Capacity Building for Australia’s Quarrying Industry
DALE THOMPSON from the Government’s Enterprise Connect program outlines how he can help plan out the future growth of your business.
SINCE May 2008, Enterprise Connect has been quietly making a name for itself working with SMEs across a range of industry sectors by providing business reviews at no financial cost to firms, and then providing matching government assistance of up to $20,000 to implement the recommendations from those reviews.
The business reviews are carried out by a team of experienced private sector businesses advisers located around Australia. So far over 1200 reviews have now been completed and many more are underway, including those specifically undertaken by the Business Advisers for the Mining Technology Innovation Centre.
Mining Technology Innovation Centre Business Advisers, work with SMEs that receive a substantial portion of their revenue directly or indirectly from mining, quarrying or, oil and gas industries. This includes a wide range of goods and services used with in the extractive industries.
The Business Advisers provide sector specific strategic and tactical business advice aimed at improving business processes, test new products, find new markets and access other government programs and grants. Dale Thompson has recently joined the Enterprise Connect as a Business Adviser based in Dandenong Victoria and is ready to assist the extractive industries.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
Normet Asia-Pacific, underground mining equipment manufacturer is one company that has completed a business review. Normet’s Regional Director Bill Reid says undertaking the Enterprise Connect Business Review was a valuable exercise.
“The review highlighted the strengths and some important weaknesses in our business processes. It also had the effect of focusing staff in the organisation at all levels on the need for change and the processes by which that change would occur.” Mr Reid said.
“As part of the review, an exhaustive international benchmark exercise was conducted. It has proved to be a great catalyst for change in our organisation, and a validation of what we have achieved to date. The management team now has a heightened sense of what we need to do, both as a team and as individual managers, and provided directions for how it can be achieved.”
Bill concluded – “The recommendations made in the Business Review were valid and we are determined to ensure we carry them out, to use the downturn period as a time to build our capacity and our efficiency”
IT’S EASY TO BECOME INVOLVED
Entry into the Enterprise Connect program is based on eligibility criteria, with no limit on how many firms can become involved.
To be eligible for Enterprise Connect assistance, firms will need to have an Australian Company Number, have a turn over between $2 million ($1.5million in regional areas) and $100 million and have been trading solvently for at least 3 years.
A fully detailed Business Review Report is provided, to act as a guide to future actions for the firm and for the consultants engaged to assist the firm implement the recommendations.
Matching grants of up to $20,000 are made available, to assist firms engage experts to implement the recommendations made during the business review.
The program prides itself on not being bureaucratic and in removing as much red tape as possible. Applications can be made online and will only take about 10 minutes to complete. They will be assessed and businesses will be informed of the outcome within 48 hours.
Visit www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au for further information or call the Enterprise Connect Hotline on 131 791. Alternatively phone Mining Technology Business Adviser Dale Thompson on 03 9215 2612.
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