Victoria lauds success of manufacturing support

The Victorian government is lauding the success of its manufacturing support activities in a spate of manufacturing expansions in Melbourne’s outer north.

Major companies expanding their operations include aerospace composites maker Quickstep Holdings, pillows and quilts manufacturer John Cotton Australia and dairy producer Picnic Dairy Foods.

John Cotton manufactured bedding brands Tontine (pictured), Gainsborough and John Cotton, while Picnic Dairy boasts the Sahara, Melba Cheese Co and Dairytonic brands.

With support from the Labor Government, these projects and many others are providing a combined investment of $19 million – creating more than 580 new local jobs in the key manufacturing hubs of Tullamarine, Campbellfield, Broadmeadows, Thomastown and Preston.

Broadmeadows was the site of the former Ford plant with their closure hitting manufacturing in the area.

The government said John Cotton is establishing a new production line at its Campbellfield facility, increasing capacity to 800,000 additional units each year and creating almost 30 new jobs.

Coolaroo-based Picnic Dairy Foods is scaling up production of its yogurt, cheese, drinks and spreads, creating 20 new jobs – while Quickstep Holdings Limited is expanding its maintenance, repair and overhaul operations at Tullamarine, creating 67 new jobs.

A statement released by industry support minister Ben Carroll said manufacturing was the region’s largest employer, hosting 3,700 manufacturers and more than 43,000 jobs in automotive, food processing and chemicals sectors.

The government is helping the state’s advanced manufacturers to grow through schemes such as the $2 billion Breakthrough Victoria Fund and the $40 million Victorian Industry Investment Fund.
Victoria’s manufacturing industry is worth around $30 billion to the state’s economy each year, creating more than 27 per cent to the nation’s manufacturing output.

Carroll said: “Melbourne’s outer north is an integral part of Victoria’s nation-leading advanced manufacturing industry.”

Victoria is home to 27 percent of Australia’s manufacturing activity.

Picture: John Cotton Australia/Tontine pillows