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Shelburne Free Press https://shelburnefreepress.ca/?p=21132 Export date: Thu Nov 21 11:47:18 2024 / +0000 GMT |
KTH blossoms on 20th anniversary in town Written By MARNI WALSH The Vice President of KTH Shelburne Mfg. Inc., Shane Hall says the company has marked their 20th anniversary in Shelburne by planting a cherry orchard for the enjoyment of the community. The trees are being placed in KTH Park on Homestead Road where the company already has a baseball diamond and soccer field. Some of the non-fruit bearing trees were planted last Thursday and another 40 will be added next spring. To accompany the orchard, KTH will be installing an overhead sign designed in heritage style, benches for seating areas, and a walk-way through the grove. The community joined KTH for food and celebrations last Saturday, July 21st at the plant building. Employees gathered from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then the party was open to the community and visitors. Mr. Hall says KTH Shelburne has made a dedication to the community on every 5th anniversary. At five years, it was a donation to the Shelburne Public Library; at 10 years to Stephenson Memorial Hospital; at 15 years a donation to Headwaters Hospital; and now the Cherry Orchard at KTH Park. Assistant Vice-President Mr. Sean O'Brien shared the company's twenty year history in Shelburne with the Free Press this week: “The company was founded in December, 1996 as a Canadian subsidiary of KTH Parts Manufacturing Inc. of St. Paris, Ohio and the predecessors to what is their current Japanese parent company H-One. H-One specializes in producing automotive frames and located close to every Honda plant producing cars in the world is an H-One plant. Up until 1996 KTH Parts had been shipping Civic frames from their Ohio location to Honda Canada Manufacturing (HCM) in Alliston, but was looking at establishing a Canadian location to manufacture parts for the much larger Odyssey that HCM was planning on starting to build. Shelburne was selected as the preferred location due to the feel of the town being similar to that of St. Paris, Ohio and the proximity to Honda's plant in Alliston.” “In April 1997 construction began in Shelburne and in July of 1998 KTH Shelburne began producing 300 welded automotive frames per day,” says Mr. O'Brien. “What began as a welding operation with 54 employees and a building 100,000 square feet soon started to expand. By December of that year KTH Shelburne almost doubled the number of frames they would build in a day and in 1999 they added a 2500 Ton Transfer press that enabled them to make some of the parts they were welding. Welding capacity kept increasing to match Honda's expansion in Alliston and more presses were added. Since the original building was created, KTH Shelburne has had 7 plant expansions and now measures 427,000 square feet with 4 presses.” “At the 20 year anniversary mark last week, it is now the largest employer in Dufferin County with some 450 employees and has a left a lasting mark in the community with support over the years to numerous charities and contributions such as those to the Shelburne library or KTH Park which is a well-used soccer and baseball site,” says the Assistant Vice President. |
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Post date: 2018-07-26 14:40:41 Post date GMT: 2018-07-26 18:40:41 Post modified date: 2018-08-02 13:56:48 Post modified date GMT: 2018-08-02 17:56:48 |
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