Southern Ontario Spotlight - June 2019

GreenMantra Recycling Technologies is a leader in chemical recycling. The company was the first in the world to upcycle post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastics, creating synthetic waxes and polymers used in roofing, roads and plastic composites. Its patented process drives value along recycling chains by extracting resources from waste products and creating new uses for materials that would otherwise be thrown out. FedDev Ontario’s support for GreenMantra’s Low Melt Series waxes, resulted in 29 jobs and a 735 percent increase in sales. The company also built a new wax-manufacturing facility, leading to the creation of 13 jobs. Recently, GreenMantra announced it is working with INEOS Styrolution to advance polystyrene—or Styrofoam—recycling.

The Ontario Centres of Excellence will continue to support next-generation entrepreneurs through a FedDev Ontario contribution of $3 million to its SmartStart Seed Fund program. SmartStart backs technology-driven companies by providing seed funding, skills training and business advisory services. To date, over 300 start-ups have been assisted, more than 2,600 jobs created or maintained and up to 85 new companies will receive a boost with the additional funding. SmartStart alumni who are making headlines include AOMS Technologies, which tied for second place at the 2018 Nokia Open Innovation Challenge, and Hoppier (formerly Desk Nibbles), a finalist in the 2018 Canada Post E-commerce Innovation Awards. FedDev Ontario’s Linda Cousineau, Director General, Business Innovation and Community Development Branch, recently presented at OCE’s annual Discovery conference.

Build it and they will come. That’s precisely what Flying Colours Corp. is expecting when it completes its new, 90,000-square-foot hangar at the Peterborough Municipal Airport. FedDev Ontario continues to support Flying Colours—the largest airport tenant and a well-known local success that has grown significantly since landing in the area in the early 90s. Flying Colours, a full-service aviation company, offers completions, modifications and refurbishment. It also conducts extensive research and development to support product innovations. The expansion will almost double current plant capacity, introduce advanced technologies and equipment, and add 60 new jobs.

Hammond Manufacturing, located in Guelph, is a leading manufacturer of industrial enclosures, electronic enclosures and rack cabinets. FedDev Ontario’s support helped Hammond Manufacturing integrate advanced production techniques and expand its facilities, enabling the company to exceed its growth projections. By the end of 2018, the company generated $145.6 million in revenue—more than a 14.3-percent increase from the previous year and an almost 40-percent increase over four years—and made $3.7 million in net profit. The project created 140 full-time jobs, exceeding the target of 55 jobs by more than 150 percent.