Investing in First-in-Canada Technology, Supporting Ontario's Vital Manufacturing Sector

HAMILTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 27, 2015) - Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

Today, FedDev Ontario Minister Gary Goodyear, along with Member of Parliament for AncasterΓöÇDundas ΓöÇFlamboroughΓöÇWestdale David Sweet, announced an important investment that will strengthen the water management infrastructure cluster in Ontario and grow the clean-tech industrial base in Ontario.

Fibracast, a Hamilton-based manufacturer of advanced membrane technologies used in water treatment, will receive a $10-million repayable contribution under FedDev Ontario's Advanced Manufacturing Fund (AMF).

The Harper Government's investment will lead to the development of transformative products and first-in-Canada technologies to help Ontario manufacturers create high-quality, highly-skilled jobs and compete globally.

The repayable contribution will be used to ramp up commercial scale production of Fibracast's FibrePlate technology in Ontario. The project will also involve marketing Fibracast's technology to wastewater treatment plants across North America, Europe and Asia. The total cost of the project is $20 million.

Quick Facts

• The manufacturing sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy, employing more than 1.7 million Canadians, of which nearly 750,000 live in Ontario. It also accounts for half of the business R&D in Canada and generated sales of $621.7 billion in 2014, including $286.6 billion in sales for Ontario alone.
  
  
• Nearly 80,000 manufacturing establishments exist across the country. More than 32,000 manufacturing establishments exist in southern Ontario and contribute enormously to local economies.
  
  
• The Harper Government has provided 1.4 billion dollars or tax relief to the manufacturing sector and total business tax costs in Canada are now the lowest in the G7.
  
  
• Fibracast is expected to create 64 new full-time, highly-skilled jobs and maintain 15 full-time, highly-skilled jobs as a result of this project. This is in addition to new jobs created through the company's Canadian supply chain.
  
  

Quotes

"Our Government's top priority remains creating jobs and opportunities for Canadians and our Government's Advanced Manufacturing Fund provides a major economic boost to Ontario's manufacturers. Fibracast's innovative and transformative membrane technology is a first in Canada and will help meet the growing global demand for water while creating long-term jobs to this region and across Canada. Our Government will continue to focus on our low-tax plan to create jobs and growth, establishing the right conditions for global trade opportunities, investment and a skilled workforce."

- Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (FedDev Ontario)

"Canadian manufacturers, like Fibracast, are integral to productive manufacturing and creating jobs. Our Government is committed to investing in manufacturers to help them become more productive and competitive, which keeps and creates jobs here in this region and across the country."

David Sweet, MP for AncasterΓöÇDundasΓöÇFlamboroughΓöÇWestdale

"The funding from FedDev Ontario's Advanced Manufacturing Fund is of great support to Fibracast, as we enter a new, key phase in our company's growth. The Government of Canada's support will allow us to accelerate the commercialization of our innovative FibrePlate membrane technology, and position Fibracast as a leader in supplying technology for better water across the planet."

- John Tomescu, CEO, Fibracast Ltd.

Related Products

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Speech: Fibracast AMF Announcement

Associated Links

Advanced Manufacturing Fund

Fibracast

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BACKGROUNDER

Harper Government Makes Major Investment in Hamilton Wastewater Membrane Manufacturing

Fibracast's unique hybrid membrane filtration technology offers water treatment plants improved filtration performance, stronger membranes and better space efficiency, all at less cost than existing membrane filtration technologies. FibrePlate uses a unique hybrid-membrane that combines the best features of hollow-fibre and flat-plate membrane technologies.

Fibracast expects to create 64 new full-time jobs and maintain 15 full-time jobs upon the project's completion in addition to jobs and economic benefits generated throughout their Canadian supply chain. Funding will be used to scale-up production capacity which includes plans to lease facilities in southern Ontario in order to meet expected volumes of 750,000-square meters of membrane material by 2016 and up to two million square meters by 2018.

About Fibracast

Fibracast is a global leader in the research, development and manufacturing of advanced membrane technologies for water and wastewater treatment. Founded in 2010 by a team of water-technology veterans, Fibracast created the next generation of membrane filtration technology to improve on the robustness, performance and operational flexibility of existing membrane designs.

Fibracast is a member of the Anaergia group of companies, which specializes in recovering value from waste for the municipal, industrial and agriculture sectors worldwide.

The Advanced Manufacturing Fund

The AMF was launched on December 9, 2013, with a mandate to invest in innovation and boost productivity in Ontario's manufacturing sector. It seeks to increase the development of transformative products and technologies to help Ontario manufactures create high-quality jobs and, in turn, help Canada compete globally. In Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government provided $200 million over five years for the AMF, to be delivered province-wide by FedDev Ontario.

The AMF supports investments that create new and innovative products or production methods, with commercialization within five years.

The AMF also promotes the continued growth of Ontario's advanced manufacturing firms by:

• Supporting large-scale, transformative advanced manufacturing activities which will increase productivity;
  
  
• Advancing development and/or adoption of cutting-edge technologies, leading to product, process, and technological innovations;
  
  
• Encouraging projects that create spill-over benefits for manufacturing clusters and/or supply chains; and
  
  
• Fostering collaborations between the private sector, research institutions, and post-secondary institutions.
  
  

Along with the launch of the Southern Ontario Prosperity Initiatives, and renewal of the Eastern Ontario Development Program, the AMF has been designed to help businesses, other organizations and workers remain in Ontario as they break new ground.

Related Products

News Release: Investing in First-in-Canada Technology, Supporting Ontario's Vital Manufacturing Sector

Speech: Fibracast AMF Announcement