Bunbury company gets grant to help set up panel/paint repair facility

12/7/94

A Bunbury company has received a $27,225 grant to help establish a heavy-duty truck and four wheel drive panel and paint repair facility.

Eight full-time jobs and one part-time job will be created as a result of the grant.

Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan announced the latest Regional Enterprise Development Initiative Scheme grants today.

A shop being established at Bluff Knoll and a Narrogin bearing supplier are also among projects being assisted by the grants scheme.

Overall, the grants will help set up or expand five country businesses and will create 17 full-time jobs and six part-time jobs.

The businesses will receive their grants through their local business enterprise centre.

"REDIS funds are available for businesses that undertake to increase investment and employment at a local level," Mr Cowan said today.

"Grants are made for up to 15 per cent of the total funds required for developing the business proposal in regional Western Australia.   In this case the grants total $209,000.

"The proposals can be for the establishment of a new business or for existing businesses that are looking to expand or diversify.  There are 36 business enterprise centres around the State which can help develop local business proposals.

Mr Cowan said the number and size of the business proposals put to REDIS for grants indicated a growing confidence in rural WA.  This confidence would be assisted and promoted by the REDIS scheme.

REDIS, introduced by the Government last year, has previously made grants totalling some $750,000 to 30 rural businesses.

The latest grants will help:

·       South West Truck Panel and Paint to establish a heavy-duty truck and  four-wheel-drive panel and paint repair facility at Bunbury with a $27,225 grant, providing eight full-time jobs and one part-time job;

·       Mr Gary Souness to establish a shop at Bluff Knoll in the Stirlings with a $25,500 grant, generating three full-time jobs and one part-time job;

·       Narrogin Bearing Service to establish a bearing service in Narrogin to supply the power transmission industry; the grant is $17,250 and will provide two jobs;

·       Reg Gray and Linda Wainwright to expand a metal manufacturing workshop and retail premises at Mullewa; the grant is $9550 and two full-time jobs and four part-time jobs will be created;

·       Cilia and Bettridge to expand Kalpumps, which services water pumps to allow it to handle big mining industry equipment; the grant is $9,000 and two new jobs will be created.

For further information on the REDIS scheme, contact the State Enterprise Centre on 008 093 340.   Interested individuals and firms should contact their local business enterprise centre for advice on how to apply.

Media contact:   Peter Jackson 222 9595