Queensland invests in bio-tech manufacturing

Two strategic investments in Brisbane-based bio-tech and manufacturing companies are set to create more than 870 operational jobs, and even more in construction.

Bio-tech company Ellume will introduce advanced manufacturing processes to speed up and enhance production capability of a rapid COVID-19 test which delivers a result within 15 minutes.

The company will receive $50 million in funding through the Essential Goods and Supply Chain program to ramp up production of tests from 60,0000 per day to more than 200,000.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the funding was part of the government’s pledge to invest in job-creating projects in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The project is expected to support over 500 jobs when fully operational, with up to an additional 200 jobs created during construction,” she said.

“Our investment will also bring back manufacturing jobs of critical component parts to Queensland, including electronics.”

Meantime, Brisbane based bio-pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company Luina Bio  will also receive funding to expand its current manufacturing capacity and workforce by up to 378 jobs over the next five years.

Ellume CEO and founder, Dr Sean Parsons, said the funding will allow the company to install state-of-the-art automated production lines to assemble the rapid COVID-19 tests for export and enable Ellume to re-shore and upscale critical manufacturing component parts to Queensland.

“The funds from the State Government will greatly assist in reshoring as much of the manufacturing supply chain as is practicable, providing Ellume and its customers with greater supply security,” Dr Parsons said.

“Already, we’ve created more than 300 jobs and need to grow our staffing numbers as quickly as we can to meet production targets.

“This is world-leading and life-saving diagnostic testing technology, created and manufactured right here in Queensland.”

Luina Bio CEO Les Tillack said the expanded $40 million facility, which will incorporate up to five bio-processing production lines in parallel, will also include commercial scale sterile fill and finish capabilities, which has been identified as a national supply chain gap.

“The support from the Queensland Government enables us to expand capability and fill these supply chain gaps,” he said.