Evolve at centre of $45b state building plan

A SOUTHSIDE advanced manufacturer behind one of the world’s biggest crowd-funding campaigns is the hero of the state’s four-year infrastructure blueprint.

AN innovative Logan manufacturer took centre stage this week when the State Government used its Crestmead manufacturing plant to unveil its updated $45.8 billion four-year infrastructure plan.

State Development and Innovation Minister Cameron Dick announced the spending at plastics manufacturer Evolve, which makes everything from bee hives with taps to pools and tyre treads.

The company delivered one of the largest crowd-funding campaigns in the world, raising $12.4 million in 2015 for its user-friendly beehives.

Evolve’s Ben Petersen with Innovation Minister Cameron Dick with some plastic treads.

While at Evolve, Mr Dick said this year’s budget added an extra $3 billion to the infrastructure spending, which included $21.7 billion in transport and road infrastructure over the next four years.

Evolve project manager Ben Peterson said many Logan businesses were clients.

“When we first started here we had 70 employees and at the moment we have 110 and with the state government’s Made In Queensland grant, that will grow to 140 employees,” he said.

The state’s infrastructure plan also included the Building Better Hospitals Program that will inject $679 million into hospitals and includes upgrades at Logan, Caboolture and Ipswich hospitals, along with regional Hospitals in Atherton, Blackall and Cairns.

Evolve’s Flow Hive beehive, part of the world’s biggest crowd-funding campaign.

Other state infrastructure investment in the Logan area included upgrades to the Pacific Motorway at Rochedale South, Miles Platting Road, the Rochedale Road Gateway Merge at Eight Mile Plains and a new primary school at Yarrabilba.