Royalty Hardwoods Expands and Brudenell Fairway Open
Royalty Hardwoods Expands and Brudenell Fairway Open
Date: June 27, 2001
POOLES CORNER (P.E.I.) - Royalty Hardwoods Ltd., a successful manufacturer of value-added wood products, is now better equipped to utilize Prince Edward Island hardwood thanks to a major expansion of its manufacturing facility in Pooles Corner. The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Solicitor General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Cardigan; Kevin MacAdam, MLA for Morell-Fortune Bay; and owners Martinus and Sharon Rose officially opened the expansion today.
Royalty Hardwoods has been in business since 1994. The company's main production item is hardwood and softwood flooring. It also manufactures mouldings, truck box flooring, decking and stair materials. In the past, most of the hardwood that the company used came from outside the province because there were no P.E.I. sawmills with the capability to grade hardwoods to the level required for high-quality finished products. The expanded facilities will make it possible to use a much higher percentage of Island lumber, and it will also increase the company's ability to meet a strong international demand for its finished products.
"Royalty Hardwoods has developed a strong market for its products and this expansion will allow the company to take advantage of that demand. Increased sales, of course, has resulted in more skilled jobs for Island workers," said Minister MacAulay on behalf of the Honourable Robert Thibault, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
For the expansion at Royalty Hardwoods ACOA has provided a repayable loan of $357,000, HRDC has provided $250,000 through the Canada Jobs Fund and PEI Business Development Inc. has contributed $40,000.
"With this expansion, Royalty Hardwoods is one of the largest producers of manufactured wood products on P.E.I. We are now able to add value to P.E.I. hardwood that in the past may have been used for firewood," said Martinus Rose.
As part of its expansion, Royalty Hardwoods has installed a specialized six inch band saw for accurate sawing and efficient breakdown of logs into their highest value, and a 30,000 FBM kiln to dry the sawn lumber to the eight percent moisture content needed for manufacturing. A new manufacturing plant has also been constructed which houses specialized equipment such as a six-head multi multi-rip saw, and an end matcher. This building will be used for the production of hardwood and softwood flooring and specialty products for the European market. The expansion has resulted in 23 new full-time jobs and six seasonal woods operators have also been hired.
"I congratulate Martinus Rose and Royalty Hardwoods for bringing this expansion to Pooles Corner,"said Kevin MacAdam, representing Development and Technology Minister Mike Currie. "It is important that all levels of government continue to work with private business operators to bring new and expanding businesses to our province. The strength of today's economy is dependant on continued expansion, and the people who will gain secure employment through this expansion are dependant on that economic strength."
The ceremony was a double celebration, marking the opening of the Brudenell Fairway Chalets in Roseneath which are also owned by Martinus and Sharon Rose. Located a short drive from the Royalty Hardwoods facilities are the 14 country-style chalets situated on an 18-acre property across the Georgetown highway from the Brudenell and Dundarave golf courses. The fully-winterized Brudenell Fairway Chalets have many Royalty Hardwoods products such as wainscotting, flooring and mouldings. Each chalet is equipped with a deck and fireplace. They have been constructed on tree-lined lots that share a common area featuring a below-ground swimming pool, children's playground and landscaped gardens.
"We are optimistic that the proximity of the cottages to numerous recreational facilities and attractions such as the Confederation Trail, Panmure Island and Morrison's Beach will make them very attractive to visitors to the area, even in the shoulder seasons. There is also a potential winter tourism market from visiting snowmobilers," said Martinus Rose.
ACOA provided a repayable loan of $489,600 to Brudenell Fairway Chalets through the Business Development Program.
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