Local manufacturers guarantee Queensland critical supplies

The State Government is signing long-term contracts with local manufacturers to make essential items like medical-grade face masks and hand sanitiser.

QUEENSLAND will have a guaranteed supply of essential items like medical-grade face masks and hand sanitiser as the State Government spends millions backing local manufacturers to ring-fence critical products for ‘Fortress Queensland’.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the State Government was signing long- term contracts with local manufacturers to make N95 face masks and hand sanitiser in Queensland with the state as priority customers.

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Ms Palaszczuk said it was imperative Queensland establish and maintain a domestic production capacity for personal protection equipment now and into the future beyond this crisis.

“We can and we must make these lifesaving products in Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We are prepared to back our manufacturers with long-term offtake agreements to ensure they keep manufacturing them here.”

Kylie Andison from Evolve, who will start producing 60,000 N95 medical masks each day. Picture: Jamie Hanson

The Queensland Fightback series, in partnership with State Development, is celebrating the way manufacturers are innovating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help their fellow Queenslanders.

The Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning will provide financial assistance of $1.2 million to Logan’s Evolve Group to urgently start making disposable N95 medical masks in high volume, with 60,000 a day within just weeks.

The N95 mask is the highest quality surgical mask for frontline healthcare workers and can help to filter out fine particles, Ms Palaszczuk said. She added that the agreement means Queensland has priority access to its own manufactured supply of urgently needed face masks to support frontline health workers and the broader community.

Queensland Health and the Department of Housing and Public Works have agreed to purchase masks from Evolve Group for three years to support the health system.

Evolve Group’s Managing Director Ty Hermans said the company was proud to be able to put its hand up to help.

“Securing supply of critical products like this by re-shoring the manufacturing in Australia has to be a priority for all Australians now and into the future,” Mr Hermans said.

It comes as Queensland manufacturers who are mobilising and repurposing to support the state during the COVID-19 crisis are being asked to share their inspiring stories as part of the #MakingItForQLD campaign.

“We want to see all manufacturers big and small – food manufacturers, meat processors, clothes designers, builders on construction sites and baristas in cafes – showcasing the work they are doing to support Queenslanders as our state tackles this pandemic head-on,” Manufacturing minister Cameron Dick said.