A $500,000 grant from the Regional Job Creation Fund will help the expansion of The Little Big Dairy Company at Rawsonville near Dubbo and provide new job opportunities.
NSW Nationals Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said the grant will go towards building a new shed for storage and office space, as well as the purchase of a fully automatic Wraparound Case Packing Machine to replace the current hand-packing system.
Mr Saunders said the new machine will make a huge difference to output while reducing production costs, allowing the company to employ more staff in manufacturing, administration, and logistics.
“The new automated packing machine will improve efficiency and reduce wastage by up to 40 per cent, lowering costs of production, and doubling its capacity to produce milk from 5 million litres a year to 10 million litres by 2024,” Mr Saunders said.
“This project will also upskill existing employees to be higher-level operators and promote some employees from hands-on positions to supervisory roles.”
Little Big Dairy chief executive officer Jim Elliott said it was a huge boost for the family-run business.
“We’ll be able to increase our staffing in a range of areas from administration to sales, distribution, and in the milk factory itself,” he said.
“We’ve currently got 40 people employed, and this grant will see us double that figure over the next three years.”
Under the Regional Job Creation Fund, eligible businesses can apply for grants to support the purchase of new equipment, expand facilities, create new iconic tourist experiences and visitor attractions, or relocate businesses from out of state to regional NSW.
