FCI Electronics, the 2nd largest manufacturer of connectors in the world, is expanding its operation in Prince Edward Island. The new facility, being constructed at the Charlottetown Airport Business Park, will be completed this November, employing an additional 25 Islanders.
FCI's current plant in the West Royalty Industrial Park receives moulded plastic parts and plated terminals from the FCI Montreal operation. These parts are assembled to make telecommunications board and cable connectors. They manufacture over 50 different products which are used around the world, by Nortel and other major international telecommunications firms, to build high speed internet switching systems.
The company's expansion comes after the PEI plant was chosen to manufacture a new product line called Bus Bar Laminated Connectors. This advanced technology, currently manufactured only in France, will be supplied throughout North America from the PEI operation. This project will require 10 additional workers.
"The additional space required for this new opportunity meant a relocation into a larger and more modern facility, one that can be expanded when production increases even more," said David Penney, Plant Manager for FCI's PEI operation. "Because of the competitive wage rates, the support from government, and the quality and productivity of our present staff, we have the potential to bring many more jobs to PEI."
Already, because of the additional space, another new line of work will be coming to PEI within a few weeks. This project will require approximately 15 more employees immediately. These workers, plus those employed for the Bus Bar project, will bring employment at FCI to 65 people, up from only six employees in 1997.
"The province is extremely pleased with the growth and advancement of FCI Electronics in PEI," said the Honourable Michael F. Currie, Minister of Development and Technology. "By establishing the necessary infrastructure to allow for continued growth, FCI is showing confidence in the skilled work force and favourable business environment that our province provides. I want to thank FCI for their commitment to Prince Edward Island and look forward to seeing even further growth in the Charlottetown Airport Business Park."
The new building, being constructed by FitzGerald and Snow Ltd., will be 12,750 square feet when completed and expandable to about 40,000 square feet when required.
"We are very excited to have FCI Electronics, an internationally renowned company in the electronics industry, as our first major commercial tenants to the Charlottetown Airport Business Park," said Neil Buchanan, Chairman of the Board for the Charlottetown Airport Authority. "We hope to have a long-term relationship with FCI here at the park, providing them every opportunity to grow and expand as the opportunities arise."
FCI's PEI facility, now located in the West Royalty Industrial Park, started as a Nortel assembly plant in 1977, reporting to the Nortel plant in Montreal. Twenty years later, Nortel sold its connector operations to FCI. In 1998, the size of the plant was tripled when several assembly operations were moved to PEI.
FCI Electronics has 60 production plants in 29 countries around the world. It has over 17,000 employees worldwide, with over $2 billion US sales annually.
The Government of Prince Edward Island, through Prince Edward Island Business Development, assisted in the acquisition and installment of equipment related to the Company's Bus Bar Project.