The Government of Ontario, Canada, is investing $1.8 million to help Niagara Pallet expand its production facility and install automated pallet-making equipment. This investment will triple pallet production, increase the company’s sales by 46% and create 30 new jobs.
Niagara Pallet’s $9 million project will help meet growing demand for the company’s products by adding 60,000 square feet of production space and installing automated sorting, measurement and lumber-cutting equipment. The project is expected to double the company’s U.S. export sales.
Expanded production at Niagara Pallet will also strengthen the province’s forest sector supply chain – the company will increase its purchases of Ontario lumber by 60%, providing greater opportunity for lumber harvesters, sawmills and trucking.
Funding for this project is being provided by the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, a business support program designed to improve productivity and innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access and strengthen regional economies.
“We are thankful for the support of Ontario’s Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program,” said Mike Vrugteveen, Vice-President of Niagara Pallet. “This investment has allowed us to purchase and install new equipment for the processing of lumber in our facility, which will allow our business to produce wood packaging products more efficiently.”
Niagara Pallet was established in 1993 as a small pallet repair operation and has grown into a multi-service wood products facility with 65 full-time employees. It manufactures new, custom and refurbished pallets, as well as wooden bins, crates and mulch.
