Video – Photo Gallery – Canadian Manufacturer Goes on the Offense With Major Cobourg Expansion

Pete Fisher
3 weeks ago
• Categories: Editor Choice, Local, Photo Gallery

Soluroc more than doubles Cobourg facility as company looks to expand global markets

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While much of the Canadian business landscape is being shaped by tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty and concerns about the future of manufacturing, one Canadian company is taking a very different approach.

It is going on the offense.

Soluroc officially opened its massive expansion in Cobourg on Tuesday, September 15, adding 16,252 square feet to its facility at 675 Brook Rd. N. and bringing the operation from approximately 12,000 square feet to more than 28,000 square feet.

And company President and CEO Christian Gagnon says the expansion is about much more than adding floor space.

It is about preparing for growth.

“What we’ve seen especially in the last year with everything that’s going on in the geopolitical, you know, tariff situation, we took a decision to go on the offense more than go on the defense,” Gagnon told Today’s Northumberland.

For Soluroc, going on the offense means investing.

“We want to make sure we have capacity as we open up new markets,” Gagnon said. “So we are investing heavily in our team and our production facilities to make sure we’ve got production capacity but also people to sell our products and service the different components that we would make for that industry.”

The expansion, completed in just 10 months, is a significant investment in the Cobourg operation.

Groundbreaking took place in October 2025.

The new space also brings a Chrome Carbide overlay product line to Cobourg, complementing the company’s existing Abreco product line.

Gagnon said the company is looking beyond its traditional markets and sees opportunities to grow internationally.

“We’re really looking at this as an opportunity for us to diversify away from some of the traditional markets that would be closer to home,” he said.

That strategy is already reflected in the company’s reach.

Soluroc has approximately 220 employees, with operations in Quebec and Ontario, a sales office in Lima, Peru, and a design office in India. The company sells its products in approximately 15 countries, primarily serving the global mining industry.

“We are a manufacturer of wear products and solutions,” Gagnon explained.

“What that means is we sell mostly to the mining industry in about 15 different countries products or solutions that make their equipment last longer.”

The company’s products are designed to prevent wear on equipment used in heavy industries, including mining, agriculture and civil applications.

And Soluroc itself has grown dramatically.

Gagnon said the company began in 2020 with approximately 50 employees and has grown to roughly 220 through acquisitions.

“We’re continuing to look for other acquisitions quite heavily,” he said. “We want to expand elsewhere in the Americas for sure.”

A Canadian company investing in Cobourg

For Cobourg, there is another important part of the story.

Soluroc is Canadian-owned, and the company is choosing to put more money into a Northumberland County manufacturing operation.

Gagnon said the decision to expand in Cobourg was a straightforward one.

“We like the area we’re in,” he said. “We have a good group here.”

He also said the company has been able to find skilled workers locally.

“It’s relatively easy to find good talent in the area,” Gagnon said. “So for us it’s just been a really good adventure to be in Cobourg.”

Soluroc has been operating at the Cobourg location since 2022.

“We’re coming up to four years of ownership of this location here,” Gagnon said. “So just expanding it just made perfect sense for us.”

The people behind the expansion

Tuesday’s grand opening brought together Soluroc executives, Town of Cobourg representatives, members of the Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association, community partners and local media.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also recognized the people who have helped build the company.

The ribbon was cut by Kevin MacDonald, who has been with Soluroc for 31 years.

Soluroc Cobourg General Manager Sara Parsons said choosing MacDonald was a reflection of the company’s focus on its employees.

“Having Kevin cut the ribbon after 31 years with Soluroc says everything about who we are,” Parsons said.

“This building was built for our people and our community, and we were proud to celebrate it with them today.”

Guests were given a tour of the expanded plant before joining Soluroc employees for a luncheon.

Gagnon called the expansion a milestone not only for Soluroc but for manufacturing in the region.

“Going from 12,000 to over 28,000 square feet in ten months speaks to the commitment of our employees and partners,” he said.

“And the new Chrome Carbide overlay line positions us to serve our customers even better.”

From Cobourg to the world

Soluroc specializes in wear-resistant products and solutions designed to extend the operating life of industrial equipment and reduce operating costs.

Its customers include companies in mining, steel, cement, aggregate, power generation and other heavy industrial sectors.

Its family of brands includes Abreco laminated chrome white iron wear parts and engineered systems, Flexarmor abrasion-resistant rubber products, BCI rubber molding and custom machining, Waterloo Foundry custom cast iron parts and Steelguard abrasion-resistant carbide coatings.

The company is headquartered in Brossard, Quebec, and operates facilities in Quebec and Ontario, including Cobourg and Sudbury.

For Cobourg, however, the message from Tuesday’s grand opening was clear.

A Canadian manufacturer that arrived in town four years ago isn’t simply maintaining its footprint.

It has more than doubled it.

And while economic uncertainty continues to dominate headlines, Soluroc is betting on something very different — Canadian manufacturing, local talent and the opportunity to take its products from Cobourg to markets around the world.