Three businesses are set to upgrade their facilities, purchase new equipment and employ more people, thanks to a financial boost from the NSW Government’s Regional Job Creation Fund.
Performance Engineering Group at Berkeley Vale, Spiralz Fermented Foods at Tuggerah and Broken Bay Pearl Farm at Mooney Mooney will share in the $380,000 funding.
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said the Spiralz Fermented Foods factory at Tuggerah was already a niche manufacturer of premium fermented vegetables and beverages.
He said the planned expansion would enable the company to increase output and expand product lines to include probiotic beverages and shots of its sauerkraut and kimchi range.
“This project is an Australian first and includes the purchase of new bottling lines and innovative semi-automatic packing and capping machines, making production more efficient while also improving each product’s quality and shelf life,” he said.
Spiralz will receive $160,621 funding toward the total project cost of $321,245 which should create about 10 new jobs.
The funding will help Performance Engineering Group at Berkeley Vale to buy and install new equipment so it can start manufacturing “hub pressings” which are used extensively in Australia’s mining industry.
“This allows the company to reduce its reliance on components currently purchased from China, helping to reduce production lead times and costs while also boosting competitiveness,” Crouch said.
The project will create six new jobs costing $252,865, with $120,000 coming from the government.
Broken Bay Pearl Farm at Mooney Mooney will receive $100,000 funding towards a $388,888 to build two new processing and storage facilities in response to the global demand for its signature Akoya pearl oyster meat, as well as high domestic tourism interest.
“The NSW Government’s funding contribution to this exciting expansion, which will include six new jobs, will also help to purchase a self-propelled aluminium vessel which serves as a floating work platform for all pearl-farming activities, including grading, seeding and harvesting,” Crouch said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, John Barilaro, said that to date Central Coast businesses had received more than $1.3M from the Regional Job Creation Fund.
“Regional NSW is the engine room of our state and providing more support to companies to expand their operations and become more competitive will help to stimulate the regional economy, boost livelihoods and provide local employment,” he said.
Source:
Media release, Aug 12
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch