The former Lavington glass plant, which shut down in 2008, was purchased by Restoration Lands Inc. in 2016.
Image Credit: Restoration Lands Inc.
May 04, 2017 - 2:44 PM
LAVINGTON - A new manufacturing plant in Lavington hasn’t even opened yet, and already its received more than 100 resumes from people looking for work.
Mike Molnar of Restoration Lands Inc. says renovations have been coming along at the former Lavington Glass Plant since his company purchased the 91-acre property last year.
Molnar says there’s lots of interest in the community about when things will be up and running.
“We’re basically getting stopped in the street and asked how things are going,” Molnar says.
The answer is the company is currently targeting a September 2017 launch for production.
“We’re expecting approximately 100 to 120 jobs initially,” Molnar says. “We have already received literally well over 100 resumes to date. Our goal really is to hire as many of the former employees that were in the glass plant as are available and qualified.”
About 300 people were put out of work when the glass plant shut down in 2008.
Molnar says most of the new jobs will be in labour and manufacturing, but there will also be some management positions and a couple engineers.
The company has done its best to respond to the resumes received so far, but Molnar says it’s too early to do any hiring at this point.
“We really appreciate peoples’ excitement. At the same time we’re not able to even start the interviewing process yet,” he says.
The Molnars will be manufacturing an environmentally friendly alternative to drywall called ConstructShield in a portion of the plant.
“We’re the only company in Canada that has certification for it,” Molnar says.
Other space in the main building — which measures out at roughly 10 acres — will be available for lease.
The Molnars are also developing the Okanagan Eco Park, a commercial and industrial space comprised of complimentary businesses.
“We expect quite a significant number of businesses coming in over the next three-to-five years. We’ve had tremendous interest in that.”
Molnar says local residents can expect more information about the plant in the coming months.
“I’ve committed to the local community that we will have an open house to show them the vision of what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Molnar says.
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