Ontario manufacturers and agri-food companies receive $3M to expand production

Three manufacturers in the Cornwall, Ont. area are investing over $20 million to expand production with $3 million coming from the provincial government.

Ross Video Ltd. is investing $15 million in a 55,000-square-foot facility expansion to build space for two major production lines in Iroquois. With $2.25 million from the province’s Eastern Ontario Development Fund, the company is creating 30 jobs and retaining 215.

Since 1974, Ross Video has been designing, marketing and manufacturing a wide range of products for use in broadcast, distribution, live event and production applications. The products are found in over 100 countries and are used to produce and distribute video and audio signals.

This investment will help with the expansion of Ross Video’s Iroquois facility, assist in the purchase of new equipment, and scale up local manufacturing by consolidating operations from other locations to accommodate recent international acquisitions.

The money from the province will also increase production efficiencies and innovation, and expand sales into new markets.

Sevita International Corp. is investing over $3.6 million to build a new soybean processing facility in Inkerman, which will be uniquely designed to allow the processing and packaging of both seed and food-grade soybeans in the same plant.

Ontario is investing $500,000 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund to support Sevita to create seven jobs and retain 28. With this investment, Sevita will grow its seed business in Eastern Ontario by about 50 per cent.

The state-of-the-art plant will lower production costs and improve quality. Sevita will also purchase innovative equipment that warms seeds to extend the seed processing and treating season. This is something no other seed plant in Ontario currently does.

Sevita is an Ontario-based agri-food company that processes non-GMO IP soybeans for food purposes to foreign markets and sells the seeds to produce the beans to domestic growers. About 85 per cent of their revenue is foreign based.

Fortier Stark Industrial is investing $1.5 million to construct a new facility in Winchester and purchase equipment to increase production capacity and sales into new markets.

The company provides custom fabrications, designs and builds. It also specializes in high-pressure pipe welding and fabrication, mobile welding and millwright services.

With $225,000 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, the company is creating five jobs and retaining another five. With this investment, the company will manufacture and clean stainless steel tanks and process piping skids for the food, dairy and beverage industry.