[Liquid sulphur dioxide] Rail access was key to Calabrian choosing Timmins – by By Len Gillis (Timmins Daily Press – October 22, 2015)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

TIMMINS – Mayor Steve Black had a tangible example of some good news for Timmins Wednesday, when he made his first ever state-of-the-city address. Speaking at the Days Inn, as part of Small Business Week, the mayor was able to point to a table at the front of room where several American businessmen were sitting.

“As noted a few weeks ago, Calabrian Corporation will be opening a new liquid sulphur dioxide production facility in Timmins. The company hails from Texas and the site in Timmins is part of the Canadian expansion plans,” said Black, adding that he expects the businessmen are now becoming Blue Jays fans.

Calabrian is the leading producer of liquid sulphur dioxide in North America and has secured a five-acre site in the east end of Timmins to build a new plant. The mayor said he was pleased the Timmins Economic Development Corporation worked tirelessly to bring the company to Timmins.

“We are very pleased the company will create jobs and opportunities for local residents. Having a new mining supplier in our municipality is certainly welcome news,” said Black, who asked company representatives to stand and be recognized at the lunch event. The mayor invited Calabrian CEO Randy Owens to speak to the business crowd, which was mostly Chamber of Commerce members.

“You can really feel the spirit of Timmins in this room,” said Owens. “Honestly I didn’t expect to see the warmness and the welcoming that we’ve had as a company coming into your community.”

Owens explained that Calabrian is a high-tech company that produces sulphur dioxide for the mining industry and the pulp and paper industry. Owens said part of the company strategy was to provide a closer, and less riskier, supply chain for its customers.

“Eastern Canada was on our radar screen and we began to look at multiple municipalities to locate this facility.”

He said this included communities in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Owens added that when the search began, “Timmins, honestly, was far down the list.”

Owens said part of the search was to find a community that had the necessary amenities and infrastructure already in place; things such as a railway and energy facilities. He said the company was also looking at getting things done as quickly as possible, so it could respond to market demands.

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