The Palaszczuk Government's $175 million Jobs and Regional Growth Fund is supporting an expansion project in Childers that will create 140 new jobs with Oreco Group, an Australian-owned horticultural and garden products business.
Minister for State Development Cameron Dick said the large number of jobs to come from the $20.8 million expansion project will provide a big boost for employment in the Wide Bay-Burnett.
"We've picked a winner in Oreco Group, Australia's largest producer of retail-ready garden products," Mr Dick said.
"The expansion of its Childers facility will allow the rapidly growing business to double production, introduce new product lines and increase its logistics capability, creating 140 new jobs for the region.
"The project will transform Oreco's Childers site, starting with a globally competitive manufacturing hub, which our support has accelerated the construction of by three years.
"Once the hub has been delivered, an all-weather, multi-user regional freight centre will then be established, which is going to drive great opportunities right down the supply chain."
Queensland-based Oreco Group, previously known as Australian Prime Fibre, has been in operation for 40 years and is 100 per cent Australian-owned.
New jobs created at the Childers facility will provide work to machinery operators and drivers, technicians and trade workers, clerical and administration officers, and labourers, both semi-skilled and ticket level.
Oreco Managing Director Paul Woosley said the company has grown more than 400 per cent in the past decade and has subsequently reached capacity in its current manufacturing facility.
"In addition to supplying major national retailers like Bunnings Warehouse under our own name, Oreco also manufactures for other major Australian brands, and we're eager to build on our momentum," Mr Woosley said.
"Our new Childers Manufacturing Hub will allow us to diversify our product offerings with additional mulches, fertilisers, and animal feeds and bedding, while giving us the ability to grow our export lines."
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner commended Oreco for their resourcefulness in utilising outputs and wastes that would otherwise be disposed of.
"Oreco works with farmers by drying cane trash in the paddock before bailing and transporting the waste product to its facility for composting and packaging," Mr Furner said.
"They're leveraging the strong agricultural and forestry industries locally to create premium products and put more Queenslanders into work, which is good for business and good for local communities."
Learn more about the Palaszczuk Government's Jobs and Regional Growth Fund.
