Cooper Standard celebrated the grand opening of its Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, Industrial Specialty Group (ISG) facility, which will serve as a dedicated site for ISG manufacturing and warehousing. It consolidated three existing ISG facilities and approximately 250 employees to maximize service, quality and cost efficiencies for Cooper Standard’s ISG customers. As part of the $10 million USD investment, the company is expanding its ISG product offering with added expertise in the extrusion of EPDM rubber sealing products for the non-automotive industrial, commercial and specialty vehicle markets; a new ERP (enterprise resource planning) system; and employee skill enhancement programs.
During the ribbon-cutting event and opening celebration, company executives hosted dignitaries, partners and employees at the 138,000-square-foot world-class manufacturing facility.
“Thanks to the province of Quebec and assistance of several local agencies, Cooper Standard is pleased to strengthen our presence in the Sherbrooke area with the opening of our Industrial Specialty Group’s new dedicated sealing facility,” said Bill Pumphrey, senior vice president and president, North America, Cooper Standard. “While Cooper Standard is traditionally known for our automotive capabilities, we see significant opportunities in the non-automotive sectors and our new Sherbrooke facility will play a vital role in this growth.”
Sherbrooke Innopole worked closely with the Cooper Standard team for the two years required to complete the project.
“We are sincerely enthusiastic about Cooper Standard settling in the Regional Industrial Park of Sherbrooke,” said Josée Fortin, general director, Sherbrooke Innopole. “This way, the organization consolidates its position as one of the main industrial employers in the Estrie region. Cooper Standard had many options, and together, we determined the most profitable one, as much for the company as for the region.”
The city of Sherbrooke also is pleased to see that a company of such scale has chosen to grow within the Regional Industrial Park of Sherbrooke, according to its deputy mayor.
“This project not only generates significant economic spinoffs and creates and maintains hundreds of jobs, but it also ensures the sustainability of the company in Sherbrooke,” said Robert Pouliot, deputy mayor of the city of Sherbrooke. “This tangible outcome demonstrates that the initiatives of the past years, such as the extensions of De Portland Boulevard and Robert-Boyd Street, the new industrial land price policy and the property tax credit program, are successful.”
ISG is a dedicated group within Cooper Standard that serves customers in the power sports, marine, agriculture, construction, commercial vehicle and recreation vehicle markets. The commitment to this segment and customer base extends deep into the organization and includes dedicated sales, engineering, design, purchasing, manufacturing, launch and program management teams. ISG leverages the significant investments in technology and innovation made by Cooper Standard to bring OEM-quality products to markets that require cost-effective and high-quality products.
