Warm weather helps stick factory construction

Bruce Hynnes wants to give a shout-out to Mother Nature.

Hynnes, the owner of Hood Logging Equipment who is building a state-of-the-art factory to house newly formed company Global Sticks Inc., said warmer-than-normal weather has construction on schedule and barring last minute complications, should allow for an April start-up.

"We really have to thank our weather gods for providing this beautiful weather for construction," Hynnes said, raising his arms to the sky. "Everything’s going to plan."

About 20 construction workers are on site, he added, saying they’re holding close to the schedule set out last September when the factory was announced.

"The building is going along good. We’ve got all the structural steel in place. We’re going to start the roof sheeting and the wall sheeting on Monday, and we should have that done and completed toward the middle of February.

"Global Sticks will start to move their equipment inside and assemble the plant machines to start the production of the Popsicle sticks."

The manufacturer, currently based in China, will then close its plant in the Far East and begin setting up shop at its new Thunder Bay locale, situated at the rear of Hynnes’s Arthur Street property.

Hynnes, who could not speak for the company, nonetheless said Global Sticks had already acquired its white birch timber rights from the Ontario government and it should be all systems go when construction is complete.

"Global will be hiring millwrights sometime in April to assemble their plant equipment and hopefully production will start toward the end of April," Hynnes said. "It’s just a few months away. It’s great for Thunder Bay."

The $5-million project was assisted by more than $1 million in funding from the province and $3.8 million in loans and loan guarantees through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

When up and running, Global Sticks Inc. is expected to produce 2.9 million food grade wood sticks each year, including Popsicle sticks, tongue depressors and paint stirrers.