A manufacturer in Melbourne’s South East has boosted its operations and created new local jobs, thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll and Member for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny today visited A Touch of Glass in Carrum Downs to check on the progress of the company’s expansion project.
A Touch of Glass has already taken on 46 new workers and will continue to recruit additional staff through the Dandenong Skills and Jobs Centre.
As part of the project, the company has established a purpose-built manufacturing facility and purchased state of the art cutting and finishing equipment including a new glass toughening furnace and a glass CNC machine.
The project, which was supported by the Labor Government’s Local Industry Fund for Transition (LIFT), has enabled the company to improve the quality of its products, increase its market share and reduce costs.
LIFT is helping to generate new investment and create jobs for retrenched workers in areas such as Melbourne’s South East that have been affected by the closure of car manufacturing.
To date, the initiative has supported 47 projects that are expected to create 1,350 new jobs, 1,083 of which are suitable for ex auto workers.
Established in 2012, A Touch of Glass manufactures, retails, installs and services a range of shower screens, splash backs, wardrobe doors and mirrors for the building and construction industry.
Victoria’s manufacturing industry contributes $27.7 billion to the Victorian economy, with over 13,000 businesses employing more than 280,000 people. It also exported $18.16 billion of manufactured goods in 2016-17.
The manufacturing industry in Victoria is thriving, recording 17 months of consecutive growth in the Australian Industry Group’s Performance Manufacturing Index – the longest run of expansion since 2001.
The growth in manufacturing is backed by the Labor Government’s $130 million in manufacturing support which is creating over 6,000 jobs.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll
“Victorian manufacturing is going from strength to strength – creating jobs and boosting our economy – thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.”
“We are proud to be backing A Touch of Glass so they can invest locally, create jobs and boost our economy.”
Quote attributable to Member for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny
“A Touch of Glass is a fantastic locally owned family business and our support will help them expand further and create jobs in our community.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020