Fifty per cent of the cost of the new building was funded by the Federal Government.
The $554,589 business innovation grant was made under the Federal Government’s Regional Jobs and Investment Packages scheme and matched by JN & R Engineering.
“This project will increase the production capacity and technological capability of JN & R Engineering Pty Ltd to manufacture the highest quality of components for its agricultural machinery in-house,” the successful application granted in 2020 read.
“It will increase direct employment and sales in the region and will provide quality control for major export growth to the North American market.”
Originally a family-based operation founded by Kyabram’s John D’Angelo in the 1970s, the manufacturing business has grown into a national and international exporter of specialised agricultural machinery.
Successful grant recipients were primarily judged on their ability to deliver jobs, according to Mr Drum.
“This was an opportunity where we're able to invest with local companies mainly based around employment,” he said.
“The big driver was the opportunity to employ a larger number of people allowing us to co-invest with them. (However,) effectively it was up to each of the applications to stand up on its own merits.”
JN & R Engineering director Gino D’Angelo said the grant had allowed the business to increase its manufacturing base and employment levels, but he did not view it as a government handout.
“You're not just getting given money, it’s a co-investment,” he said.
“We matched the government dollar for dollar.”
Mr D’Angelo thanked Perta Thomson Partners for helping with the application and said seeking professional financial advice was an important factor in securing government grants.
The director lamented increasing capacity was only half the battle. The other half was attracting the necessary skilled labour.
Mr Drum agreed, saying getting skilled labour into the regions was one of his primary objectives as the local federal member.
“When you build your relationships and your friendships with people like the D'Angelo family you realise the work that they're doing, but you also realise the challenges that they face,” he said.
“It's the conversations like those that I had at this foundry two years ago that drive me to find new ways to get trained workers into this area.”
Other successful recipients of the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages scheme in the local region include KY D-Pak Pty Ltd, which received $535,000, and Girgarre’s Symbiopro Pty Ltd ($100,000) and Australian Consolidated Milk, which received $2.5 million.
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