- Fabmar Metal Inc. and Heddle Shipyard have brought shipbuilding back to Northwestern Ontario.
- Bidding is also underway for regular maintenance winter work for their commercial clients.
- The two organisations are synergizing their activities to reach new heights.
Faber metals and Heddle Shipyards have undertaken shipbuilding activities in the Thunder Bay which saw light after about two decades of being in the dark. Fabmar Metals Inc, which is now part of Heddle Shipyards company and the manufacturer on the project, continues to move their equipment from their erstwhile station.
Work In Progress
Dale Ryynanen, president of Fabmar Metals, said “We are in the process of modernising and upgrading,” said Ryynanen, adding that “good-sized projects” are being bid on for work at the site this winter.We’ll be looking for labour for that.”
Ted Kirkpatrick, Heddle’s director of business, says there are “lots of opportunities” and he believes that they are looking at a potentially busy year ahead. Kirkpatrick explained that they would be working on small vessels between 30 and 50 metres, connecting with both the Canadian Coast Guard and Navy, which are part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The entire organisation is in a great position to capture a lot of work.
The Ride is bumpy!
Work shortage is a menace and is taking a toll on the manufacturing and trades industry including Fabmar.
Ryynanen said “Put it this way. I had four guys from Newfoundland here for the last two weeks and two guys from Heddle and southern Ontario to help us get the modules out because we couldn’t find enough weld support”
The organisation is bent on inducting a well oriented training program for the working staff. “Welding has always been a blue-collar job,” Ryynanen said. “It appears that the new generation of parents don’t want their kids to be in a blue-collar industry and have steered them to be much more academic…”
Creating a core of young talent that have the requisite skills is on the charts for the organisation right now.
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Source: Yahoo News
