The federal government is investing $4M into a St. Catharines company.
FBT Inc. on Lakeshore Road, will upgrade the facility with the investment to be able to increase producivity by about 75%.
Federal officials say as the demand for domestic production of EV, energy, and semiconductor related-parts has risen in Canada, and FBT will adopt new robotic and automated solutions to increase production.
The government says FBT, which first started in 1945 in St. Catharines, will now be able to fulfill its growing orders, create 40 skilled jobs and support domestic manufacturing capacity for Ontario’s leading EV manufacturers.
The funding is coming from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
“Today’s investment in FBT Inc. will help the company increase productivity while creating good jobs in St. Catharines. By investing in businesses like this, our government is taking the necessary steps to boost Canada’s manufacturing sector and domestic supply chain in critical sectors while contributing to a more resilient future.” Chris Bittle, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for St. Catharines
“Today’s announcement is great news for the Niagara region. This is a leap forward in developing made-in-Canada capabilities to strengthen our regional economy, while creating important jobs for the community.” Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre
"Embracing innovation has always been at the core of FBT Inc.'s values. The enhanced efficiency will benefit existing clients and open up new capacity to engage in dedicated partnerships with businesses seeking long-term collaboration. Our commitment to fostering dedicated partnership opportunities is driven by our desire to forge strong, mutually beneficial relationships with our clients.” Rob Forstinger, President, FBT Inc.