It is with a twinge of sadness that Kreitals Consulting Group advises that one of its principal consultants, Dean Smith, has decided to move on.
Dean has been working withKreitals Consulting for more than 2 years and in that time has helped the company strengthen its customer base beyond the textiles and clothing sector and build an expertise in assiting firms with the identification and development of significant rserach & development projects. To the point where this is one of the core strengths of the business.
Dean has decided to build on the experience he gained with KCG, to pursue a career which is more focussed on his past expertise in the forestry and forest products industry.
KCG is sad to see Dean go, but wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.
We are currently considering suitable replacements for Dean, and will soon advise of our decision in this regard.
The Government has called for applications under the 3rd Round of Textile, Clothing and Footwear Strategic Capability Program (TCF SCP).
The SCP Scheme is a competitive grant program commencing in 2010/11, designed to support large projects worth at least $500,000, with dollar for dollar matching funding by Government. Eligible projects will need to reflect one or more of the requisite eligible activities:
- Innovation, research and design capability
- Collaboration, networks and supply chain participation
- Accessing market opportunities
- New business models and strategic repositioning
- High performance work and management systems
- Education and skills
- Environmentally sustainable and ethical practices
Kreitals Consulting Group has been relatively successful with previous funding Rounds, having being responsible for 4 out of 10 of the successful applications in Round 1 and 2 out of 7 of the 2nd Round applications. Given its past experience, Kreitals Consulting would suggest that firms considering applying for assistance under this scheme should focus on applications where:
- the project involves some sort of collaboration – whether between supply chain partners, designers and manufacturers, or manufacturers and researchers
- you can identify a real market gap/need for what you are developing (with supporting evidence such as market research reports, overseas reports, letters of support from key customers)
- a significant part of the project expenditure will be for work by external parties (eg research institutions, suppliers, contractors) which will result in some genuine knowledge/technology transfer to the applicant company.
- capital expenditure is only a relatively small part of the overall project expenditure.
Any firms considering applying for Round 3 Funding that would like assistance with their approach are encouraged to contact Kreitals Consulting Group’s Managing Director, Peter Kreitals, for further information.
The Federal Government’s $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program provides incentives for business to reduce emissions and invest in clean energy through the three separate, albeit similar, schemes:
- The $200 million (over five years) Clean Technology Innovation Program, designed to support the research, development and commercialisation of clean technology products, processes and services. It will fund the development of a range of clean technologies including low emission and other energy efficient technologies.Competitive grants will be provided for the development of an innovative product, process or service including research and development, proof of concept and early stage commercialisation. Funding will be based on a co-investment of $50,000 to $5 million on a co-investment of $1 for each $1 of government funding.
- The $200 million Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program (the Program) to support Australian food and foundry manufacturers to maintain competitiveness in a carbon constrained economy. This program will provide grants for investments in energy efficient capital equipment and low emission technologies, processes and products.
- The Clean Technology Investment program which is an $800 million competitive, merit-based grants program to support Australian manufacturers to maintain competitiveness in a carbon constrained economy. This program will provide grants for investments in energy efficient capital equipment and low emission technologies, processes and products.
A central element of applying for grants under these programs will be the need to demonstrate the energy savings and/or emissions reducations that will eventuate, and the increased relative competitivemess that companies will obtain from their intended investments. Kreitals Consulting Group is well placed to assist firms in developing applications with its own in-house expertise with regard to the development of the necessary economic arguments and the strategic partnership it has established with proven, industry based environmental audit specialists.
The Bills to establish the R&D Tax Credit were introduced into Parliament on 30 September 2010. The Bills still propose that the R&D Tax Credit will apply to income years starting on or after 1 July 2010.
The new R&D Tax Credit is to be a broad-based and market driven incentive package, with the two core components of the package being:
- a 45 per cent refundable tax credit (the equivalent to a 150 per cent concession) for eligible entities with an aggregated turnover of less than $20 million per annum;
- a non-refundable 40 per cent R&D tax credit (the equivalent of a 133 per cent deduction) for all other eligible entities.
If you would like further details on the R&D Tax Credit (or indeed the current R&D Tax Concession) and the implications for your business, please contact any one of KCG’s consultants (see “Contact Us”).
The Victorian Government has launched a new grants programs as part of the $10.5 million Victorian Action Plan for Small Technologies.
Applications for the first round of the Small Technologies Industry Uptake Program (STIUP) have now been called. The intention of the Program is to help enhance Victorian businesses’ competitiveness through the use of small technologies in their products, processes or services.The Victorian Government is partnering with the Small Technologies Cluster (STC) to deliver the Small Technologies Industry Uptake Program. The STC will administer the STFeas and STTech voucher applications which are now open, and remain open for the entire duration of the program (through to June 2013).
The Victorian Government will manage and administer the STTrial vouchers and set dates for each of the three funding rounds. The first round of applications closes on Thursday 11 November 2010.
Further information, eligibility criteria, and application forms are available at www.innovation.vic.gov.au and/or
www.stc-melbourne.com.
If you would like any assitance with this scheme, please contact any of the KCG consultants (see “Contact Us” page.
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