A Big Rivers business will become a leading supplier of kitchen products for the Northern Territory, after Katherine Joinery received support through the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF).
The co-investment will see Katherine Joinery add stainless-steel forming and laser cutting to its in house services, expanding its capabilities to include the design and manufacture of modular stainless steel products.
This will reduce customer lead times, increase product quality and remove the need to import similar products and carry out additional alterations needed to satisfy local design regulations.
It will also allow Katherine Joinery to develop and produce cost-competitive kitchen and wet area solutions, tailor-made for remote housing builds.
The project received a $104,102 co-investment as part of the $7.5 million Northern Territory AMEF, administrated by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.
Katherine Joinery will match the Territory Government's contribution dollar for dollar, with a further in-kind contribution of $103,256 for the supply of services and equipment, making the project a $311,00 investment in local jobs and capability in the Katherine region.
Two jobs will be created in the next twelve months, growing to six new roles over five years.
Quotes from Minister for Advanced Manufacturing, Nicole Manison:
"The investment in Katherine Joinery is an investment in local jobs, that will have flow on effects benefiting the entire supply chain.
Enabling small Territory businesses achieve great things is what the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund is all about.
We are committed to backing in our local workforce, expanding capabilities and supporting employers across the whole of the Northern Territory."
Director of Katherine Joinery Ashley Jennison:
"Through the support of the Territory Government and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, we will be able to improve our capabilities, reduce lead time and generate jobs in the Big Rivers region of the NT.
Furthermore, the project will allow us to respond to the unique requirements of the Northern Territory, while developing better quality kitchen products that offer greater value to our customers across the Top End."
Major Projects Commissioner Jason Schoolmeester:
"The Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund is generating new and competitive supply chains in the Territory through business and industry collaboration.
It's also creating local jobs and growing local skillsets.
The Territory has a proud history of smart innovation and the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund is providing new pathways for businesses to access co-investment to grow our economy for the future."
AMGC's Director for the Northern Territory Charmaine Phillips:
"By embracing the latest in manufacturing technology and pairing it with local smarts, Katherine Joinery will become more efficient, more proficient and in time a leading supplier of kitchen and wet area solutions to the Top End.
Critically by recognising that manufacturing is more than just production, Katherine Joinery will be increasing the number of jobs in design and engineering in the region, while lifting the skills of the Big Rivers manufacturing ecosystem."
Northern Territory Government
