A prominent North Bay mining supplier and global manufacturer of underground utility vehicles is moving into more expansive digs this spring.
Miller Technology acquired the former Stowe Woodward plant on Eloy Road in the city’s west end and is renovating the 43,000-square-foot building to consolidate its operations from two locations in the city.
The company acquired the building Dec. 1 and has hired contractors to spend the winter making shop renovations and constructing a second story inside the building to add an extra 5,000-square-feet of administrative space and an employee lunchroom.
“It will give us a lot more ability,” Ron Miller, president and founder of the home-grown North Bay company, who expects to be in operation at the new site by mid-April.
The renovation price tag will be up to $4 million when complete.
The 48-employee firm currently operates out of a two locations, including their main office and shop on Seymour Road and its parts, rebuild and sales division on Ferris Drive.
At a combined 26,000-square-feet, it was beginning to be tight quarters for a mining supplier with an active domestic and international market.
“We were turning work down because we don’t have the space to work in anymore,” said Miller.
At the new site, they inherited some heavy equipment include three 50-tonne cranes, a shop blasting system and wash bays.
The building’s columns are being reinforced to accommodate small jib cranes and the ventilation system is being improved.
“The maintenance was let go in the last few years,” said Miller.
More space at the new plant means the company will likely be looking for skilled labour.
“We can probably use some more mechanics and welders when we move to the new facility.
We’ll have a place to put them,” said Miller.
Miller said the mining supply business is brisk these days, but the company is also diversifying into the utility sector by working with Hydro One in developing a new line of products including pole-handling equipment.
The Stowe Woodward plant was closed last year by its U.S. parent company Xerium Technologies, laying off 31.
The company made roll covers for the pulp and paper industry.
The plant was established in North Bay in 1980 and was their last Canadian facility shut down.
For Miller Technology, they’ll be vacating space in Aoril that they’ve occupied since 1982.
The family-run company was one of the first businesses to locate in the Seymour Street industrial park.
Ron Miller started the company more than 30 years ago as a home-based operation out of his garage until neighbours’ compliants about the noise of his diesel tractors forced him to move operations to Seymour.
It’s a family-run outfit with one son, Chad, handling sales and marketing, while Kent heads up construction and equipment sales.
The company boosts a Canadian and international client base that includes Diavik, Goldcorp, BHP and De Beers.
The company ships about 25 per cent of its product international to customers in the U.S., Africa and Russia.
Besides their own signature Miller Truck and Triple 4-ce underground personnel and utility carriers, they are also a distributor of Toyota Landcruiser cabs and chassis, JCB heavy equipment and CMI mulching heads.
