In early June, Samuel, Son & Co. announced plans to expand its automotive metals processing center in Brantford, Ontario, by the end of 2018. The Brantford facility has already undergone three expansions that have turned the original 40,000-square-foot building into what is now a 141,000-square-foot metals processing operation equipped with blanking and press lines.
The total investment in the facility’s expansion is reportedly an estimated $18 million, which will go toward improving the facility’s leveling and processing capabilities. “Over the last three years, Samuel has invested more than $100 million to extend the capacity and capabilities we offer to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers across North America," said Luis Ponte, Samuel's vice president of automotive.
According to the official statement released by Samuel, the investment is aimed at increasing the facility’s production capacity and will add more operation lines to process advanced high-strength steel (AHSS).
The automotive industry has recently shifted to improving fuel efficiency and lowering emissions by reducing vehicle weight. This has resulted in an increased demand for aluminum and AHSS. Several metals processing manufacturers have already begun investing in new processing technologies to expand capacity and meet this demand.
The facility’s expansion is scheduled to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2018 and should be in full operation by early 2019. This is in anticipation of expanding global automotive programs across North America and, particularly, Southwestern Ontario.
Samuel’s press statement came less than a week after the United States announced import tariffs on Canadian steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent). According to some economists, these new tariffs could potentially cost the Canadian economy more than $3 billion.
However, Samuel claims that it is still growing and that there are more opportunities for the company to continue expanding. With over 40,000 customers, Samuel says it will continue to provide them with seamless access to metals, industrial products and top-notch service.
The company established automotive operations in Columbia, Tennessee, in 2015 and acquired its additive manufacturing division, Burloak Technologies, in Dundas, Ontario, in 2017.