The Guardian building in the village of Erin will sit empty no longer.
Pintar, a paint applicator manufacturing business, has purchased the building, president Phil Iozzo announced on March 29. And after some substantial repairs, the company will make Erin its home.
Iozzo said Pintar was looking for more space for its growing business – and the 294,000 square foot former Guardian Industries building fit the bill.
“We needed more space, we’ve outgrown the space we’re in now,” he said.
Pintar, currently using three buildings in Mississauga, is moving its entire operation into the single building in Erin’s north end.
Iozzo explained real estate in the GTA for the same building is five times more expensive than the $2.7 million the company paid for the empty Guardian building.
But the building isn’t ready to go just yet.
Extensive renovations are needed, but Iozzo is hoping the company will have a manufacturing line in the plant by August and be in full operation by the end of the year.
Pintar currently employs about 100 people, but a new building may mean job openings for Erin residents.
Iozzo explained the company notified its current employees about the move last week.
“I think we’re going to need people, Erin’s a little far from where we currently are … we think its going to be a little far for a good chunk of them to come up with us,” Iozzo explained.
Erin Mayor Allan Alls said he was happy about the News.
“We couldn’t be more ecstatic, it’s been a long time coming,” he said.
The building on Main Street (Wellington Road 124) was built sometime in the 1950s to 1960s, said Robyn Mulder, economic development officer for Erin. The original owner was Graham Fibreglass Ltd., which was purchased by Guardian Industries in 1994.
Guardian Industries shut its doors in July of 2010 after a three-year strike, leaving employees and 85 members of the local United Steelworkers of America out of work.
