Login
iscover
A host of Queensland-based businesses operating in the defence and aerospace industry have shared in over half a million dollars in government funding.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
The Queensland government has announced the award of 45 grants to defence and aerospace businesses across the state, totalling $515,000.
The grants have been issued as part of the second round of the $1.5 million Defence and Aerospace Industry Development Fund.
Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the grants would help small-to-medium enterprises gain the globally recognised certifications needed to secure international defence and aerospace contracts.
“We want to develop our defence [advanced] manufacturing sector in Queensland to create local jobs as part of our state’s economic recovery,” he said.
“These grants help increase participation of Queensland businesses in the defence supply chain and ensure they have the resources they need to enter the market.
“Each business can receive up to $30,000 in matched funding to upgrade their management systems to meet the international requirements for defence industries.”
Townsville businesses secured the lion’s share of contracts, sharing in a combined $130,000. These include:
- A&O Engineering;
- Australian Lining Company;
- Beehive Vinyl Products;
- Brazier Motti;
- Detech Engineering;
- ICS Electrical Contractors;
- KDP Electrical;
- Krieger Industries;
- NQ Electrical;
- NQ Steel Frames;
- Raydar NQ;
- Sape Industries; and
- Waltlock.
Krieger Industries director Stewart Locke welcomed the funding, expected to be used to fund the company’s military and tactical gear production.
“Our business has been growing since 2019, and this year we moved to a larger venue and are ready to keep the momentum going,” Locke said.
“These grants are perfect for helping our business level up and compete for more international contracts.”
Brazier Motti is set to leverage the funding to install an information security management system, designed to provide a framework of policies and procedures to better manage their information risk.
“This is our second time receiving funding under this program and we have since been able to grow our capability and provide security for our workforce,” Brazier Motti director Raneir Melick said.
Meanwhile, Raydar will use the funding to upgrade its quality management systems.
“With the amount of building works coming up on these sites, we are excited to start gaining the certifications needed to secure more of these defence building contracts,” Raydar managing director Jason Dunn said.
[Related: Veterans SA launches new grants program]
