Part of The Investment Attraction Series presented by

Spotlight on London Manufacturing

Manufacturing Investment Attraction

Published on October 5, 2020

Vijai Lakshmikanthan / CEO - Starlim North America Corporation

Candace Campbell / Incoming Chair - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Southwestern Ontario Chapter

Margaret Coons / CEO & Founder - Nuts for Cheese

Colin Yates / Chair - Centre for Research and Innovation, Fanshawe College

London’s location, investments in infrastructure, affordability and ample supply of skilled labour make it an attractive destination for investment in manufacturing. The business ecosystem is very welcoming to foreign companies and has attracted large-scale investments including Starlim-Sterner, Dr. Oetker and Nestlé.

Among the most exciting sectors in London’s manufacturing industry is food and beverage processing. The ecosystem stretches from individuals making artisanal products to startups and large multinational corporations, making it one of London’s fastest growing sectors.

Takeaways

London’s location, located on Highway 401, provides access to all of North America within a two-day drive, making it very attractive to manufacturers needing to transport goods across the continent.
Over 60,000 students are attracted to London each year and the London Economic Development Corporation works closely with the post-secondary institutions to ensure employers have a skilled and experienced manufacturing workforce.
London’s food processing ecosystem includes startups, SMEs and large corporations who collaborate together to provide guidance and support as the sector continues to grow.
The City of London invests heavily into the infrastructure that is required to grow and operate London’s manufacturing ecosystem, including access to highways and high capacity servicing of industrial parks.

Watch or Read the Experts' Full Interviews

London Manufacturing Through COVID-19 and Beyond Vijai Lakshmikanthan CEO - Starlim North America Corporation “Being located in London certainly comes with a number of advantages.”

Support for London's and Canada's Manufacturing Industry Candace Campbell Incoming Chair - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Southwestern Ontario Chapter “Having a group like NGen helps us advocate to the reasons for investing here.”

Growing a Food Production Business in London Margaret Coons CEO & Founder - Nuts for Cheese "We have a lot of support for industry and our business.”

London's Growing Agri-Food Processing Ecosystem Colin Yates Chair - Centre for Research and Innovation, Fanshawe College "What we need to start to see happening is that post-secondary institutions start to cater to what that regional strength is a little bit better."