Minerals company Alpha HPA plans to build a $300 million high purity alumina industrial plant on a recently purchased, 9.2-hectare site in the Queensland Government’s State Development Area.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said supporting more jobs in more industries was an important part of Queensland’s plan for economic recovery.
“Supporting projects like this means more opportunities for secure, high-skilled jobs across Queensland,” she said.
Regional Development and Manufacturing Minister Glenn Butcher said the extensive infrastructure and port facilities in the Gladstone region, an established industrial sector and skilled workforce all helped attract Alpha HPA to the Gladstone.
“Gladstone is a world-best location for existing industries with a proven track record of growing successful new industries – like the emerging green energy manufacturing sector,” he said.
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“Alpha HPA are joining other global companies, who have also recently chosen Gladstone to establish their manufacturing hubs and create local jobs.”
Deputy Premier and State Development Minister Steven Miles said Gladstone is fast becoming a world-leading manufacturing hub drawing on the world’s demand for renewable energy to inspire new industry growth.
“Alpha HPA’s project will support around 120 new, regional jobs in a new emerging industry with global demand,” Miles said.
“High purity alumina is used in items such as LED lights, lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, solar battery storage and consumer electronics, and synthetic sapphire which is used in watches and smartphone camera glass.
“These are high-technology items with rising consumer demand, particularly in China and Europe.
Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni said these opportunities were a result of the Palaszczuk Government’s investment in making sure the world knows Queensland is the place to be for renewable energy and decarbonising industry.
“Renewables are a massive opportunity to decarbonise industry and bring manufacturing back to Queensland,” de Brenni said.
“Queenslanders know how to build a new industry from the ground up and nowhere more so than in Gladstone.
“We are making sure we are grabbing this opportunity with both hands and creating these decent, secure jobs for Queenslanders.”
Rimas Kairaitis from Alpha HPA said it’s an exciting time for the Australian Company as it fast tracks construction of its Stage 1, Precursor Production Facility (PPF).
“We’ve operated a Brisbane demonstration plant since July 2019, and we are confident in the demand for high purity alumina,” Kairaitis said.
“Stage 1, which is fully funded, will enable us to commence commercial production from August 2022, tapping into this demand quickly.
“Stage 2, the full scale project, will commence in parallel with Stage 1, and is scheduled to be commercially operating by 2024”.