Steel columns, beams and other fixtures are laid out in neat rows in a wet and very muddy, grey-brown parcel of land next to Highway 403 at Rest Acres Road in Brant County, a short drive south of Paris, Ont.
Several pickup trucks, a mobile crane, bulldozer and couple of excavators are parked on the sprawling site, which is slated to be home to a new state-of-the-art parts distribution centre for Ford Motor Co. of Canada.
For the past several months, crews have been installing sewer, water and wastewater infrastructure and grading the site. Foundation footings are now in place and structural steel is going up for the 562,000-square-foot building.
“The foundations are 100 per cent and all the site servicing is completed,” says Peter Vicano, president of Vicano Construction Ltd. of Brantford which is doing the work. “All the site granulars are in place and structural steel is 33 per cent erected.”
The massive facility is one of two new parts distribution centres being constructed by Ford in Ontario to replace the company’s 900,000-square-foot facility in Bramalea. The other is in the Ottawa area. The new building is being built to improve customer satisfaction and expedite parts delivery time to dealers.
The structure is on a 30-acre parcel of land that Vicano owns facing Highway 403. A number of companies have been building in the industrial area between Brantford and Paris over the past few years.
Vicano Developments Ltd. negotiated a deal with Ford to construct and lease the distribution centre. Vicano competed against multiple submissions from other builders in southwestern Ontario. The proximity of the land to Highway 403, speed of delivering the building and strong labour pool were all positive factors in the successful proposal.
Work at the site began in May and the building is expected to be completed in December 2022.
“We’re waiting for structural steel to be erected,” says Vicano. “It’s at a point in time in the project when we need the steel up and that’s what we’re doing.”
Ironworkers and masonry trades are presently onsite, along with electricians and plumbers.
Once the steel is erected, pre-cast concrete walls will be hoisted into place and the trades will then start work on the inside of the building, says Vicano.
“The structural steel goes up and then the roof deck goes on, the roofing gets started, the pre-cast wall panels get erected. That should start in early January. The roofing is scheduled for Jan. 15.”
While some projects have had trouble getting enough skilled trades, Vicano says it hasn’t been an issue on the build. COVID-19 also has not delayed any elements of the project and steel for the project was procured prior to supply chain challenges became an issue.
“It (steel) has become an issue but not on this project,” explains Vicano. “We were able to procure all our contracts before it became more and more difficult. Many materials are becoming more difficult to get, not just for us but for our subtrades and suppliers to source, including structural steel. But this project isn’t delayed in any way as far as materials supply. We were able to beat that sort of phenomenon happening,”
The distribution centre will have many green and energy-efficient features, including a roof with a white PVC membrane that reflects the sun’s rays rather than absorbing energy into the structure. The membrane releases the energy that is absorbed and maintains a lower roof temperature than traditional roofs.
LED lighting, which uses much less energy than incandescent bulbs, is also used, along with enhanced insulation for the roof and walls. There are proximity detectors on all lighting so they are off when there is no movement. Electric vehicle charging stations are also being added in the parking area for employees.
Brant County Mayor David Bailey says the region hopes to attract more tenants like Ford to come to the area.
“The County of Brant continues to search out and secure opportunities to stabilize and grow our local economy,” he said. “This includes attracting and supporting small, medium and large businesses such as Ford.
“We want to be a place where people can live, work and play all in their own community and attracting employers such as Ford continues the county in the right direction.”
Bailey noted as Brant County continues to grow, it is important to balance the industrial, commercial and residential expansion to stabilize the tax base and provide jobs for residents.
Paul Vicano, executive vice-president of Vicano Developments, said the County of Brant’s planning approval process is streamlined, responsive and takes a pragmatic approach to the development approval process.
“The County of Brant really understands what it takes to attract investment to the area,” he stated. “All county staff involved treated this project as if it were their own. They are professional, they helped facilitate creative solutions to issues that arose, and were just very pleasant to work with.
“We commend county council and county staff in supporting economic growth in the region with its business-friendly approach.”
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed