Province invests $425K in Huntsville Daiken facility

Daiken North America in Huntsville, Ont.

The Ontario government has announced more than $400,000 in funding for a Huntsville based panel production company.

Daiken is a Japanese panel producer and its Huntsville facility, known as Daiken North America, employs 128 people.

On Tuesday, the province announced a $425,000 investment to accelerate production of its new laminated board product and create 10 new positions at the facility.

According to the province, the facility has been upgraded to manufacture a new type of wood panel used in flooring, recreational vehicles and modular housing.

“Forestry has been part of the fabric of Parry Sound–Muskoka for generations and investments like this help ensure it remains a strong part of our future," said Graydon Smith MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka.

“I’m proud to see our government supporting local manufacturing, protecting and creating good-paying jobs, and helping companies like Daiken bring innovative new products to market right here in Muskoka,” Smith added.

The province claims the product is the first of its kind in the world, only made locally and will be made available to domestic and international markets once ready.

The investment comes through Ontario’s Forest Biomass Program and is in addition to a previous $10 million investment made by the government to support Daiken’s facility upgrades.

The new laminated boards are set to go into production later this summer.