Stryker’s employees were the key reason its Canada business decided to build its new $100-million headquarters in Hamilton.
The new 120,000-square-foot facility will bring three existing locations under one roof to manage distribution, logistics, finance, legal and compliance, regulatory affairs, marketing and human resources, said Scott MacNair, president of Stryker Canada.
“We have a long history of delivering healthcare and being an employer of choice in the Hamilton and Niagara region,” said MacNair. “With proximity to Pearson, Hamilton airport, the U.S. border and GTA highways, it’s a good central location for us.”
Stryker Canada was bursting at the seams after strong organic growth and a series of acquisitions. Though it considered other municipalities, MacNair says the company was
reluctant to move because it did not want to upset the lives of its more than 225 employees.
“They give a lot to Stryker and we wanted to avoid uprooting their personal lives but also give them a state-of-the-art building,” he added.
The new facility will feature an open concept, with plenty of areas for collaboration, a fitness and wellness area and a showroom to showcase Stryker’s medical technology to customers. Stryker is a Fortune 300 based in Michigan with worldwide sales of more than $11 billion and 33,000 employees. The global medical technology company offers innovative products and services in orthopaedics, medical and surgical, neurotechnology and spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes.
“We have a broad and diverse product portfolio. Our mission is that we are driven to make healthcare better,” said MacNair.
Stryker Canada is also a leading employer, being named a Great Place to Work six consecutive years, a Top 100 Employer for four straight years and a Top Employer for Young People.
The new headquarters is now under construction on the east side of Highway 6 north of Highway 5 in the new 95acre iConnect Business Park. It will be a catalyst for future development, says Norm Schleehahn, manager of business development for the City of Hamilton.
“Stryker’s project is really exciting because it’s leading to the development of another 60 acres. So more shovelready land is coming on stream because of it,” said Schleehahn.
The plan of subdivision had not been approved when the Stryker Canada opportunity came up.
“The City planning staff embraced the challenge and worked tirelessly with Stryker to meet the company’s timelines,” said Schleehahn.
City staff allowed business park developer Krpan Management Group to pursue a plan of subdivision and site plan agreement at the same time to speed up the process.
Steve Malovic, chief operating officer of Krpan, says Stryker needed to ensure its timelines were possible with the time needed to develop a greenfield site.
“We had extensive meetings with the City so we felt confident with this collaboration,” said Malovic.
“The City’s partnership approach was evident,” said MacNair, and a big reason the company decided to stay in Flamborough.
MacNair says Stryker both supports and benefits from the life sciences cluster and research and development coming out of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.
“Hamilton is an innovative health and technology community. We will continue to grow as a business, so being part of a growing community is a perfect fit.”
Read the full Perspective Hamilton 2017 feature here.
