Gladstone manufacturer excited about line-boring machines

Berg Engineering is a family-owned engineering business that has been operating over two generations and more than four decades. Berg Engineering was established in Brisbane in 1972 and commenced regional operations in Gladstone in 1995.

Over the decades, Berg has amassed considerable expertise providing clients with high-risk, critical parts. In particular, they have developed a strong reputation for maintaining and managing fleets of rotatable assets such as pumps, valves and gearboxes. With the assistance of the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program, Berg Engineering have purchased advanced manufacturing machinery to further improve their productivity.

Why the manufacturing hubs grant program?

Berg Engineering have been working with the Gladstone regional manufacturing hub to get support with their ideas for advanced manufacturing and get advice on skills and technology requirements. Berg Engineering was awarded $161,719 through the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program to help with the purchase of two laser line-boring machines and two trailers.

Berg Engineering’s Owner and CEO Derek Berg said the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program will increase their productivity and allow them to expand.

“Thanks to this funding, we can take our line boring capability to the next level and seek to enter new markets like defence, energy and mining,” Mr Berg said.

What did the project involve?

Mr Berg said the company used the $161,719 from the assistance of the Manufacturing Hub Grant Program towards the total project cost of $497,625 for the purchase of two line-boring machines and two trailers.

“This equipment is part of our plan to transition to advanced manufacturing from its traditional practices, which is the direction we, and the entire industry, need to take.

“The grant has been very helpful and we have now have on-site machining capabilities, among other additions, and it has helped us further invest in our staff with training.”

What happens next?

The new advanced manufacturing equipment has helped Berg Engineering to grow and protect jobs.

Berg Engineering benefited from the Manufacturing Hubs Grant Program to help create seven new jobs and protect a further 65 jobs in the business, through increased business growth.