This article was originally published on HOPA Ports website on Monday, December 19, 2022 and can be viewed here.
Thorold, ON – A new industrial property has been added to the Thorold Multimodal Hub, a growing industrial complex in Niagara Region. The newly-acquired property adds 170 acres of land and over 500,000 sq.ft of warehouse space, creating room for industrial, manufacturing and logistics businesses to locate, grow or build new facilities.
The new addition is a former automotive parts plant, which closed its doors in 2008. The facility’s new owner, The BMI Group, through its subsidiary Bioveld Canada, specializes in redeveloping and adapting brownfield sites for modern industrial uses. The BMI Group already owns a 155-acre site with over 600,000 sq.ft of buildings within the existing Thorold Hub. “We see incredible potential in this new space,” said Justus Veldman, The BMI Group Managing Director. “Our success in attracting users to the first phase of the Thorold Multimodal Hub, through our partnership with HOPA, gives us the confidence to expand our investment in the Niagara Region.” As part of HOPA’s Niagara Ports network, The Thorold Multimodal Hub has already created marine, rail and conventional logistical supply chain solutions for Hub tenants.
Additional warehouse space and outdoor areas widen the service offering, and help to address the industrial supply chain challenges in Ontario. The newly-acquired facility offers up to 55-foot ceiling heights, overhead doors, loading docks, multiple spray booths, rail transload capability and multiple heavy cranes.
The space can be configured to the needs of large or small-footprint businesses and offers a variety of options for new-build construction of industrial spaces as well.
The new addition brings the space available at the Thorold Multimodal Hub to 400 acres of land and over 1 million sq.ft of indoor space, in multiple configurations, located immediately adjacent to the Welland Canal, with access to the CN rail line via rail service provider Gio Rail. The Hub is also uniquely suited to support companies focused on energy transition. Hub tenant Char Technologies recently announced more than $11 million in investment in their facility.
Partner HOPA Ports developed the Thorold Multimodal Hub model to bring together users who can benefit from the marine, rail and highway connections, as well as the facility’s proximity to the US border. “Now more than ever, companies are looking at how they can streamline their supply chains and lower their costs,” said HOPA Ports President & CEO Ian Hamilton. “By nurturing this industrial ecosystem, and making the most of Niagara region’s valuable transportation assets, we’re able to strengthen Canadian supply chains and facilitate Canadian trade and competitiveness.”
Following the launch of the first phase in December 2020, more than a dozen companies have already made the Thorold multimodal Hub home. “We’ve been able to address a pressing demand out there for industrial space in Ontario, and proven that these older, large-scale industrial facilities can be adapted to the needs of modern industry,” said Veldman.
Quotes
“We’re very excited to see our vision, and collective enthusiasm and investment in employment lands contained within the Niagara Ports Multimodal Trade Corridor resulting in the development of an exciting job and prosperity-creating enterprise in Niagara. This is strengthening the new economy of the Niagara region following some challenging times and our government will continue to be committed to the Corridor’s economic growth.”
- Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre
“The purchase of the former Hayes Dana Property by the BMI Group thru its subsidiary Bioveld Canada is of major significance. The vision of a Thorold Multimodal Hub that is being developed in partnership with HOPA continues to take shape along the Welland Canal Trade Corridor. The investments being made today will attract new businesses, create new jobs, as well as, contribute to the prosperity and success not only in the City of Thorold, but the entire Niagara Region.”
- Terry Ugulini, Mayor, City of Thorold
About Thorold Multimodal Hub:
The Thorold Multimodal Hub is a 400-acre multimodal industrial complex in Niagara, adjacent to the Welland Canal. Unique to Niagara, it features marine, rail and highway access, as well as 1,000,000 square feet of indoor warehouse and outdoor storage space, which can be configured to a wide variety of industrial, cargo handling and ancillary operations.
About The BMI Group and Bioveld Canada:
The BMI Group, developer and owner of Bioveld Canada, is a venture development company specializing in structuring public-private partnerships to activate the emergent potential of the natural, built, and social environment. From new housing development to multi-modal infrastructure, the BMI Group brings together multidisciplinary teams to finance, plan, design, and manage a growing and diversified portfolio of projects.
About HOPA Ports:
As an integrated port network, HOPA Ports offers port and marine assets on the Great Lakes. We are developing multimodal spaces, including in Niagara, to support Ontario’s industries and facilitate trade. By investing in high-quality infrastructure and prioritizing sustainability, we build prosperous working waterfronts in Ontario communities.