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metal fasteners and providing design working conditions were implemented by companies were a continual headache to
software primarily to the woodtruss the provincial and federal governments. manage. However Justin mentioned that,
manufacturing industry and has been Starting with non-essential construction overall, the City of Bradford and the Mayor’s
selling in the Canadian marketplace since shutdowns and working from home for office did all they could to help move the
the 1960’s with the Gang Nail product many employees due to safety protocols, build forward. Because of the dedication
category. USP, with its focus on the retail the finish date to complete the project was and determination of the management
building supply and distribution centres, continually extended. and employees of MiTek, the new 233,000
allowed MiTek to expand its product David Cattapan was quite candid sq. ft. manufacturing plant was finally
offering with metal fasteners and hardware, about the challenges and the continual completed in the late spring of 2021, with
software and engineering services to the pushback on the completion date; this an anticipated Grand Opening planned for
retail lumber yards - also selling posts and became an alarming situation as the the spring of 2022.
columns to this sector. The USP name has date to vacate their existing facility was When asked about sales and margins
been retired and the products are now sold fast approaching. The pressure was on being affected (not only by the pandemic
and marketed under the MiTek brand name. to move the manufacturing presses, to but also by transitioning from two facilities
The decision to amalgamate their find extra time for trades to make the to one new facility), Rick expressed his
two manufacturing facilities (Thornhill connections and safety inspectors to give exasperation at how the construction and
and Bradford) to one location in Bradford the OK to start production. Construction building supply industry became a monster
happened before the pandemic hit, with material shortages, labour shortages and to supply and service. Yes, sales were strong
construction starting on the new plant the usual red tape from government and but high demand for product and escalating
in the summer of 2019, before the initial environmental studies also contributed to raw material costs as well as delayed
lockdowns and restrictions on travel and the stress of relocating. Trades and utility deliveries proved to be a bit of a nightmare

20 LBMAO Reporter - July-August 2021 www.lbmao.on.ca