Manufacturing
Employment
Ballarat’s manufacturing industry has been a mainstay of the local economy for over a century, and is the second largest industry employer, with over 5,300 people, and is continuing to grow at a rate of 2.1% per annum. The dominant industry sectors are Food, Beverages and Tobacco (28%) and Machinery and Equipment (28%), while a range of other sectors each make a significant contribution to the industry as a whole.
Industry Clusters
There are existing and emerging clusters in automotive components, industrial machinery, food processing and furniture production; and there are remnant clusters in the textile and clothing sectors. While there are a number of small-medium sized enterprises operating within the industry, the majority of employment is generated by a small group of major operators which include Masterfoods Australia, FMP Group, Maxitrans and McCain Foods, among others.