More robots means more people, says company

SIS Manufacturing Corp. will use a $1-million provincial grant for robotic welding equipment, as well as the hiring of about 15 additional employees, says company management.

The money, which comes in the form of a Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation grant, will allow the company to expand its structural steel machining capacity.

SIS Group already uses robotic welding equipment in its current work. 

SIS Group owner Tony Porco, seen during today's $1-million funding announcement from the province of Ontario. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday

“What we are doing is kind of unique in the industry. We are utilizing robots to weld beams, instead of other methods of welding,” said Tony Coccimiglio, general manager of SIS Group.

He said the robotic welding equipment allows for better quality of welds, with more precise cuts.

Along with the company’s primary specialty — the manufacturing of locomotive underframes — SIS Group is also currently producing welded wide flanges for the Peace Bridge expansion project near Niagara Falls, Ont.

Coccimiglio said the company has also landed a bid to manufacture beams for the sub-station units for an upcoming TTC expansion in Toronto.

In addition to the robotic welding equipment, the company is looking to expand its workforce by about 10 to 15 employees within the coming weeks.

That will bring the total amount to more than 60 employees, said Coccimiglio.

Additional robotics actually require the hiring of more workers, said Coccimiglio, as the company looks to hire a robotic programmer and robotic welding technicians, among other positions.

SIS Manufacturing Corp. owner Tony Porco said the operation is currently at capacity.

“It’s been really busy. We are definitely hiring because the market is there for what we are making at this time,” said Porco.

The company is somewhat shielded by the city’s economic woes because it ships most of its product across the province and beyond.

“We don’t do much work for the city. We ship locomotive parts around the world,” said Porco.

SIS Manufacturing was created by Porco in 2008, when Essar Steel Algoma closed the welded beam division.

“I worked there. We picked it up and continued it, and now do a lot more products than they did,” said Porco.

He added, “We don’t depend on work in this city, but we do depend on the steel from Essar Steel Algoma right now.”

Porco said the type of manufacturing SIS specializes in has been done in the Sault since at least the late 1960s.

“It’s a steel town. You can tell when you see this work being done. It’s easy for us, but it’s not really easy for other people,” he said.