The Victorian Government is backing manufacturing businesses in Ballarat, helping them bolster production and create new highly skilled jobs.
Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas today toured Plinius Engineering in Canadian, a Ballarat company that has purchased new equipment and hired 16 new staff with support from the Government’s Regional Jobs Fund.
Locally owned and operated, Plinius Engineering has been manufacturing wrought iron products since the 1950s. Innovation has enabled the business to grow and it has manufactured steel for Mars Stadium, the Ballarat Sports and Entertainment Centre and the Ballarat saleyards.
Plinius Engineering is ensuring that highly skilled manufacturing jobs stay in Ballarat. The grant from the Regional Jobs Fund will allow the company to install the necessary infrastructure to expand production even further.
Manufacturing jobs will also be created in Ballarat thanks to $986 million in the Victorian Budget 2021/22 to support the design, construction and maintenance of 25 new X-Trapolis 2.0 trains.
The new trains will provide a vital boost to the state’s advanced rolling stock manufacturing industry – with at least 150 of the new jobs to be based at Alstom’s Ballarat facility.
The Regional Jobs Fund is part of the Government’s flagship Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund which helps businesses create jobs in regional Victoria, supports community projects and backs councils to build the infrastructure that locals and visitors need.
A new round of the Regional Jobs Fund opened earlier this year and will be available throughout 2021 to companies seeking to grow their operations.
Information and guidelines for the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund are available at
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas
“This is a great step forward for Ballarat – it’s an investment that will create new employment opportunities for locals and contribute to a regionally-led recovery.”
“Plinius Engineering is a great example of a Victorian business that is leading the way to create highly skilled local jobs by backing its product and expanding its operations.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle
“Ballarat is home to some of Victoria’s best and most innovative manufacturers and this shows that we are behind them 100 per cent.”
“It’s fantastic to see long-standing and successful businesses like Plinius Engineering invest in the future of skilled manufacturing jobs in the region.”
Reviewed 16 August 2021