By IAN ROSS
The economic spinoffs in the North's mining industry has meant a run on industrial properties in North Bay's municipally-owned light-industrial park.
The rapidly diminishing bank of property in the once-dormant 112-acre Gateway Industrial Park is alive with construction activity.
Mining supply giant Atlas Copco is more than doubling its manufacturing space by moving into new digs on Ferris Drive.
The global mining supplier is finishing up a 93,000-square-foot plant to produce their Swellex rock reinforcement bolt.
As well, the company is moving over their rod and drill bit plant, warehouse and offices onto the 12-acre property starting in late March. The drill assembly operation will stay put on McKeown Avenue.
Financial officer Robert Gibson says it should add approximately 12 new jobs onto their North Bay workforce of 115.
"We're more than cheek to jowl here" says Gibson of their cramped 40,000-square-foot McKeown plant, because of the robust exploration business and the North American introduction of the new rock bolt.
"We've got the ability to move into a more efficient, modern and expandable facility," says Gibson. "We're certainly thrilled to have the opportunity to build a new building to set the stage for helping develop the park."
Mayor Vic Fedeli is proud of the progress the city has made considering lots hadn't been sold the 1980s.
Nearby, Niroc Construction, a builder of pre-engineered steel buildings, has plans to build 4,000-square-feet facility at Ferris and Legault, while SRP Building Products has tentative plans to build a 10,000-square-foot space on a three-acre lot at Booth Road.
SRP is still working on the storm water drainage details and haven't started construction.
North Bay Machining Centre is expanding and moving from their 7,800-square-foot Jet Avenue location into a new 20,000-square-foot shop on Birch's Road by early June.
The footings for the newly-outfitted $1.5 million CNC shop were poured in February.
The boom in mining has given companies like North Bay Machining and others reasons to expand, says City of North Bay economic development officer Beverley Hillier.
It's expected some of the privately-owned industrial land surrounding the park will start to fill up.
Hillier says there remains about 68 unsold acres but much of it is in a flood plain, reducing the possibility of development because of the site prep costs.
Many of the calls she fields come from companies and large site selection firms looking for industrial space or through various community contacts.
Some of the biggest splashes have come through the Air Base Property Corp.
ABPC bought 26 acres at the industrial park, 19 of which is earmarked for Goodyear Canada to build an 80,000-square tire retread plant for a fall opening. It was the last parcel of property offered under an innovative 'buck-an-acre' program launched by Fedeli.
The remaining land is going to local mine builder Cementation for a rebuild shop.
ABPC chairman Dave Butti says once thier last property at the airport is sold, his volunteer group will disband.
