When manufacturers are looking for a space to grow their business, they are weighing a variety of factors, such as location and workforce. “Often, the ability to reduce transportation cost is the secret ingredient,” says Bruce Wood, President & CEO of the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA).
As the largest port in Ontario, the Port of Hamilton offers a unique recipe for success: a combination of assets that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the region, including warehousing and manufacturing facilities, competitive logistics services, and multimodal transportation options. “Our job is to help Ontario businesses compete,” says Wood. “And we’ve brought together a comprehensive set of manufacturing and logistics supports that give our customers a competitive edge.”
For manufacturers seeking a new home base in Ontario’s manufacturing heartland, HPA is an enthusiastic partner who can help companies find the right mix of real estate and transportation connections. With a 600+ acre property portfolio, and 2.5 million sq.ft of warehouse/logistics space under roof, the Port offers opportunities for highly specialized manufacturing operations.
1632 Burlington
HPA’s 500,000 sq.ft warehouse complex at 1632 Burlington St. in Hamilton features bay heights up to nine storeys, and overhead cranes capable of handling up to 180 tons. “This complex offers some of the heaviest crane capacity in southern Ontario,” says Wood. “The property was newly acquired by HPA and we’re excited about the potential to attract new, large-scale manufacturers.” The property also offers full multimodal connectivity, with direct highway access, rail transload, and close proximity to marine shipping piers.
Plant 19
‘Plant 19’ is a LEED-certified building with handling, storage and manufacturing capabilities for steel coils or other heavy goods. This 80,000 sq.ft property on the Port’s Pier 25 is highly visible, with exceptional road, rail and marine accessibility.
Multimodal Transportation Hub
In addition to HPA’s manufacturing-focused real estate assets, tenants and port users gain the competitive edge that comes with efficient transportation. “We give our port users the advantage of being able to choose ‘the right mode at the right time’,” notes Wood. “Choice allows manufacturers to tailor their transportation needs depending on the customer, product or shipment.”
The Port’s marine connections can deliver goods anywhere in the world. Rail and truck service puts 100 million consumers and some of North America’s largest consumer markets within a day’s reach.
Advantage Hamilton
A recent Deloitte study for the City of Hamilton looking at the region’s manufacturing sector noted: “The City has many competitive advantages that will allow it to capitalize on future opportunities, in particular the potential re-shoring of more specialized manufacturing to North America. Hamilton’s strategic location, access to transportation infrastructure and land supply will be major advantages.” The Deloitte report also cited Hamilton’s strong education and research institutions and highly skilled workforce as major attractors.
HPA further credits its welcoming approach to new and growing businesses in helping it to attract more than $300 million in investment in recent years. “As a full-service port, we can handle any type of cargo: dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk and project cargo, even containers. And we can deliver it anywhere in the world. There is no better place to start or grow a manufacturing business,” says HPA’s Bruce Wood. “Tell us what you do; what you need. We’ll work with you to make it happen.”