City officials are excited about Polyethics Industries’ expansion after it purchased a west-end property, but details about what will happen on the site are scarce.
Polyethics, which makes a number of products including biodegradable garbage bags, purchased the former call centre site at 2 Hunter Valley Rd.
“A local, successful, vibrant business is able to expand, and these are new, well-paying jobs,” said Mayor Steve Clarke.
He noted Nordia, the call centre that used to operate out of the building, was expected to take its jobs elsewhere. Instead, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it switched to a work-from-home model and kept jobs in the area.
“Not only do we have the new jobs Polyethics is going to create, but we are also able to retain those Nordia jobs in the area,” Clarke said.
Polyethics purchased the 44,000-square-foot building, on 5.75 acres of land, from the city for $5.125 million. The sale officially closed March 5. It will be the company’s third site in Orillia, the other two being on Atherley and Harvie Settlement roads.
In a news release issued Monday, the city said the sale “allows the company to further expand its global business and solidify its footprint in Orillia.”
“The former call centre building provides Polyethics with much-needed warehouse and distribution space …”
What that will look like in terms of job numbers and specifically what will be going on at the new facility is unknown, as Polyethics officials declined an opportunity to comment.
