Canadians are used to hearing about manufacturers closing their doors and moving to the United States, but General Electric is bucking that trend and coming north.
The company announcing today it's chosen Welland as the site for a state of the art gas engine plant that's being moved from Wisconsin.
The Welland plant, slated to open in early 2018, will initially employ 150 people – fewer than the 350 originally planned.
According to the company the scaled-back first phase is due to the slowdown in the oil-and-gas sector, but they hope to ramp up employment as additional GE products are added to the production line.
The company said it chose Welland because of its proximity to the U.S. border and access to skilled workers.
GE also cited Welland’s “aggressive” efforts to attract business.
"Welland welcomes today's announcement and anticipates working closely with GE as they begin construction of their new facility in our city. Welland sees GE's announcement as a direct result of the innovation and flexibility outlined in our 2013 Manufacturing Attraction Strategy, and the Welland/Niagara Region's Gateway Incentive Program. We are excited about the employment and business opportunities GE's announcement will create for Welland residents." said Welland Mayor Frank Campion