The Ontario Knife Company Invests in the Future
OutdoorHub 04.30.14
Leadership Team at Ontario Knife Announces Major Capital Investment in an Expanded Facility and Advanced Manufacturing Equipment
The management team at leading knife manufacturer The Ontario Knife Company (OKC), headed by President and CEO Kenneth Trbovich, is moving forward with an ambitious five-year, multi-million dollar investment plan designed to consolidate operations at its primary manufacturing facility in Franklinville, New York. OKC is the recipient of economic development assistance in the form of a $416,000 New York State Community Development Block Grant from the Office of Community Renewal, a $300,000 Casino Funds Grant approved by the Cattaraugus County Legislature, as well as previously reported sales and property tax abatements and exemptions through the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency. The initiative includes the construction of an approximate 28,000 square foot addition, capital improvements to the existing plant, the reconfiguration of its production process within the expanded facility, and the addition of new state of the art knife-making equipment. The upgraded and streamlined manufacturing process will allow OKC to make its top-quality ‘Made in the USA’ fixed blades in higher quantities at more competitive costs.
OKC is a longtime major supplier of knives and tools to the US military and has recently expanded its footprint in the domestic and international commercial markets, including the introduction of OKC products at major big box retailers. “This year is The Ontario Knife Company’s 125th anniversary,” said Trbovich. “We are proud of our legacy and we launch this project to seize the initiative on our next 125 years.” Referencing the project’s strong strategic fit OKC’s Treasurer Cari Jaroslawsky said, “The capital investment is designed to scale out the company’s manufacturing capacity to support the development of new products and new business that OKC has in the pipeline.”
Robert Breton, the Executive Vice President and Chief Manufacturing Officer of OKC, who is also the Mayor of the Village of Franklinville observed, “I have been with OKC for almost 40 years and this is the most exciting project of my tenure.” The multi-million dollar project has been in development over the past year. OKC expects to make the initial equipment purchases and to break ground on the 28,000 square foot expansion in May 2014.
