The information on this page is courtesy of and copyright to the NSW Business Chamber. Australian Industry Productivity Centres is an Australian Government Initiative in partnership with the NSW Business Chamber and other business associations across Australia.

WHAT ARE THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY PRODUCTIVITY CENTRES?

The Australian Industry Productivity Centres (Productivity Centres) support Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) facing a rapidly changing business environment. SMEs need new skills, technologies and business strategies to remain competitive both at home, and globally.

With funding of $352 million over ten years, the Productivity Centres make it easy for SMEs to source and finance specialist advice, know how, and technologies to improve their business performance.

This program is one initiative under the Australian Government's Global Integration: Changing Markets, New Opportunities Industry Statement which commits $1.5 billion to assisting Australian industry to respond to the challenges of a changing global market. This program is applicable for both manufacturers and service firms.

WHAT WILL THEY DO?

• The centres provide practical and tailored business advise and services to help your firm grow.
• The centres offer a Business review, which will assess your firm’s strategy and operations, and provide practical advice on how to change and grow. This is at no cost to the firm and is delivered by experienced Business Advisers.
• The centres will then help you implement change through a Tailored Advisory Service by guiding you to the right expert adviser, and by providing up to $20,000 (to be matched by the firm) to fund one or more projects.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Productivity Centres help a wide range of established firms which:

• Possess an Australian Company Number (ACN);
• Are turning over more than $2 million (must be less than $100 million) in the preceding trading year;
• Have been trading for at least three years; and
• Are trade exposed. This includes all manufacturers, and service firms which face import competition, are exporting or have the potential to export, or internationalise their business operations in other ways.

NB: Firms turning over $1 million in the preceding year are able to access the services within a group application. Contact your local Productivity Centre or Business Adviser to discuss.

BUSINESS REVIEWS– A FREE SERVICE FOR ALL ELIGIBLE SMES

One of our Productivity Centre Business Advisers will work with you to:

• Assess you firm’s strategy and operations;
• Identify areas that could be improved and opportunities for growth:
• Identify how you can address the areas of improvement and capture growth opportunities: and
• Help you access practical world-class business tolls and thinking, including benchmarking services.

BUSINESS REVIEW - PROCESS

Each Business review will take around three to four days and will be arranged around your commitments. It will be delivered at zero cost to the firm. The Business Advisers who will deliver this service;

• Have extensive private sector experience at senior management levels;
• Come from a variety of backgrounds and have excellent cross sectoral coverage; and
• Are located right around Australia.

TAILORED ADVISORY SERVICE – THE NEXT STEP IN GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

The Program will encourage firms to implement the changes recommended by the Business Review – through our Tailored Advisory Service. We do so by providing access to a range of expert advisers with a wide range of business expertise. Financially, we will provide up to $20,000 in funding to implement the recommended changes, however, this amount must be matched by you. It can be spent on one or several projects.

Tailored Advisory Service Projects can address change across a wide range of areas – business strategy, business processes, business improvement and business growth.

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

The application process for a Business Review is simple and quick. You can complete an expression of interest at any time through our website www.australianbusiness.com.au “Business Globally” “Productivity Centres” for a Business Adviser to contact you directly.
For Further details phone 132696

More information on this program is also available at the Government's Productivty Centres website.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS ADVISER.
Phillip Waite, Productivity Centre, Business Adviser, North Sydney, 0417 277 171 or 13 26 96
phillip.waite@nswbusinesschamber.com.au