Image: AE Concrete Products Incorporated / AE Concrete Products Incorporated, a precast concrete manufacturer in the Fraser Valley that specializes in delivering standard and custom civil precast solutions, will relocate to Seabird Island in Agassiz with the help of a $4.5 million funding boost from the B.C. government.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Provincial funding

Precast concrete manufacturer to relocate to Seabird Island with funding from the B.C. government

Aug 29, 2024 | 12:06 PM

SEABIRD ISLAND/AGASSIZ — AE Concrete Products Incorporated, a precast concrete manufacturer in the Fraser Valley that specializes in delivering standard and custom civil precast solutions, will relocate to Seabird Island in Agassiz with the help of a $4.5 million funding boost from the B.C. government.

The province announced Thursday (Aug. 29) it will contribute as much as $6 million toward three capital projects and one planning project in the Fraser Valley, one of which involves the concrete company’s forthcoming move to Seabird Island.

AE Concrete Products Inc. will receive upwards of $4.5 million through the B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund to help construct a new facility on Sq’éwqel First Nation territory and become the first anchor tenant at the new Seabird Island Industrial Park. The province says the funding allocation will enable the company to expand its business lines to include new precast products, thereby supporting home and commercial infrastructure projects and creating 40 jobs, while providing employment and helping generate future business opportunities for Sq’éwqel members.

“We’re excited about our new home on Seabird Island and our partnership with the Sq’éwqel First Nation,” said Ian Graham, president of AE Concrete Products Inc. “It provides a foundation upon which to grow our business, while creating new employment opportunities for the community.”

AE Concrete produces electrical and communication vaults, trenches, street light bases, large and custom chambers, as well as a variety of custom precast solutions utilizing its many years of experience and an in-house engineering team. The company has distinguished itself as a leading provider of civil structures for over 30 years, and values its collaboration working with the marketplace to deliver and develop the products needed for the civil construction industry.

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“By growing local industries through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF), we’re helping communities across our province flourish,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “We are bringing high-value manufacturing opportunities to businesses, which brings direct benefits to workers and families, while strengthening B.C.’s diverse economy.”

Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, the Government of B.C. is contributing as much as $6 million toward three capital projects and one planning project in the Fraser Valley. These projects will see local manufacturers contribute to the region’s economic development by enhancing local supply chains and contributing to the housing sector, while growing and diversifying their operations through new product lines and the use of new advanced equipment, helping to establish 108 new, sustainable local jobs.

One of these other projects involves Columbia Kitchen Cabinets Ltd., a wood-product manufacturer located in Abbotsford that creates custom cabinetry and kitchen products for the residential housing industry in B.C. and western North America. It is receiving as much as $1.1 million to support scaling up its facility and purchasing new automated equipment. It will double production capacity and create four new product lines that will help the company enter new U.S. markets. The project will create at least 48 jobs, including highly skilled positions.

“This funding will enhance Columbia’s current expansion efforts by accelerating production capacity growth,” said Ryan Loewen, chief executive officer, Columbia Kitchen Cabinets Ltd. “Expediting this process will not only foster our ability to craft more high-quality cabinetry for our customers in North America, but also will create dozens of job opportunities locally and allow for more efficient implementation of industry-leading technologies.”

Additional Fraser Valley-based manufacturers receiving funds from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund are as follows:

* Chilliwack – Fab Tech Design and Build Ltd. manufactures custom prefabricated wall packages for the residential construction industry. It will receive as much as $431,000 to support upgrading its facility and purchasing advanced equipment. These improvements will expand prefabricated production lines to include wood panel walls, stairs and floor systems, and double its overall production capacity, helping to reduce turnaround time for multiple-family housing and other construction projects. The project will create 20 jobs.

* Mission – Valley Acrylic Bath Ltd. is a plumbing fixtures manufacturer. It is receiving as much as $50,000 to complete business and engineering planning prior to the renovation and expansion of its factory to include the addition of new robotic production lines that will triple production capacity.