Manufacturer of aluminium-powered generators and another bidding for nuclear and data centre work receive funding Friday

Blake Ellis/The Independent

Two Sarnia companies, AlumaPower and Promart Industrial Products, are receiving  a combined investment from the federal government of nearly $5 million through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

“Sarnia knows how to build things,” said Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong MP Marilyn Gladu at the AlumaPower facility. “You can see it in the plants, workshops and the businesses that has made this region such an important part of Canada’s economy.”

AlumaPower is receiving $4 million through the Regional Defence Investment Initiative, while Promart Industrial Products will see a nearly $900,000 investment through the regional tariff relief response imitative.

“Have a good idea is not enough,” said Gladu, who was making the announcement on behalf of  the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon, as well as the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario. “You need equipment to produce it, you need investment to grow and customers who want to buy what you make.” Gladu added that dealing with tariffs, expanding and pivoting into markets is difficult. 

AlumaPower has developed a aluminium fuel generator system which has the potential to be used by the military. Its new technology uses recycled aluminium to generate power.

“We are entering into another exciting new chapter now,” said AlumaPower Chief Executive Officer Rob Alexander, as the company moves to launch its generators into the defence and telecommunication markets.

AlumaPower has been working with the Canadian military for the past four years, but Alexander said their product could also be used for back up power for cell towers or for communities in the Far North, by making diesel generators obsolete. The total effort will mean an $8 million investment, as the company matched the dollars received from the federal government.

In the case of Promart Industrial Products, the company will be upgrading its facilities and adopting advanced manufacturing technologies through a total $2 million investment. 

“We want to compete for more Canadian nuclear work, more energy projects, more data centre construction and major infrastructure and major infrastructure,” said Promart Industrial Products Vice President of Operations Marc Parizeau. The company will be using robotic welding, advanced laser cutting and automated material handling within its operations.  

“Because the question is not just how do we get through this disruption. It’s what we want our businesses to be able to do on the other side of it,” said Parizeau, about the tariffs Canadian companies are dealing with.