The support from all levels of Government continues in the form of establishment grants as part of a concerted, regional development focus.
XLam CEO Gary Caulfield said the support from Government further enhances the establishment of the plant, getting people into this new area of work and supporting the region and assisting with the purchase of high-tech manufacturing equipment.
“We have been fortunate to secure a grant from the Commonwealth Government Next Generation Australian Industry grants of $2.5 million, an initiative driven by Innovation Minister, Greg Hunt,” he said.
Caulfield also confirmed that a further grant of $450,000 has been offered, and accepted, by the Victorian Regional Development authority to support the required job development processes. The plant is expected to create 54 local jobs across several years of operation, and represents a $25 million investment.
The plant is located 290 kilometres from Melbourne, 580 kilometres from Sydney and 1020 kilometres from Adelaide. The location of the site means it will be ideally positioned to deliver to its customers throughout most of Australia via road or rail very quickly.
Once construction is complete, the installation of manufacturing equipment is scheduled for April, 2017. This will officially make XLam the largest CLT manufacturer in Australia with one of the most technologically advanced CLT plants in the world.
XLam’s business model includes design, manufacture and installation capacity to deliver comprehensive construction solutions for customers.■ www.xlam.com.au
