Grand River Foods

Poultry processor Grand River Foods receives federal funds for expansion

[February 18, 2010]

Grand River Foods received a loan of almost $1.2 million from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, while Bend All Automotive Inc. in Ayr received just over $1 million.

Craig Richardson, president of Grand River Foods, said his company is in the midst of a technological overhaul to become more productive and competitive.

The company employs 300 people at its manufacturing plant and administration offices on Vondrau Drive in Cambridge and another 150 people at a poultry slaughtering facility in Beamsville.

Richardson acknowledged that 72 workers at the company’s Paris poultry slaughtering facility lost their jobs three weeks ago when the company closed that facility. He said the company was processing two different sizes of birds at two plants, but with new equipment, the company can handle different sized birds at the facility in Beamsville.

In Cambridge, where meat is cooked and processed into different food products for global markets, 20 jobs will be added as the company buys frying and blending equipment that will ”allows us to be much more efficient and move the product through the plant faster,” he said.

He said the company is eyeing the possibility of future expansion in Cambridge. “Our customers want us to diversify our product lines more and this enables us to do more on a single site,” he said. The federal money “hastened our commitment to get this done,” he said.

Alfred Napolitano, chief executive of Bend All Automotive Inc., said the loan his company received will help it produce complete heat exchange parts that cool the transmission and power steering in cars.

The 34-year-old company, which employs 524 people, has been making the tube assemblies for those systems. Now, by also making the heat exchanger parts, “we will complete the loop,” he said.

This should open up new markets for the company and add about 75 jobs in the coming year, he said. “This makes it a more timely, cost efficient and more marketable product.”

Gary Goodyear, Cambridge MP and minister of state for the Federal Economic Development Agency, announced the loans. He said the flexible repayment terms spur companies to invest and create jobs when the economy needs a boost.

Article by Rose Simone, Record staff
rsimone@therecord.com

Return to Press Room