The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Anmar Mechanical and Electrical Contractors Inc. is one of dozens of local companies that will benefit from Vale Ltd.’s $2-billion Clean AER Project. The Lively-based company has won the contract to fabricate four converters that are a big part of the environmental upgrade of the Copper Cliff Smelter Complex.
Anmar president Gianni Grossi won’t reveal the exact amount of the contract, but says it is in the neighbourhood of $15 million — and could employ as many as 700 of his employees at the peak of construction.
Each of the converters is 44 feet long and 13 feet in diameter, and is made of two-inch boiler-plate steel that will stand up to high temperatures in the smelting process. Anmar has also bid on contracts for other parts of the Clean AER (Atmospheric Emissions Reduction) Project. His company is also involved in other work during shutdown and other times at Vale facilities.
Sudbury’s skilled labour pool is strong, said Grossi, which is an advantage for a company such as Vale. Many companies like his are familiar with the workings of Vale facilities because they regularly do work in them.
Skilled labour may prove more costly, for instance, in the development of a project such as the Ring of Fire because most workers won’t live near the development.
The Clean AER Project will be a challenging one because production will continue as new work is done, but the familiarity of local companies with Vale operations “is going to help them,’ said Grossi.
Still, there is a lot to learn, he said.
Anmar employs about 340 people at its Mumford Drive location, and may have to bring in workers from its branches in Chile and Italy to help with the project.
Not surprisingly, Grossi is excited about the Vale project and is bidding on several other jobs for the Clean AER Project.
“Our goal is their success and hopefully we’re providing competitive pricing,” said Grossi. “The mainstay of this is we’re providing jobs locally, and the expertise is here, so it’s a great mesh — so we’re excited.”
Anmar expects to build and deliver the first converter by the end of August, and follow up with the remaining three in three-t o four-month intervals, well ahead of schedule.
It has also bid on the contract to install the converters, and the winner of that should be announced soon.
“We don’t know, but our fingers are crossed,” said Grossi. “I’d like to get it.”