AE Gibson & Sons is one of three businesses to share in $534,667 from round two of the state government's Regional Job Creation Fund.

The other successful applicants are Bale Defence and Harold Vickery and Son.

AE Gibson & Sons general manager Curtis Gibson said being in a regional area, the funding helped the Kendall business tackle some of the issues it faced with the skills shortage.

The business will add eight staff, from apprentices to general trades and mechatronics engineers, to its 35-strong workforce.

Mr Gibson said the business was also looking to buy more robots and specialised machining equipment to take it to the next level of manufacturing, as well as service vehicles.

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AE Gibson & Sons, which has a 120-year history in Kendall, is focused on solutions engineering and providing customised purpose-built machinery to the materials handling industry.

The Regional Job Creation Fund supports regional investment and job creation. The focus is to co-fund projects creating at least five sustainable regional jobs.

Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams announced the three successful businesses in the fund's second round.

"It is about creating local jobs in our regions," she said.

"It is wonderful we have these fantastic communities, and we know people want to live here, but at the end of the day, they need a job."

Mrs Williams said funding was awarded to three companies for a range of projects that would see an expanded workforce which was fantastic news for the economy and jobs.

Bale Defence director of operations Gary Walker said Bale Defence would continue to grow its capability by recruiting 10 people in 2022, operating across engineering, manufacturing and administration.

The growth will include recruitment of qualified candidates, investment in young adults with several apprenticeships being offered in 2022, as well as maintaining the internship program.

"These initiatives will enable Bale Defence to support the defence industry and meet key strategic industry capability criteria to support and sustain the Australian defence forces from a proud, Australian family-owned, Port Macquarie base," Mr Walker said.

The other successful applicant, Harold Vickery and Son, is a heavy duty leather goods company.

Harold Vickery and Son director Matthew Hyde said the grant would help fund the purchase of new machines and the fit-out of a purpose-built facility in Port Macquarie's industrial district.

The business will be transformed with advanced manufacturing techniques and machines to deliver better products, faster and more efficiently to customers around Australia.

Mr Hyde said the state government funding would enable investment in new machinery and processes for rapid prototyping as well as mass production on a new level.

"This will in turn support the implementation of a further 10 positions and talent development at the company," he said.

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