Jensen Jarrah, John Streater win grants for furniture

Busselton-based Jensen Jarrah Pty Ltd and Yallingup-based John Streater Fine Furniture have both received State Government grants to fund develoments in product design and plant facilities, Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan announced today.

The full text of an announcement from the Minister's office is pasted below

Two innovative fine-furniture companies in Western Australia's South-West have been rewarded for their contribution to the State's fine wood furniture industry.

Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan today announced funding for the Busselton-based furniture company Jensen Jarrah Pty Ltd and the Yallingup-based firm John Streater Fine Furniture.

Mr Logan said the funding was part of the State Government's South West Industry Assistance Scheme - Furniture and Fine Wood Industries Program.

He said the program underlined the Carpenter Government's commitment to the development of competitive and sustainable furniture and fine wood industries, using native hardwood regrowth and plantation-sawn timber in the South-West.

Jensen Jarrah will receive $182,812 to fund staff development, product repositioning, new product design and improvements to the company's manufacturing facility.

John Streater Fine Furniture will receive $20,000 to build a new storage shed, a supplementary power supply and kiln drying facilities.

The Minister visited both companies during a tour of the South-West this week.

Mr Logan said Jensen Jarrah had been operating in Busselton since the early 1980s and was a WA success story.

"The company, which employs 55 people, is now believed to be the biggest jarrah outdoor furniture manufacturer in Australia and has been exporting fine furniture to the US since the early 1990s," he said.

"Jensen Jarrah is one of the biggest exporters of jarrah furniture in Australia, with 60 per cent of all furniture exported and 98 per cent of production sold outside WA.

"John Streater Fine Furniture has been operating in the region for more than 17 years, producing jarrah furniture for local, national and international markets.

"Their new facilities are expected to create employment opportunities for three full-time employees over the next three years. The company has previously trained a number of apprentices, many of whom have gone on to become successful fine-furniture craftsmen in their own right."

The Minister said the companies were offered the money under the assistance program as a grant to be paid upon the successful completion of agreed milestones.

"The furniture industry employs more than 90,000 people in Australia and it is great to be able to support two thriving local companies who are at the top of their game," he said.