Transforming Manufacturing at Scale: King Truss
Queensland manufacturing grants have changed, but the fundamentals of a competitive project have not.
King Truss is a useful example.
The Queensland manufacturer had applied for manufacturing funding previously without success. For Made in Queensland Round 7, the business engaged NAVIGATE Business Solutions to strengthen the project strategy, evidence and application.
As Jamie Fresser from King Truss explained:
“We had applied in previous rounds without success. For Round 7, we engaged NAVIGATE — and it made the difference.”
The successful project was built around a significant automation investment designed to address production bottlenecks, improve material flow and create more manufacturing capacity.
Today, the funding landscape has moved on from Made in Queensland.
The Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grants Program (TQMGP) is now the key Queensland Government program supporting manufacturing SMEs investing in advanced equipment and integrated manufacturing systems.
For businesses considering Round 2, Round 3 or later TQMGP rounds, the King Truss project remains a useful example of what strong grant preparation looks like..
King Truss: automation built around a business problem
King Truss was not looking for equipment simply because grant funding was available.
The business had reached a point where existing production systems were constraining growth.
Its Made in Queensland Round 7 application identified several operational bottlenecks, including manual handling, workflow interruptions and production capacity limitations.
The proposed solution was a highly integrated automation project incorporating equipment such as automated timber handling, cutting and frame-production systems.
The business case connected that equipment to measurable operational outcomes.
The application projected substantial increases in frame and truss production capacity, while also reducing manual handling, improving accuracy and supporting more efficient material flow.
That distinction matters.
Competitive manufacturing grants are rarely about what equipment a business wants to buy.
They are about what the investment will change.e.
Building the commercial case
The King Truss application was supported by more than supplier quotes.
It connected the automation investment to:
- production bottlenecks already identified within the business
- increased manufacturing capacity
- improved productivity and efficiency
- lower production costs
- improved quality and consistency
- stronger competitiveness against imported products
- opportunities to support Queensland manufacturing jobs
- integration with existing production systems
The project was also assessed against alternative equipment options.
King Truss documented why its preferred supplier and equipment configuration offered the strongest operational fit, including compatibility, scalability, local support and integration with existing software systems.
That level of preparation is important.
A competitive grant application should be able to demonstrate not only why the investment is needed, but also why the proposed solution is the right one.
From equipment purchase to manufacturing strategy
The King Truss project was positioned as more than an automation upgrade.
The business case showed how the investment aligned with a broader manufacturing strategy.
King Truss was seeking to increase production capacity, reduce lead times and manufacture more products locally rather than relying on interstate or imported alternatives.
The application also linked investment in technology with workforce planning, supplier relationships and long-term competitiveness.
This is where manufacturing grant applications become stronger.
Equipment is the investment.
Capability is the outcome.
From Made in Queensland to TQMGP
King Truss received support under the former Made in Queensland program.
Manufacturers applying today are working under a different program: the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grants Program.
TQMGP is a $79.1 million, three-year program running across six competitive rounds from 2026 to 2028. The Queensland Government intends to open a new round approximately every six months.
That structure changes how manufacturers should think about grant timing.
A project does not necessarily need to be forced into the current round.
Businesses now have greater opportunity to align a planned investment with the round that best matches their project readiness.
TQMGP Round 2: current funding opportunity
Round 2 is currently open, with applications closing 25 November 2026 at 1pm. Business Queensland
The round has $12.5 million available, with grants between $100,000 and $1.5 million.
Eligible projects can receive reimbursement of up to 50% of eligible project costs, and 50% of the Round 2 funding pool is allocated to projects located solely in Regional Queensland.
The program supports eligible Queensland manufacturing SMEs investing in:
- advanced manufacturing equipment
- system integration
- ERP, MRP and manufacturing execution systems
- manufacturing process improvements
Current eligibility includes a Queensland project site, majority manufacturing turnover and generally 5–200 full-time equivalent employees.
What TQMGP assessors are looking for
The current guidelines make it clear that equipment alone will not win the grant.
Applications are scored across five areas.
The largest weightings relate to whether the project can improve productivity, international competitiveness and profitability, and whether it supports exports, reshoring or onshoring.
Applicants must also demonstrate jobs outcomes, project readiness and strategic alignment, and value for money.
That means manufacturers should be able to answer questions such as:
- What constraint is the project solving?
- What will change after the investment?
- How will productivity improve?
- How does the project strengthen competitiveness?
- Can the business demonstrate commercial demand?
- Is the equipment selection well evidenced?
- Is the project genuinely ready to proceed?
- What will the business contribute?
- How does the investment fit the wider business strategy?
The King Truss project was built around these same fundamentals.
That is why the case study remains relevant even though the funding program has changed.
What about TQMGP Round 3?
The Queensland Government has committed to six TQMGP rounds, opening approximately every six months across 2026–2028.
That means manufacturers should not view Round 2 as the only opportunity.
Round 3 is expected to follow in 2027, although the Queensland Government has not yet published confirmed opening and closing dates.
This gives businesses with projects still in development an important choice.
Apply now because the project is ready — or use the next several months to strengthen the investment case for a later round.
For some manufacturers, waiting may produce the stronger application.
Quotes may need to be finalised. Finance may need to be confirmed. Equipment selection may need further analysis. Productivity modelling may still need evidence.
The existence of multiple rounds means businesses can plan more strategically.
Start before the round opens
One of the clearest lessons from King Truss is that a strong application is built before submission.
Manufacturing projects of this size often require:
- equipment specifications
- supplier comparisons
- financial modelling
- productivity calculations
- market evidence
- workforce planning
- implementation timelines
- management approvals
- evidence of commercial demand
Trying to develop all of this after a grant opens can place unnecessary pressure on the business.
The better approach is to build the project first.
Then assess which TQMGP round provides the best fit.
NAVIGATE’s perspective
Manufacturing grant applications are rarely unsuccessful because the business has no need for the equipment.
The challenge is usually demonstrating the investment case clearly enough.
Why this project?
Why this equipment?
Why now?
What changes once it is installed?
And why should government co-invest?
NAVIGATE works with manufacturers to answer those questions before significant time and resources are committed to an application.
Our role can include project scoping, grant strategy, financial and commercial evidence, productivity modelling, application development and support through delivery and reporting.
King Truss demonstrates the value of that approach.
The funding program may change.
The assessment criteria may evolve.
But strong manufacturing grant applications will continue to be built around the same foundation:
a commercially sound project, clear evidence and a credible plan for growth.
If you are considering TQMGP Round 2, preparing for Round 3, or planning a future manufacturing investment, now is the time to assess whether the project is genuinely grant-ready.