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September 8, 2016 | 32 pages
Kruger Products expansion brings dozens of new jobs for Quinte West By Sarah Hyatt Quinte West – A loan of up to $10 million through Ontario’s Jobs and Prosperity Fund is helping a local manufacturer to create and protect jobs and will support “a multi-million dollar expansion.” MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West, Lou Rinaldi, delivered the news publicly at Kruger Products, on Wednesday, Aug. 31, that the province would partner with the Trenton plant and “away-from-home site.” Several local dignitaries, including Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison, Quinte West city councillors, Brighton Mayor Mark Walas, and Chris King, the CEO of the Quinte Economic Development Commission, to name a few, were also in attendance to celebrate the “significant investment” for Quinte West and the region. The loan will help the company to expand its commercial division and to boost its market share in the United States. In other words, Harrison said the Trenton company is looking at essentially “tripling its employees.” Installation of state-of-the-art equipment and the set-up of eight new production lines are key highlights of the project, which Kruger Products is investing more than $50 million in. The partnership will help to create 119 new jobs and to retain 184 positions.
The goal is for the expansion to be complete by the end of 2019. “We’re going to be adding a lot of new equipment and we’re going to need new people for that equipment,” said CEO for Kruger Products, Mario Gosselin, who noted without the province’s contribution and the collaboration of many, the expansion project wouldn’t be possible. These new jobs will not only be a significant boost to Trenton, says Rinaldi, but also beyond. Brighton Mayor Mark Walas shared a similar opinion Wednesday, adding he foresees the creation of these new jobs as a benefit to the region at large. “This investment, it made a lot of sense – this really is an ideal situation,” said Rinaldi. “They’ve invested more than $50 million – so they’re serious… Kruger’s a well established company… an employer this size – an industry of this magnitude will impact greater Quinte and beyond, frankly. It’s a winwin. The people that work here, they’re going to spend their money locally too.” The Jobs and Prosperity Fund is providing $2.7 billion in the next 10 years to help enhance productivity, bolster innovation and grow Ontario’s exports. Business support is provided from the province, contingent on the company “meeting stringent investment and job targets.” The Ministry of Economic Develop-
ment and Growth reports, projects are closely monitored to protect taxpayers and include multiple claw-back provisions, if targets are not met. While Rinaldi notes there have been some folks who’ve been critical of government assistance in this way, he says it’s “totally vital.” The MPP anticipates working with Kruger Products on future expansion in years to come. “We’re talking about 300 fairly wellpaying jobs here,” Rinaldi noted, which makes the MPP confident the government is on the right track. Gosselin announced Wednesday the company is already considering the potential for attaching a warehouse to the Trenton facility in the future. Kruger Products is considered one of Canada’s largest manufacturers and distributors of tissue products – Cashmere bathroom tissue, SpongeTowels and Scotties facial tissue, etc. The Trenton site, purchased about two years ago and totaling around 200,000 square-feet, is part of the away-fromhome division, which helps supply products to customers in hotels, arenas, restaurants and hospitals. “This is one of the most significant investments I’ve seen in a long time,” said Mayor Harrison, who noted the last similar announcement for the area came from McKesson’s. “Everyone working together has made this
CEO for Kruger Products, Mario Gosselin, discusses the Trenton plant’s expansion with the press, on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Photo by Sarah Hyatt.
happen,” he said, adding even CFB Trenton helped fly company officials to the area Wednesday. Harrison says the city is prepared to aid with future expansion and is hopeful to continue to build on this momentum and attract other compa-
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nies to the area. “I know there are people looking at us now – there are a few on the radar, could be two-to-three other large manufacturing facilities coming to the Quinte area or Quinte West,” he said.
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