Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is giving three companies in Eastern Ontario a $633,000 economic boost.
“We thank Kawartha Metals, Colonial Concepts Log & Timberframe and Bélair Mechatronics for making a significant impact in their communities and for contributing to our province’s dynamic and growing manufacturing sector,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
Kawartha Metals Corp. in Peterborough will receive $327,650 from the Eastern Ontario Development fund and contribute another $3.28 million to purchase equipment to expand operations. The company is a supplier of steel, aluminum, brass, and plastics material in over 5,000 different sizes and grades and works with a wide range of customers, including manufacturers, fabricators and contractors.
“Kawartha Metals was able to purchase and install a Voortman high-definition plasma structural steel robotic plasma machine capable of processing nearly any kind of shape that needs to be produced. The robotic thermal profile cutting system can reach all four sides of the material with exceptional speed and accuracy,” said President Tom Elliott. “This created new jobs and improved processes to make Kawartha Metals more competitive in Ontario and for the manufacturers that export globally that we supply.”
Colonial Log & Timber Inc. (Colonial Concepts Log & Timberframe) in Lindsay manufactures log and timber framing components and will invest $1.3 million to fully automate its manufacturing process to gain efficiencies and double production, with Ontario’s funding of $195,252.
“This funding has given Colonial Concepts Log & Timberframe the opportunity to purchase a 6-axis Hundegger machine to help evolve our family business and become more automated,” said Ken Moore, CEO. “We will become more efficient, which will allow us to expand more into the international market creating a greater number of projects and business, thus opening up more job opportunities in our company.”
Bélair Mechatronics Inc. (Kawartha Controls) in Omemee designs and manufactures hydraulic manifolds, other fluid power components and robotic auxiliary equipment. The company is investing $901,000 in new equipment and will receive $110,000.
“Investing in local companies is critical to help grow our rural economy by increasing employment close to home and contributing to our recovery from the pandemic,” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.”