg Engineering will upgrade its equipment and put on five new workers thanks to $161,000-plus in Queensland Government funding.
Visiting the business today, Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said Berg Engineering will use the $161,719 Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program funding to purchase advanced line boring equipment that will provide higher accuracy and finer cuts.
“The funding will allow Berg Engineering to train and put on five new workers, as well as helping to drive business development,” Mr Butcher said.
“This will bring its total workforce to 56, which is a fantastic result especially considering the impact COVID-19 has had on Queensland.”
Berg Engineering’s Owner and CEO Derek Berg said the company is a family-owned engineering business that was established in Brisbane in 1972 and commenced regional operations in Gladstone in 1995.
“Thanks to this funding, we can take our line boring capability to the next level and seek to enter new markets like defence, energy and mining,” Mr Berg said.
“This equipment is part of our plan to transition to advanced manufacturing from its traditional practices, which is the direction we, and the entire industry, need to take.”
Mr Butcher said the local Rockhampton Manufacturing Hub team will continue to provide expert advice to grow Berg Engineering’s business.
“It’s a big week for the thriving Central Queensland manufacturing industry, which employs more than 5000 people,” he said.
“Today we also announced the upcoming Gladstone Manufacturing Hub, which will be an access point for local manufacturers to develop their skills and expertise for advanced manufacturing.
“The hub is located at Gladstone’s Central Queensland University and will focus on advanced metal production and rail manufacturing.”
Mr Butcher said Queensland’s manufacturing industry employs over 165,000 people—about seven per cent of the state’s workforce—and contributes around $20 billion per annum to the state economy across the last decade.
“This government wants to see Queensland continue being a powerhouse for manufacturing, which is why we’re investing in local manufacturers,” he said.
Mr Butcher said the $13.5 million Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program supports the regional manufacturing sector to implement and deliver world leading technologies, processes and practices.
“Financial assistance in the form of grants between $5,000 and $1 million is available to eligible businesses to help build their manufacturing capabilities through technology adoption, skills and training business development as well as services through the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub,” he said.
“Up to $4.5 million is available for each manufacturing hub to build the advanced manufacturing capability of the Cairns, Townsville and Central Queensland regions.”