Otago engineering firms have received a further half million dollars of Provincial Growth Fund support.
Following the October announcement of more than $28million funding for local engineering initiatives — which included $19.97million for the Hillside workshops and $5.8million to establish an agritech business unit at Scott Technology — four firms have been granted a total of $513,000 to buy new equipment.
The four grants were:
•Central Custom Engineering, Alexandra sheet metal company: $156,000 towards equipment to make trailers, dog boxes and truck decks.
•Apex Engineering, Oamaru: $147,000 towards more efficient machinery to supply farming, mining, transport and food production industries.
•EB Engineering, Dunedin: $100,000 for equipment intended to expand international business.
•New Zealand Structural and Insulated Panels Ltd, Cromwell: $110,000 towards equipment to manufacture 6m panels for large houses and small commercial buildings.
Provincial development unit head Robert Pigou said the October announcement had created 87 new jobs, and the new grants would further support economic growth and employment opportunities in the region.
Central Custom Engineering owner Aidan Helm said the grant meant his business could bring cutting-edge technology to Central Otago that most cities did not have.
"This technology enables us to increase production, employ more staff, do a wider range of work and do work for other Otago firms that is currently being done outside of the region."
