The Andrews Labor Government is backing Bellarine business Think Fencing to reuse and recycle highly durable plastic into building materials, creating more local jobs.

The Premier, Dan Andrews and the Member for Bellarine, Alison Marchant today visited Think Fencing in Portarlington, which has been supported with a $330,000 grant through the Labor Government’s Regional Jobs Fund.

The funding has enabled the Bellarine business to purchase new equipment and hire new staff to meet the increasing demand for their products.

Think Fencing began operations two decades ago when Director Jack Fitzgerald invented a clip-on solution to improve the visibility of paddock wire fences that are difficult for horses to see when in flight mode.

Twenty years later the company is manufacturing fencing and decking products at the Portarlington facility and exporting them around the world.

Mr Fitzgerald’s work is driven by his desire to make products more sustainable and became interested in recycling polyvinyl chloride – the plastic commonly known as PVC – around 10 years ago.

PVC is durable, has a long life, and is used in all kinds of products, from flooring to cables and medical supplies. The plastic is one of the top four polymers consumed in Australia by weight, but has one of the lowest recycling rates.

Previously, Think Fencing collected PVC from other companies.  After witnessing the wastage, it developed products and processes that would allow them to utilise a proportion of recycled PVC in their fencing and decking products.

This innovative process saw the company nominated for the 2022 Victorian Manufacturer of the year awards.

The Regional Jobs Fund is part of the Labor Government’s flagship Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund which helps businesses create jobs in regional Victoria, supports community projects and backs councils to build the infrastructure that locals and visitors need.

The fund is central to the Government’s record investment of more than $36 billion in rural and regional Victoria since 2015. For more information go to rdv.vic.gov.au/rjif.

Quotes attributable to Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant

“I’m delighted to see how we are continuing to support businesses like Think Fencing to create innovative and sustainable products whilst creating jobs for locals.”

“Think Fencing is just one example of our businesses in the Bellarine leading the way when it comes to sustainability and I’m so excited to see that our government is supporting them.”