Rainy weather did little to dampen the enthusiasm at the ribbon-cutting for Latham Pools newest facility.
The 148-acre fibreglass manufacturing plant will serve markets in both eastern Canada, as well as the northeast and upper Midwest of the United States.
The New York-based company is expanding north of their border opening their first manufacturing facility in Canada and their largest fibreglass facility.
According Hastings Lennox & Addington MPP Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Loyalist Township is a perfect location.
“This area hosts a beautiful area for families, for businesses. We’re competitive, we’re close to the 401 corridor, close to Ottawa, close to Toronto — a friendly, small-town feel that welcomes everyone.”
According to president and CEO Scott Rajeski, the company already has a roster of about seventy five employees, but that number will continue to grow.
“We’ll eventually get up to the hundreds of people,” Rajeski said. “We don’t have a target of where we’ll eventually land. Demand will dictate that, but clearly we have the opportunity to make a lot of pools here and employ a lot of people in the future.
Kramp-Neuman says the promise of dozens of new jobs for the area is a welcome boost following COVID-19.
“In a pressing time, in such an uncertain economy, it is welcome to have such a remarkable facility in our backyard,” Kramp-Neuman said.
“It will be great for the community and great for the entire area”
While the ribbon cutting ceremony took place Wednesday, the factory has already begun production, with the first fibreglass pool rolling off the line about a month ago.