A leading Australian manufacturer of agricultural equipment will expand its operations in Young, doubling production capacity and creating local jobs thanks to $282,000 from the NSW Government’s Regional Investment Attraction Fund.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the funding will allow Australian owned company, Allied Grain Systems to service more customers across the country, increasing the volume of agricultural equipment sent interstate by 60 per cent and supporting Young’s local economy.
Ms Cooke said the funds will support Allied Grain Systems to increase its office space with 25 new workstations, expand its existing fabrication plant with nine heavy manufacturing workstations and new industrial equipment including overhead crane extensions, as well as expand its existing warehouse to store more raw materials and finished products.
“I’m very pleased Allied Grain Systems will be expanding their business in Young which will create more local jobs and bring more money in to the local economy,” Ms Cooke said.
“When delivered, this project will create 35 new jobs, including in construction, engineering, design and manufacturing, which will help to stop the brain drain of talent leaving the bush.”
“The Cootamundra electorate is one of the food bowls of the state, so it makes sense to have agricultural equipment manufacturing based here, close to customers and the industry they work in.”
Headquartered in Young with a second branch in Toowoomba in Queensland, Allied Grain Systems designs and engineers, constructs and installs grain handling and storage solutions across the agriculture sector, offering on-farm storage to batch weighing for large bulk handlers.
Allied Grain Systems Director John White said the expansion will double Allied Grain Systems’ capacity, increasing from 520 to 1,144 tonnes of fabricated steel per year, and the additional office space will further enable Work Health and Safety training and staff development on site.
“This funding has allowed Allied Grain Systems to greatly expand our business and in doing so provide more local regional employment and training better servicing our clients Australia-wide,” Mr White said.
“This is an extremely smart and efficient way to boost long-term employment and training in rural and regional areas, injecting millions of dollars into the regional economy, and we are sincerely grateful to be a part of this scheme.”
