$1.5 million grant for AMTIL to establish new export hub in Melbourne

13 March 2019 14:35

By Brent Balinski

AMTIL has received a $1.5 million grant through the SME Export Hubs initiative, which was announced in the 2018 federal budget.

The grant was announced by the industry minister Karen Andrews this morning. According to a statement from Andrews, the grant would help small and medium enterprises through developing an export strategy, based on local strengths.

“The funding for this hub is integral to helping Australian businesses grow and will ultimately increase local and regional job opportunities in Victoria,” said Andrews.

“Export hubs will be expected to develop export strategies based on local strengths, which in turn will align with the national strategies and networks of the Growth Centres.”

The Growth Centres cover six sectors of acknowledged competitive strength in Australia, including advanced manufacturing, medical technology and cyber security.

AMTIL, the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited, is based in Wantirna, east of Melbourne. It would, with the help of the grant, fund a Rail Haulage Supply Chain Export Hub. No further information was provided on the new hub in the release.

The Export Hubs program provides grants between $150,000 and $1.5 million, which successful applicants must at least match through project costs. The program, launched in September last year, would establish hubs as “business-to-business networks” assisting SMEs to “harness opportunities in global marketplaces” and with things such as market intelligence and exposure to global supply chains. There would be a particular focus on countries where free trade agreements had been signed in recent years.

Picture: azertag.az

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