A BUSINESS worth $3 million may be forced to move out of Bendigo unless it can find a premises capable of powering its expanding operations.
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Dog treat maker Laila and Me needs to move somewhere with a bigger power supply as it races to keep up with demand.
It urgently needs a site that can handle more power and fears that it may soon be forced to leave Bendigo.
Managing director Mel Devereaux has been sending overflow of freeze dried pet food out of town to other companies to help process.
"We've done it for 18 months but it's not sustainable long term, at all," she said.
"We are just surviving at the moment. We are not profiting, we are not expanding. We are in a holding pattern."
Frustration at Bendigo council
The company is already turning down some international orders as challenges getting more power onto the site drag on.
"It's quite frustrating because when I was first looking around I remember reading news reports of Bendigo and its manufacturing parks, that it wanted to help businesses stay local," Ms Devereaux said.
"Then I got here and found out that was not the case at all."
Ms Devereaux is increasingly frustrated with the City of Greater Bendigo, which she says has not done enough to help the business remain in the municipality.
She has had some discussions with the council but feels they have not been particularly forthcoming with help.
"It needs to take the time, have the meetings with business owners and see if it can come to some sort of agreement, or help with planning permits, that sort of thing," she said.
"They just don't want to know you."
Other councils open to Laila and Me factory
Ms Devereaux has had early discussions with other councils she says have been far more responsive and proactive about helping.
One had sent her details of landlords looking for tenants and real estate agents.
"They are so forthcoming. I feel like Bendigo's council thinks it's just too hard," Ms Devereaux said.
She does not want to move her factory out of Bendigo if possible. It could mean having to let staff members go.
"That is my worst case scenario," Ms Devereaux said.
She is currently considering moving operations to a nearby shire, if possible.
That could at least increase the likelihood of keeping staff.
The council's director of strategy and growth Steve Hamilton said his group had discussed matters with Laila and Me but that those talks did not end with an appropriate solution.
"Staff work with business owners to find appropriate sites wherever possible," he said.
"However, not always is the city or the market able to meet their needs, whether that be size, location, cost etcetera, of where they want to establish their business."
Greater Bendigo has been grappling with manufacturing land shortfalls for some time.
The council recently bought 155-hectares of land in Marong and is lobbying other levels of government for funds needed to develop it into an industrial precinct.
Mr Hamilton said Laila and Me's predicament underscored how important a new industrial park was for the city's manufacturers.
Getting it ready could take longer than Laila and Me has to solve its factory problems, Ms Devereaux said.
"We need to find somewhere to move by next year to keep up with demand," she said.
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