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Sandvik acquires North Bay production facility

Sandvik Mining and Construction has purchased a 70,000-square foot manufacturing facility in North Bay to add badly needed production capacity to its exploration drilling division. The manufacturing facility was acquired from J.N.

Sandvik Mining and Construction has purchased a 70,000-square foot manufacturing facility in North Bay to add badly needed production capacity to its exploration drilling division.

The manufacturing facility was acquired from J.N. Precise, a custom machining contractor that had a longstanding relationship with Sandvik rival, Boart Longyear.

“We have added capacity to serve an industry that’s booming,” said Peter Larsen, Sandvik vice president of mining exploration for the U.S. and Canada. “The exploration industry is in one of the biggest boom cycles in recent memory and there’s a desperate need for product.”

The facility came fully equipped with production equipment and a skilled workforce. “It was a ready-made solution to a capacity problem,” acknowledged Larsen.

North Bay made sense as a location, he said,  “because it has been the centre of the universe for exploration expertise forever,” hosting several other major players in the industry, including Boart Longyear, Atlas Copco and Mining Technologies International. “The city is also a good logistics hub,” added Larsen.

The Sandvik facility will produce exploration coring, core drilling tools and accessories for the global market. Until now, the company relied on manufacturing facilities in Barrie, Ontario, Australia and Sweden to serve the market.

The North Bay operation has 70 employees, but Sandvik plans to increase its workforce and acquire additional production equipment as the demand for exploration products continues to grow.

“The North Bay facility is a welcome addition to the Sandvik family and will have an immediate impact on the company’s exploration drilling division,” said Larsen.

www.miningandconstruction.sandvik.com/us