Tycrop Manufacturing is getting ready to invest $30 million to clean up it’s “scattered” Rosedale facilities and turn it into one “modern” plant that will improve worker safety and present a more attractive face to the community.
Tycrop co-owner Scott Mason said the plant has outgrown its current one-acre site, having doubled its output of equipment like high-pressure pumps for the energy sector over the last four years.
He said the plant’s staff of 300 is also expected to double.
Co-owner Gary Teichrob said all the plant activities that currently take place outside the buildings will move inside, one of the new buildings to be located on a nearby property in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Teichrob said no application has been made to the Agricultural Land Commission, but “at the end of the day there will be no loss of farm land” plus a “net benefit” to the agricultural community.
Mason said the company is working with “a number of different people” in Chilliwack to meet those goals, but declined to identify them at this time.
“There’s nothing concrete yet, there’s no firm decisions,” he said.
Both men said that residents who are organizing opposition to the company’s intention to apply for exclusion of the farm property are jumping the gun.
Teichrob said Rosedale was built around industry, the first being a blacksmith shop that serviced farmers.
He said if the expansion plan proceeds, the community will benefit from a more attractive tree-lined plant, with employee parking off local roads and with a community walkway.
The company also plans to make part of its new office space available for community services like banking.
rfreeman@theprogress.com