Hamilton, Ontario, was built on a proud history of steel manufacturing and is at the heart of Canada’s strategic focus on the advanced, value-added manufacturing of the future.
The city of 600,000 is strategically located at the centre of Canada’s advanced manufacturing supercluster, which funds and supports transformative technologies, including automation and robotics, industrial internet of things, big data, augmented and virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.
Key advanced manufacturing sectors in Hamilton include: steel and metal fabrication, led by ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Nucor; clean technology, including water membrane technology company Fibracast; and food and beverage manufacturing, led by Maple Leaf Foods, Canada Bread, Tim Hortons, Oakrun Farm Bakery, Gay Lea Foods, and E.D. Smith.
Hamilton is the hub of a fast-growing regional food cluster that is the third largest food and beverage processing area in North America.
The city has tremendous locational advantages, a healthy supply of industrial land, and unparalleled transportation links to supply chains and markets. It is just 45 minutes to both the U.S. border and Toronto, and Hamilton is home to the country’s busiest express cargo airport and its 24-hour operations, networks of highways, two rail lines, and the busiest port on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes.
Hamilton’s McMaster University and Mohawk College, Canada’s most research- intensive university and college respectively, are critical assets for advanced manufacturers. Each are experts in partnering with industry to drive innovation into new products, processes and efficiencies.
Students graduate ready to add value in cutting-edge advanced manufacturing settings, with Mohawk a leader in engineering technology education and the largest trainer of apprentices in Ontario.
The city also has a deep innovation sector, centred around McMaster Innovation Park. It is home to CanmetMATERIALS (CMAT), Canada’s largest research centre specializing in metals and materials, and the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC), which brings together researchers, students and global automakers working on battery and drivetrain technologies.
ArcelorMittal Dofasco, a fixture of innovation in Hamilton since 1912, is a leader in high-quality steel production that underpins North America’s advanced manufacturing supply chain. Its products are used by the top automotive, energy, packaging and construction brands that are developing lighter, stronger and more sustainable products.
With approximately 5,000 employees in Hamilton, ArcelorMittal Dofasco is the city’s largest private-sector employer and ships 4.5 million net tons of steel every year.
Among those growing in Hamilton is candy-maker Mondelēz Canada, which recently unveiled a $40-million expansion, and leading-edge imaging company L3 Harris. It is investing a new headquarters that house 1,200 highly skilled workers developing products used across the aerospace, homeland security and defence industries.
The recent recognitions of Hamilton as a great place to do business include being named No. 2 technology city of opportunity in North America by commercial real estate firm CBRE, the city’s selection as a Smart21 Community for the third year in a row, and ranking as a Top 10 city for economic development, connectivity and business friendliness in North America.
Advanced manufacturers from across Canada and around the world are investing in Hamilton, which offers tremendous business value, a wonderful quality of life, and all the resources and supports needed to grow ideas from prototypes into products. If you are looking for more information on moving or expanding a manufacturing facility, please click here and connect with the Hamilton Economic Development Department.
