A Lakeshore manufacturing company is marking its 50th anniversary with a big investment and more jobs. Reko International Group Inc. is investing about $6.3 million in advanced manufacturing equipment and related improvements at its Concorde Precision Machining operation in Lakeshore. The investment includes a new FPT Dino Star machining centre that will enable Reko to at least double its production capacity for a specific component supplied to its customer in the power generation space with a manufacturing operation also in Ontario, while also delivering productivity improvements through newer machining technology. The Government of Ontario is supporting the investment with approximately $1.3 million through the Ontario Together Trade Fund (OTTF). The project will help Reko protect 172 existing jobs and create four new positions, supporting a total of 176 Ontario jobs. “This is a good-news story for Ontario manufacturing at a time when there is a lot of uncertainty,” said Diane Reko, CEO of Reko International Group Inc. “We can’t control everything happening around us, but we can control how we respond. For 50 years, Reko has responded to change by finding new opportunities, improving how we work and continuing to invest. This investment is another example of that.” The additional machining capacity will support growing demand from customers including power-generation and other critical applications. Reko says by increasing its capacity to manufacture large, complex engine components in Lakeshore, Reko is helping strengthen an Ontario-based manufacturing supply chain — supporting employment both at Reko and at its customer’s site. “This investment isn’t only about machining more parts,” said Reko. “It’s about making them more efficiently and keeping Ontario manufacturers competitive. When an Ontario supplier can invest to support the growth of an Ontario customer, the benefits extend well beyond either company.”
