A $32 million project to bring an advanced manufacturing precinct to Narromine that's expected to create more than 250 jobs has secured cash and kudos from the NSW government.
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Engineering company Simmons Global's plans to relocate operations from Western Australia to the town were revealed by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Deputy Premier Paul Toole during a visit to Dubbo on Monday.
Standing beside them was Simmons Global chief David Simmons who said the company was "ready to move" and displayed a prototype of a UV meter that would become the first product it did "end to end" after moving into its new home.
He said there was a 2022 timeline for opening, and the development application for the facility had already been submitted.
Mr Toole said a $4.8 million grant from the government's Regional Job Creation Fund would help the company make its manufacturing base at Narromine, creating up to 253 full-time jobs and provide a major boost to the state's advanced manufacturing sector.
"This funding will help deliver an advanced manufacturing precinct that produces everything from unmanned aerial drones to solar UV monitors that tell teachers when students should play in the shade, as well as help upskill local indigenous and youth workers through apprenticeships," Mr Toole said.
"This will drive the creation of hundreds of new jobs right here in the Central West."
Mr Perrottet, whose visit to Dubbo was on the first day of restrictions easing on travel between Sydney and the regions, said an extra $55.5 million had been awarded from the regional jobs fund, leveraging $180.3 million in private investment in 69 projects as part of the first round.
"No matter where you live in our state we are focused on providing the right support to ensure businesses can grow and have the confidence to invest to create and support new jobs," Mr Perrottet said.
The fund had already allocated cash to projects that would create thousands of jobs and the projects being delivered would help generate thousands more and support work for tradies and suppliers across NSW, he said.
"This program will help deliver jobs where they are needed as we recover from the pandemic by helping businesses small and large to get off the ground as well as attracting major international businesses to expand or relocate to regional NSW."
The fund aims to create more than 6500 new direct jobs in regional NSW in the next three years.
It provides co-funded grants grants between $100,000 and $10 million to fast track projects that enable emerging industries, help businesses expand operations or provide incentives for operations to relocate to regional NSW.
Mr Simmons said the grant from the fund was providing the company with the opportunity to establish its factory and create jobs in regional NSW.
Narromine is the ideal location to establish a manufacturing facility for the wide array of advanced technology devices we will produce and I would like to thank the NSW government for supporting our group and helping us transition our manufacturing back on shore to NSW.
- Simmons Global CEO David Simmons
"Narromine is the ideal location to establish a manufacturing facility for the wide array of advanced technology devices we will produce and I would like to thank the NSW government for supporting our group and helping us transition our manufacturing back on shore to NSW," he said.
Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said he was thrilled the government was supporting the global company in expanding its business and creating local jobs.
"By setting businesses up for success, we're helping them attract new customers, which means more people in work and earning a wage that they will spend in local shops, supporting our local economy," he said.
Other companies receiving support in the latest round include storage and production upgrades for a winery in Cudal, an innovative recycling facility in Kurri Kurri and upgrades for a family-owned and -operated sheet metal manufacturer in Narrabri.
Round two of the fund will open in early 2022.