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The Rise of Multinationals Expanding & Hiring in Hamilton

The Rise of Multinationals Expanding & Hiring in Hamilton

The Rise of Multinationals Expanding & Hiring in Hamilton
July 05
15:14 2022

Building Permit value exceeds in Hamilton as Firms relocate to the area. surpassed the $2-billion mark in 2021 for the first time in its history.

Industrial and commercial construction made up 34.4 percent of that total for a record $717.3 million – an increase of 117 percent over the three-year average and a staggering 888 percent spike in industrial value since 2016.

“Demand for non-residential projects is at a level never seen before and we believe it is going to continue unabated,” said Norm Schleehahn, director of Hamilton Economic Development.

“End users and large developers alike have discovered Hamilton and are investing here for the future.”

Hamilton’s business parks are attracting global headquarters, expansions of made-in-Hamilton successes and industrial development companies that are capitalizing on the city’s value proposition, says Schleehahn.

Growth is fuelled by a number of factors, including a strong quality of life and improved public transit options. The West Harbour GO Transit station now has hourly, all-day train service to Toronto and a 17-stop light rail transit line is under development through the heart of the city.

Global companies, including Amazon, L3Harris, DHL, and Bridgestone, have all recently invested in Hamilton.

Here’s a look at three other multinational companies that are growing and hiring in the city.

Portland Fuel

Portland Fuel, a U.K.-based fuel trading firm, opened its North American headquarters in downtown Hamilton in 2019.

“At first we looked at leasing space in Toronto’s financial district but decided we liked the enthusiasm presented to us by Hamilton staff and it quickly felt like this should be our home,” said Conchur Brennan, general manager at Portland.

“We realized we didn’t need to be in Toronto. Many of our clients are trucking firms. Prior to COVID, we enjoyed the opportunity of getting out to visit our clients without a ton of hassle getting in and out of the city.”

Infarm

Infarm is the world’s largest vertical farming network, with more than 1,850 farming units in 11 countries, that are helping cities become self-sufficient in their food production.

“We’re currently constructing our first Canadian growing centre in Hamilton,” said Eilam Gazit, senior vice president operations.

Infarm has partnerships with 30 of the world’s top retail chains and already services 50 cities across Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia.

“Our location at Aeropark Boulevard is well situated for our business as it allows us to serve local customers in Hamilton and also gives quick access to the highway from which we can efficiently reach the distribution centres of our retail partners.”

Minova

Kentucky-based Minova moved into a larger facility in a former Westinghouse factory in There, it manufactures steel bolts and plates used in the mining industry. Soon it will add $6 million worth of machinery to begin manufacturing resin cartridges that are used along with rods and plates to stabilize areas being mined.

The company has manufacturing plants in five continents and operations in more than 25 countries.

The Hamilton plant, which will serve the hard rock mining industry across Canada, will be the beneficiary of 80 per cent of Minova America’s capital expense budget for the next two to three years, says Michael Collins, vice president of operations for Minova Americas. It now employs 70 people.

The facility offers plenty of room to grow and easy access to rail spur lines could factor into future operations.

“There is so much steel knowledge in Hamilton. Fabricators are nearby, so we know that as we grow, we can get things fabricated easily. There is a strong workforce and we have a terrific landlord who works with us.”

About Author

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Lloyd Stevens has been writing Canadian business news for over 20 years with articles appearing in Perspective which appears in The Globe & Mail and contributing to ThinkHamilton.blog and Creblurb.com

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