Local company Textor Technologies is set to slash its carbon emissions intensity and break into new markets, using a Rudd Labor Government grant to help upgrade a production line at its textile manufacturing facility in Tullamarine.
The company, which makes specialist health and hygiene fabrics, will use a $3 million grant from Federal Labor’s Clean Technology Investment Program for a $9.1 million project to upgrade its Hydro-Entanglement Line to manufacture a new product which has potential to increase its export market.
Announcing the grant today, Minister for Innovation Senator Kim Carr and Labor Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou, said the project is expected to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of the line by nearly 60 per cent.“Federal Labor is co-investing with Textor because they are a company that thinks big. They have found success through constant innovation, collaboration, and re-investment in their company, products and processes,” Senator Kim Carr said.
“The upgraded production line will make a new product they developed by working with the CSIRO and Kimberley Clarke Australia, with the help of a Labor Government Researchers in Business grant.“Currently Textor exports about 50 per cent of their products throughout Asia. By working with the Government to install this new equipment, there is potential to expand this market even further.”
Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou said Textor was an important local employer.
“Textor employs about 50 local people, including 13 engineers, and two PhD graduates. These jobs, and the local skills they have fostered are incredibly important to our local economy,” Ms Vamvakinou said.
“Textor has stayed competitive by working with Government, multinationals, and researchers to develop new, quality products that consumers want, and making them cost-effective, while reducing their emissions. This is exactly the kind of investment the Rudd Labor Government supports – one that is good for jobs, good for the environment, and good for the bottom line.”
Senator Carr said Federal Labor’s Clean Technology Investment Programs have helped achieve real change with over 580 grants, supported by over $300 million in government funding approved to date, meaning total new project investment of almost $1 billion in clean technology around Australia.
Funding for this grant is already provided for in the Budget.
