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Industry           

With the growing diversity of its economy, Sarnia can offer global expertise in a number of industries. Many of the firms located in this vibrant border community are doing business internationally and are recognized for the excellence of their technology and world-scale quality of their products and services. Sarnia is well positioned to build on its long and rich tradition as a leader in industry.

For many decades Sarnia-Lambton has been a national and international leader in the production of chemicals, synthetic rubber and a variety of oil based products. More than 20 major petrochemical and petroleum manufacturing sites are located in the area. In Sarnia , major petrochemical and refinery facilities include those operated by Imperial Oil/Esso, Suncor, Amoco, Dow Chemical, Bayer Rubber, Nova Chemicals, Cabot Canada (manufacturer of carbon black) and Air Products. Shell Canada, Montell Polyolefins, Terra International (nitrogen fertilizer) and Ethyl Corporation (fuel additives) are located south of Sarnia .

Sarnia’s petrochemical history began with the first discovery of oil in North America in Oil Springs (located about 35 km from Sarnia) in 1858. Shortly thereafter, Imperial Oil established a refinery in Petrolia, which later relocated to Sarnia around the turn of the century. During the Second World War, Polymer Corporation (later Polysar, now Bayer Rubber) was established in Sarnia to manufacture synthetic rubber. Following the war, Sarnia experienced rapid growth as a result of major investments by petroleum and chemical companies.

While petrochemical production and investment in existing and new plant and equipment continues, economic development efforts in the Sarnia area are being focused on the need for economic diversification. In addition to encouraging renewed petrochemical expansion, the community is now working to attract investment in a variety of growing sectors. These include auto parts manufacturing (a key opportunity due to highway access and the proximity of auto assembly plants in Ontario and Michigan), transportation, plastics, tourism, environmental, health care, education, software and value-added agriculture-based products. 

ECONOMIC BASE

The Petrochemical Industry

Extending from Sarnia for some 32 kilometres (20 miles) southward is an impressive series of multi-million dollar petrochemical plants which make up the greatest concentration of this type of industry in Canada . For the newcomer to the area, the industries appear as a vast collection of pipes, tubes, towers and tanks - all creating a fascinating display that is unique to this part of Ontario . At night, the display takes on an even more impressive, almost beautiful appearance, with its thousands of twinkling lights.

Engineering & Metal Fabrication

Engineering and fabrication skills are top quality in Sarnia and are purchased by firms around the world operating chemical plants, pulp and paper mills, waste water treatment facilities, automotive plants and breweries. Expertise is strong in industrial engineering and fabrication for pressure vessels, heat exchangers, reactors, corrosive materials, chemical coatings, high voltage power systems and high-pressure pipelines. Engineering firms also have expertise in a number of civil and structural construction specialties.  

Environmental Technology  

Sarnia is developing a distinct industrial service sector, which includes planning, designing, building and monitoring systems to protect the environment. Specialized services exist in waste/pollution control, spill protection products, energy efficiency, recycling and resource substitution, environmental engineering, waste water treatment and contaminated site remediation. This core experience, among the best in the world, was created by building local environmental solutions to air and water pollution concerns.  

Information Technology  

Sarnia is positioning itself to be a player in the information technology industry. Lambton College is one of only four locations in Canada to offer the new Information Technology Professional Program developed by the Software Human Resources Development Council in partnership with Microsoft and in consultation with Canadian advanced technology companies. The full year graduate-level co-op program is receiving wide acclaim. Furthermore, the college is the first educational site in North America to offer training in Systems Applications and Products (SAP). This is a systems application software program for managing complex tasks, including financial, manufacturing and distribution functions.

 Automotive Industry  

The automotive sector has been identified as a new sector of industrial attraction for Sarnia . Over a dozen major automotive assembly plants are located within a three-hour drive of Sarnia. The world headquarters for General Motors and Ford, which are surrounded by major research and development facilities, are approximately one hour away. With a highly skilled workforce, excellent market location and a first-class transportation infrastructure, Sarnia is well positioned for automotive assembly and automotive parts manufacturing.  In fact, a growing automotive sector now joins Sarnia’s well‑established petrochemical and refinery industries. UBE Automotive’s recent decision to locate its new $120-million ( U.S. ) aluminum wheel plant in Sarnia was a resounding validation of Sarnia as a key location for automotive manufacturing. UBE decided to build its first Canadian plant in Sarnia, because of its close proximity to the assembly plants of its longtime customers, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.  UBE joins a number of other auto related plants that have located in Lambton County since 1998, including Advanced Finishing Technology Inc., Waterville TG Inc., and the Woodbridge Foam Corporation.   

Agriculture

Sarnia-Lambton is also a major agricultural region with opportunities for food processing. There are more than 2,600 farming operations, and their production value exceeds $228-million annually. Lambton is one of Ontario’s top 10 counties for agriculture, specializing in soybeans, wheat and corn. The rich agricultural land would also be suited to other cash crops such as sugar beets or industrial hemp.

Employers  

Employers in the Sarnia-Lambton area include the following:

Approximately 23,700 people are employed in over 1,600 industrial-oriented firms and enterprises.
Sector Firms Employment % Manufacturers 224 9,715 41.0 Construction 365 2,821 11.9 Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 284 2,034 8.6 Wholesalers & Distributors 207 1,818 7.7 Transportation & Warehousing 146 2,221 9.4 Administrative Services 116 2,440 10.3 Utilities 16 815 3.4 Repair and Maintenance 177 774 3.2 Waste Management 20 464 2.0 Information Services 56 610 2.5 All Sectors 1,452 19,219 100% Source: Sarnia-Lambton Office of Economic Development   2002 Business Directory Data Base
Manufacturing Sectors
Just under 8,970 people are employed by 193 companies in 17 manufacturing sectors.
Sector Firms Employment % Chemicals 24 3,516 36.2 Petroleum & Coal Products 10 2,087 21.5 Fabricated Metal Products 57 1,689 17.4 Transportation Equipment 15 859 8.8 Wood Products 15 359 3.7 Nonmetallic Mineral Products 19 294 3.0 Machinery Manufacturing 9 187 1.9 Miscellaneous Manufacturing 11 150 1.5 Printing & Related Activities 11 145 1.5 Plastics & Rubber Products 9 130 1.3 Food Manufacturing 17 89 0.9 Apparel Manufacturing 7 77 0.8 Primary Metal Manufacturing 3 68 1.7 Furniture & Related Products 8 42 0.4 Textile Product Mills 4 14 0.2 Computer & Electronic Products 4 7 0.1 Paper Manufacturing 1 2 0.1 All Manufacturers 224 9,715 100% Source: Sarnia-Lambton Office of Economic Development   2002 Business Directory Data Base

Investor Information

Potential investors and agents requiring detailed information are encouraged to contact the City’s Economic Development & Corporate Planning Office. All inquiries are dealt with in confidence. Detailed information packages tailored to specific requirements can be provided upon request. 

For general inquiries or to communicate directly with us, you may contact the staff of the EDCP office at economic@city.sarnia.on.ca .

Peter Hungerford , MCIP, RPP
Economic Development & Corporate Planning

Phone: 519 332 0330 extension 346
After hours: 519 332 0527 extension 343
Fax: 519 332 3995      TTY: 519 332 2664