Empire State Development and Buffalo Niagara Enterprise announced that Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP, a Canadian manufacturer of portable garden center structures, products and merchandise display systems for local, regional and national garden centers, will establish operations in Buffalo. The project will create 57 new jobs over the next five years and the company will invest more than $2 million for real estate acquisition, construction/renovation and the purchase of machinery and equipment. The investment is expected to generate more than $2 million in new payroll wages per year to spur local economic growth.
New York State will provide up to $450,000 in Excelsior tax credits to Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP. The manufacturer will also receive $61,000 in sales tax abatements through the Erie County IDA.
“Governor Cuomo’s promise of a new New York is demonstrated today by Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP’s commitment to establishing its operations in Buffalo,” said Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy. “OutFront has purchased a Buffalo manufacturing company that was about to go out of a business and is now refurbishing and upgrading the plant, maintaining the existing employees and drawing additional employees from an impoverished, urban area, creating a win-win solution for New York State.”
“I am pleased to be able to bring manufacturing jobs to the City of Buffalo,” said Tony Van Es, President, Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP. “My company is dedicated to ensuring the Buffalo OutFront MetalWorks Company has state of the art equipment, utilizes the best in green processes and that a multitude of high quality jobs result. This could not be possible without the support of the leaders in New York State government like Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Mark Grisanti who ensured that we received monetary assistance. I greatly appreciate all they have done to get this project off the ground.”
Buffalo Niagara Enterprise assisted OutFront with their acquisition of the former Buffalo Metal Fabricating by facilitating its access to incentives, and assisting with accounting, immigration and workforce needs. Expanding into the region through acquisition and having such a meaningful impact on an inner city neighborhood distinguishes this project from many of BNE’s past Canadian successes.
“It is because of our consistent Canadian marketing efforts and relationship building on the other side of the border that we were in a position to connect a Canadian buyer with this opportunity,” said BNE President & CEO Thomas A. Kucharski. “I want to congratulate and thank all of our partners including Empire State, our state legislators, the ECIDA and National Grid. This project is a great example of how private and public efforts can combine to create new jobs, retain existing ones and spur investment that will revitalize older neighborhoods in our city.”
OutFront Metalworks LP is starting the process to refurbish, renovate and make into a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant the former Buffalo Metal Fabricating plant located on the East Side of Buffalo. This updated facility will then provide the company access to the U.S. marketplace and will utilize local U.S. steel and galvanizing suppliers for production. Plans for the future include renovating all the existing buildings and retrofitting with “green” equipment needed to run a steel fabricating operation.
Congressman Brian Higgins, a member of the Northern Border Caucus and the U.S. Canada Interparlementary Exchange, said, “Our proximity to the Canadian border provides limitless economic opportunities for Western New York. We are thrilled that the leadership of Buffalo OutFront Metalworks recognizes Buffalo’s great potential as a City with a dedicated workforce and a community on the rise.”
Senator Mark Grisanti said, “Tony Van Es and the OutFront organization are committed to bringing jobs to the City of Buffalo. His company will provide good high quality, high paying manufacturing jobs to people who greatly need this opportunity as well as training for the unemployed, veterans and the disabled. I applaud his vision and dedication to making this conversion happen. We need more businesses to recognize the opportunity for success that are present here in New York State and our elected leadership needs to offer appropriate incentives to recruit businesses to our area.”
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said, “Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP’s decision to locate a facility in Buffalo fits in well with my administrations’ goal to attract Canadian businesses to Erie County. Our region provides the skilled workforce and easy access to U.S. markets that Canadian businesses are looking for, and we look forward to Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP’s success, which will serve as a model for other businesses interested in locating in Erie County.”
City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, “My administration was very involved with bringing Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP to the East Side of Buffalo, where we are pleased to welcome this leading Canadian manufacturer to its new U.S. home. The creation of 57 new jobs and over $2 million of investment for the local economy is great news as we continue to see progress and job growth in Buffalo.”
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, “I congratulate Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP on recognizing the benefits of locating its business in Buffalo, New York. Western New York boasts proximity to an international border, access to the U.S. market and a well established metal fabricating industry. I also applaud the company for its decision to maintain and improve an existing manufacturing plant in the region. It clearly demonstrates the region’s strengths in growing the manufacturing industry and employment.”
Buffalo OutFront Metalworks LP is one of three existing subsidiary divisions of All Cover Portable Systems, the other two being XL Shelter and Easy Fence Rental and Sales. The addition of the manufacturing facility in Buffalo will add a new division to the all Cover Portable Systems group of companies.
All Cover Portable Systems’ head office is located in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada. This location provides easy access to the Ontario Market, as well as close proximity to the Canadian and U.S. border. All Cover Portable Systems is a privately-held corporation that has operated in Ontario since its inception in 1997. Its head office houses manufacturing facilities and new office space. The company also has storage facilities located in Ontario and Alberta.
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (http://www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit http://www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and http://www.esd.ny.gov.
Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE), a private, non-profit, marketing, business and economic development organization, is the point of contact for business attraction and investment in the eight counties of the Buffalo Niagara region. Working with local economic development groups, real estate & development professionals, governmental agencies, utilities and private sector business leaders, BNE assists businesses seeking to re-locate or expand in our region with access to the various incentives, financing, site selection and other services relevant to their project. For information on doing business in Buffalo Niagara, visit http://www.buffaloniagara.org.