A local Echuca business will play an important role in 2 of Victoria’s biggest freeway upgrade projects – providing regional jobs and a boost to the local economy.
Local business A2B Consumables will supply the workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE), including a range of uniforms and high-vis workwear to crews on the M80 Ring Road Completion and the Eastern Freeway Upgrades.
This has directly led to the local business employing 2 women in Echuca, as well as setting up a partnership with social enterprise SisterWorks which has secured another 2 jobs in the border town.
The Aboriginal owned company is also partnering with its sibling business, A2B Personnel – an Echuca labour hire and recruitment company that has provided 36,000 hours of employment for Indigenous personnel on North East Link tunnels.
The new PPE and workwear is being rolled out to crews on the M80 Ring Road Completion project which will include 5 new lanes and smart technology from Plenty Road to a new M80 interchange, while seamlessly connecting to the new North East Link tunnels.
More than 5000 workers are currently working across North East Link as part of 12,000 jobs the project is creating, with a commitment of 2.5% of work hours to be completed by Aboriginal people and 10% of work hours delivered by apprentices, trainees and cadets.
The M80 Ring Road Completion, Eastern Freeway Upgrades and North East Link tunnels will be complete in 2028, slashing travel times by up to 35 minutes, and taking 15,000 trucks off local roads.