Sault firm is Ontario's first solar panel manufacturer

EDITOR'S NOTE: The headline on this article was based on a statement made to SooToday.com by Sault MPP David Orazietti, who believed Heliene Canada's plant to be the first of its kind in Ontario. Since this article appeared, we have heard from Solgate Inc., which employes more than 20 people at a 15,000-square-foot photovoltaic module plant in Woodbridge, Ontario. To learn more about Solgate, please click here.

Heliene Canada is poised to become Ontario's first manufacturer of solar energy modules.

Today, the Sault Ste. Marie-based company held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new plant to be located on Allen's Side Road just north of Second Line.

Denis Turcotte, former chief executive officer of Essar Steel Algoma, is one of the primary investors in the company.

Martin Pochtaruk (shown) who originally came here in 2000 as part of the Tenaris team that recommissioned the tube mill, is president of Heliene Canada.

Pochtaruk decided to make Sault Ste. Marie his home and now says he couldn't imagine launching Heliene Canada's first manufacturing facility anywhere else.

Both were on hand at today's groundbreaking.

Pochtaruk said the building that will house the manufacturing company will be in place by September and the first modules are expected to be produced this year.

In addition to its reputation as the green energy capital of North America, Sault Ste. Marie is located on several major shipping nodes, making the community an advantageous location for distribution of Heliene Canada's products, he said.

It's also the home of the company's investors and Pochtaruk said he expects Ontario will be the company's primary market although people as far away as Germany have shown an interest in Heliene Canada and its Sault operations.

Pochtaruk said the company's modules are highly scalable and would be suitable to generate solar energy for everything from single-family homes to offices and retail outlets.

It's just a matter of adding more modules to generate more power.

Initially, the company will be starting small.

But it expects to grow as demand grows, until Heliene is producing at capacity and running three shifts a day with as many as 42 employees.

Sault MPP David Orazietti kicked off today's groundbreaking with the announcement of $2.5 million in funding for the project.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation is providing Heliene Canada with a loan of $1,875,000 and a $625,000 grant.

Speaking on behalf of Mayor John Rowswell, Ward 1 Councillor Steve Butland agreed that initiatives such as the new Heliene Canada manufacturing plant will do plenty to help the local economy.

************************* Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Sault ideal for solar energy, says our newest manufacturer Orazietti goes solar