Dura-Line makes investment upgrades in Gravenhurst plant
GRAVENHURST — Dura-Line, formerly Gravenhurst Plastics, recently celebrated new investment in their manufacturing plant.
The recent upgrades expanded the range of products proudly made in Canada.
Key customers were invited to an open house event that included a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and product demonstrations.
“There’s a lot of growth happening in this plant and it’s attracting new positions,” general manager Juergen Windbacher said in a release.
“People are seeing the benefits. You can see the excitement. Things are being done in the right direction.”
Dura-Line is located at the north end of Muskoka Beach Road, next to Muskoka Brewery.
The recent technology upgrades expanded the range of products proudly made in Canada. Key customers were invited to an open house event that included a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and product demonstrations.
“There’s a lot of growth happening in this plant and it’s attracting new positions,” Windbacher said. “People are seeing the benefits. You can see the excitement. Things are being done in the right direction.”
Computers were incorporated on several of the lines, which required a learning and confidence curve, said Juan Manuel Urquiza, director of strategic growth and process excellence. “It’s always a challenge when you bring so much change at the same time. We were able to sustain production while managing all of these improvements. It took a team of people who dedicated a lot of effort into making these upgrades happen.”
Facility upgrades included automating the resin distribution system, enhancing the power infrastructure, redesigning the floor layout for safety and efficiency, and creating nicer employee areas such as new offices, restrooms, and break rooms.
“It’s exciting to see the radical improvements. It’s a place the employees can be proud of,” Windbacher said. “We definitely feel like we are investing in the community and creating jobs for the future.”
Previously known as Gravenhurst Plastics, Dura-Line purchased the plant in 2016. The Gravenhurst manufacturing plant is one of more than a dozen across Canada and the United States. Dura-Line is an ISO-9001 rated manufacturer of HDPE conduit serving the telecommunications, enterprise, and electrical markets. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Dura-Line is owned by Mexichem.
Dura-Line’s conduit allow for a flexible, expandable network with dedicated, easily identifiable pathways for system upgrades, redundancy, and future capacity. Several technologies set Dura-Line apart from other manufacturers including SuperSILICORE and FuturePath. Dura-Line’s MicroTechnology products are leading the way across the industry for fiber deployment.
